Tried the Rondinax 35U and C-41 today for the first time.

[rpavich]

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Well...I tried my hand at developing C-41 for the first time with my new to me Rondinax 35U and boy, I really butchered up the process.

 

First, I zoned out; right after I attached the strap to the film and turned it onto the film guide, and then closed up the unit, I accidentally started to pour in the Unicolor developer...oh no! I realized when I started turning that the film wasn't even on the roll!

 

So I kept rolling until I felt resistance and cut the roll and rolled the rest in and kept going.

 

Then I realized I hadn't started the clock so I wasn't positive when the time would be up, so I estimated.

 

Then things went a little more smoothly until I got to the wash part and wasn't sure if I should open it up to do a real running water wash or not so I just did a rinse and turn 4 times for about a minute each.

 

Then blix...then stabilizer.

 

I was AMAZED when I pulled the negs from the wheel and saw the good news! 

 

 

At the moment they are hanging and I'll know more tomorrow morning but I just thought I'd tell you that it's a pretty cool unit and if I can mess the process up THIS much and still have an acceptable negative then I'm happy.

After scanning, I'll post a result.

[rpavich]

Wow..they came out great with the exception of a lot of dust. That's probably due to my lack of adequate washing.

 

Here is a sample:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[250swb]

 

Then blix...then stabilizer.

 

 

 

 

Do you not think it would have been better to put the blix in after the developer and before the wash? Make sure you haven't screwed up your stabiliser by contaminating it with blix.

 

 

Steve

Edited September 18, 2015 by 250swb

[rpavich]

Do you not think it would have been better to put the blix in after the developer and before the wash? Make sure you haven't screwed up your stabiliser by contaminating it with blix.

 

 

Steve

I probably stated it wrong here; (I was going by memory.)  When I developed though, I kept the paper from Unicolor in front of my and went step by step.

 

 

[Doc Henry]

 

Well...I tried my hand at developing C-41 for the first time with my new to me Rondinax 35U and boy, I really butchered up the process.

 

...

Then I realized I hadn't started the clock so I wasn't positive when the time would be up, so I estimated.

 

Then things went a little more smoothly until I got to the wash part and wasn't sure if I should open it up to do a real running water wash or not so I just did a rinse and turn 4 times for about a minute each.

 

Then blix...then stabilizer.

 

I was AMAZED when I pulled the negs from the wheel and saw the good news! 

 

 

At the moment they are hanging and I'll know more tomorrow morning but I just thought I'd tell you that it's a pretty cool unit and if I can mess the process up THIS much and still have an acceptable negative then I'm happy.

 

 

RP congrat for your first development in C41    The result is fine IMO.

Chrism has motorized his Rondinax. If he goes through here, he'll give you some tips !

 

Question : after "rev." you must use "Fix". isn't ?  what's "blix" ?

and before "Stab" you must wash 5 mn in water 

All rev. and fix. process must be at constant temperature and tank closed !

 

As you know, I have Paterson tank to develop and the first time I developed at 38°C

Now I do it at 30°C , so  products are better preserved.

As you know in film thread (I like film)  I recently posted some pictures dev.  at 30°C

Best

Henry

PS : which film ?

Edited September 18, 2015 by Doc Henry

[250swb]

you must use "Fix". isn't ?  what's "blix" ?

Blix = bleach fix

 

And I agree with you about processing at 30C instead of 38C, it allows for more consistent results and has no detrimental effect on the negative quality.

 

Steve

[rpavich]

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Blix = bleach fix

 

And I agree with you about processing at 30C instead of 38C, it allows for more consistent results and has no detrimental effect on the negative quality.

 

Steve

So...you can develop C-41 at 30C instead of 38C???

 

That will really be nice, it was a pain to keep at 38C for sure.

 

 

[rpavich]

All,

I found out what the specs of crap were on my negs; they were little tiny pieces of the crumbling leather strap in the Rondinax.

I got some .025" thick vinyl sheeting from work, cut it into the right width and length and made a strap just now. That should fix that problem!

[rpavich]

RP congrat for your first development in C41    The result is fine IMO.

Chrism has motorized his Rondinax. If he goes through here, he'll give you some tips !

 

Question : after "rev." you must use "Fix". isn't ?  what's "blix" ?

and before "Stab" you must wash 5 mn in water 

All rev. and fix. process must be at constant temperature and tank closed !

 

As you know, I have Paterson tank to develop and the first time I developed at 38°C

Now I do it at 30°C , so  products are better preserved.

As you know in film thread (I like film)  I recently posted some pictures dev.  at 30°C

Best

Henry

PS : which film ?

I know..I left out a lot of steps repeating it here because I was reciting it from memory....but when I developed I used the script that came in the Unicolor kit that has each individual step.

[250swb]

So...you can develop C-41 at 30C instead of 38C???

 

That will really be nice, it was a pain to keep at 38C for sure.

 

 

 

But don't forget to check on the longer development times for 30C processing. It may be different with your Unicolor chemicals but for instance with the Tetenal kit and fresh chemicals it goes from 3' 15" seconds at 38C to 8' 00" at 30C. Of course these times need extending as the chemicals become exhausted. But as the processing time is longer the percentage of time changing chemicals is proportionally less, so allowing a fraction more 'dither time' and less panic. Good luck.

 

 

Steve

[rpavich]

But don't forget to check on the longer development times for 30C processing. It may be different with your Unicolor chemicals but for instance with the Tetenal kit and fresh chemicals it goes from 3' 15" seconds at 38C to 8' 00" at 30C. Of course these times need extending as the chemicals become exhausted. But as the processing time is longer the percentage of time changing chemicals is proportionally less, so allowing a fraction more 'dither time' and less panic. Good luck.

 

 

Steve

I did my developing at 30 C this weekend and they came out great. I just went by the chart in the chemical kit for the roller style of developing.

 

Thanks for the tip.

[aesop]

    ...interesting, this - have never tried colour processing because I thought it was just that little bit too demanding, particularly temperature-wise. Perhaps the time has finally come to unwrap the still brand-new colour head for my trusty V35. Great thread, folks, thanks to all involved.

[250swb]

...interesting, this - have never tried colour processing because I thought it was just that little bit too demanding, particularly temperature-wise. Perhaps the time has finally come to unwrap the still brand-new colour head for my trusty V35. Great thread, folks, thanks to all involved.

You will be astounded and excited how easy it is, go for it! Now colour printing is another thing entirely..... :-)

[aantiporda]

Thanks for the post, I too have a Rondinax 35U and wanted to try C-41 processing. Your results made me envious. Did you batch develop film? Or are you storing the balance of the chemicals? Also, did you warm up your Rondinax?

 

Thanks in advance

[rpavich]

Thanks for the post, I too have a Rondinax 35U and wanted to try C-41 processing. Your results made me envious. Did you batch develop film? Or are you storing the balance of the chemicals? Also, did you warm up your Rondinax?

 

Thanks in advance

 

I think I just developed one roll.

 

 

I put some water in it to start because the directions say to do a 1 minute water soak first. All water and chems at temp.

 

Since then I've tried doing it at room temp (17c) and it turned out fine also. I lengthened the dev times according to the Tetenal directions.