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Self-processing 4×5 and 617 E6
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Hi folks –
Any pointers on how to get started on this? I’m shooting a fair amount of 617 and 4×5 these days and would be interested in doing the development myself. How practical is it? Are the automatic processors like the Jobo worthwhile, and will they handle these sizes? I’m using mainly Velvia and Provia, so it’s all E6.Thanks, advice is appreciated.
Cheers,
PeterI processed E6 for a time several years ago, just 35mm, and I found it too problematic and gave up in the end. I don’t know if you have ever tried E6 at all, let alone 617 or 4×5 but it very unforgiving if you make mistakes. Your final dried strip or sheet is just that, FINAL. You must use tempering baths to keep your temperatures critically constant, the time I was doing it I had to use 38 degrees C.
If the temperature fluctuates at all then your final trannies could be too dark, too bright, too contrasty, have colour casts or end up with clipped highlights or shadows. When I was doing it, it was befoe the days of digital and so did not have the rescue remedy of a scanner to do corrections.
The current generation of photographers have the benefit of scanners and Photoshop which creates complacency across sections of the photography process with the knowledge that it can be largely corrected in front of a screen….. and this can be fine. If you go down the route of processing your own E6 (if you haven’t done it already) you will need to be meticulous and methodical.
I have never tried the Jobo processor for doing films, I used to have one for doing prints and did Cibachrome with it. The results were absolutely lovely but extremely laborious…. expose a test strip, develop, bleach/fix, wash, dry, assess, clean and dry all the tanks and apparatus …. and then do it all again for the full print. And then tweak the results, colour casts, dodging, burning, etc… etc. Like I said, beautiful results, but very slow and needs a lot of commitment.
I haven’t used transparencies in a while now, but when I was using it I always sent it to Repro35 in Merrion Square, Dublin. I found them very good, reliable and thorough. However, for prints, they did internegs and this worked out expensive and defeated the purpose (I felt) of shooting on slide in the first place. There used to be a place on Baggott Street that used to print on Cibachrome and they were excellent. As far as I know they are gone and I don’t know if there is a true alternative, if there is anyone out there who knows then share the knowledge as I have been asked on several occasions but I have no idea.
If you decide to go ahead with this venture then good luck, make sure to keep us all posted on your successes.Peter
I only ever did film developing and printing in B&W. So no direct experience in colour processing.
I did consider it quite a few times but for various reasons never really got to it.
I would say Peter that you would be well advised to use some of the auto processors
The alternative would be very frustratingNova Darkroom ( http://www.novadarkroom.com/ )
have a range of equipment and accessories for traditional D&P which you might find useful.What you are trying will give you a few headaches but will be very satisfying if you can get some decent results.
Good luck :)The post from “thedarkroom” brought a smile to my face.
Those Jobo processors or Durst enlargers do not have an “undo” button on them.
Most inconvenient if you ask me :wink:emjay wrote:
Peter
I only ever did film developing and printing in B&W. So no direct experience in colour processing.
I did consider it quite a few times but for various reasons never really got to it.
I would say Peter that you would be well advised to use some of the auto processors
The alternative would be very frustratingNova Darkroom ( http://www.novadarkroom.com/ )
have a range of equipment and accessories for traditional D&P which you might find useful.What you are trying will give you a few headaches but will be very satisfying if you can get some decent results.
Good luck :)The post from “thedarkroom” brought a smile to my face.
Those Jobo processors or Durst enlargers do not have an “undo” button on them.
Most inconvenient if you ask me :wink:Yeh, very inconsiderate of Jobo and Durst (or DeVere in my case)! I always tell my students that there is an advantage to the old technology. It is unforgiving when you make a mistake, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. It stops you being sloppy in your work and you must think about what you are doing from the very first stage of your taking processing. If you take a photo of someone with a pole sticking up through their head then that is the way you will have to print it if you are using film and an slr…. no Photoshop to clone the background and remove unwanted appendages or Uncle Albert with the crossed eyes. If little Jimmy has the two fingers up when you take the shot, then up they will stay when you go into the darkroom. Digital can make people careless and sloppy but it can also rescue a photograph taken in impossible circumstances. I don’t believe in making work unnecessarily difficult for yourself and I don’t feel that obstacles should be created just for the sake of it.
