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Any difference in the C-41 home processing kits?


rpavich

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I'm getting ready to do my first home developing of C-41 film.

 

I bought a Unicolor kit but was wondering if the Unicolor, Tetenal, Ultrafine, and all of the others that you see are basically the same?

 

People talk about them like they are interchangeable...are they? (I know that they have small variations in temps and such)

 

I'm just wondering if one is better than the others for whatever reason.

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All the dry powder presskits are the same. You can buy other set ups such as the liquid concentrate kit from Tetenal, with a few minor differences in times etc. But it really doesn't matter which presskit you buy - go for the cheapest if you find price differences.

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I haven't tried a Unicolor kit and know nothing about them, but the Tetenal kit is a simple set of bottled liquid concentrates that need diluting.

 

The Tetenal instructions also give times for a longer development process at 30c, so not much more than 21c for B&W, and which aid a more consistent approach, although I'm sure the other kits offer similar suggestions. Either way, from making my own mistakes (which I won't itemise as I don't want to suggest you can be sloppy and get away with it) the Tetenal kit at least doesn't cause any major failure if something or other is a bit out, such as time or temperature within a small amount of leeway. You would be going some to ruin a film, maybe the vicar called round for tea halfway through the processing and throws your timing out, but common sense will haul you back again. The results do not fall off a cliff if you wander a bit (which I'm not suggesting you do).

 

Steve

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The 30° C option is easier to handle, but be aware the price you pay is in color saturation. Guess that won't be an issue if you scan afterwards, because this could easily compensated, but might be if you enlarge on color-paper.

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