I can see where Peter is coming from with his new endeavour, just look at Joe Cornish and you can see how someone can benefit by using 5×4 view cameras or 617 and then taking control of the whole creative process from start to finish. It’s a lot of work but if done right then the rewards make it worthwhile. I reckon if anyone is gone to leave us all stunned with his success then Peter is the one. Good luck.Thanks for the information. I’ve decided to invest in a Jobo CPE2 and will let you know the results. The advantage to a daylight processor is that I don’t need a full darkroom (which I have no space for, nor would I have the patience to set up and tear down a temporary one each time), but that it will also keep the chemicals at the correct temperature.
I’ll be sure and let you know how I get on.
Cheers,
PeterVery good, will be interested to hear how you get on-
There shouldn’t be any difficulty technically,
it’s more about consistency of temperature and accuracy of timing-
and that system you’re buying would seem to be the right choice-Would be interested to know if you think there are actual economies to be made-
to say nothing of the convenience of not having to go to a lab twice,
on whatever day they might actually be processing-j
jb:
Yes, I’m curious about this myself. My main reason for doing it (for E6, anyway) is that, living in the wilds of West Cork, I have to post my exposed film out for development and get it posted back. The delay and hassle of that is what I’m looking to avoid.I’d also like to play around with IR film, now that I’ve had a taste for it on digital. The idea of a 4×5 negative is alluring, and the advice I’ve gotten is that IR has to be self-processed to get good results. I know that some of the automatic processors can fog IR, but the CPE2 is supposed to be safe.
Cheers,
PeterIs it not just the tanks that cause concern with IR film? If thats the case all Jobo tanks are opaque to IR and safe.
But I dont think the CPE2 is accurate enough for E6, look at the CPP2 which is accurate to .1 deg C
If you get a good deal on a CPP2 or an ATL on ebay and decide doing your own E6 isn’t for you, I will take it off you and I’ll sell my own CPE2
I have seen a CPP2 kit with several drums and reels going for around €200 a few months ago on ebay.. it would be worth the money to get the largest processor you can afford and try buying one with the lift. It won’t be easy, I’ll be there outbidding you :)
Zoltan
I see you’ve had some good advice over on the Large Format forum-
is there any alternative to the Jobo system, for small volume processing, I wonder?j
Sorry for this probably ignorant question, but do these processor units do all of the development for the E-6 process?
Darragh
I looked at all this a few years back and went for a phototherm automatic film processor. Looks like the jobo but the one key element for me was that it sucked up the chemistry from 5 litre containers below and measured it automatically within the machine. With the jobo you have to measure the chemistry each time you use it.
I processed E6 and 220 with results more consistent than any lab as the chemicals are fresh each time, no replenishment. On a unit cost basis it costs the same on chemistry to process 1 sheet as 4 sheets of 5×4 likewise 120 & 220.
I took down my darkroom recently and now shoot with a digital back and so have this machine for sale if anyone is interested. Can process 8 rolls of 35mm at a time.
Shaun
Darragh
You thread the film on spools like you would in b+w, then the machine looks after it all. My machine has a drier but I just used it to dry the spindals, couldn’t see how you would avoid drying marks. Squegee down the processed film and hang in a drying cabinet, one of which I also have for sale.
Shaun
Shaun Egan wrote:
I looked at all this a few years back and went for a phototherm automatic film processor. Looks like the jobo but the one key element for me was that it sucked up the chemistry from 5 litre containers below and measured it automatically within the machine. With the jobo you have to measure the chemistry each time you use it.
I processed E6 and 220 with results more consistent than any lab as the chemicals are fresh each time, no replenishment. On a unit cost basis it costs the same on chemistry to process 1 sheet as 4 sheets of 5×4 likewise 120 & 220.
I took down my darkroom recently and now shoot with a digital back and so have this machine for sale if anyone is interested. Can process 8 rolls of 35mm at a time.
Shaun
Do you have the drums and holders to process sheet film?
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