Developing Colour Film with the C41 Process

[@roberthorwat6747]

The mysteries of the C41 process laid bare. I was fascinated from start to finish. I feel like digging my OM10 out and using up the last few rolls of Fuji film I still have, buying a kit and having a go! Great stuff!!!

[@TrevorDyck]

Fantastic guide, thanks so much for making this. It's clear, thorough, and doesn't drag on! I haven't developed color film before, and haven't developed b&w for over 10 years, but I think I might try this out!

[@PhotographyBloke]

Thanks! Good luck, I'd be interested in seeing some of your results!

[@randallstewart175]

Overall, a very practical demonstration, but contains a major error requiring a correction. Here, He does the fixer, the stabilizer, and finally a wash (not a very complete wash at that). The correct sequence is fixer, wash, and finally stabilizer. The stabilizer should infuse and dry in the film emulsion to do its job. Here, he is just washing out the stabilizer, nullifying its function. Additionally, if you mix the stabilizer with distilled water and add a couple of drops of Photoflo, you can skip that squeegee wiping and just hang the film to quickly dry. Added bonus, if you have hard water, you will not get "spots" drying on the film.

[@SENTINELREPORT]

Thank you very much. It is a pleasure having you teach us how to develop our film...

[@smiff4748]

Thank you very much for this video and also the black and white video. I found them them both to be very easy to follow and today I developed my very first colour film and I am very pleased with the results. Once again please accept my thanks Mike.

[@SpongeLab]

Great stuff, that was really good, I have only ever done B+W before, but this fills me with enthusiasm to give C41 a go, Thank you Mike 🙂

[@thepirateandbluebelle8741]

I followed this with the exception I put the stabilizer in last and didn't wash after. worked a treat. thanks for the instruction :)

[@randallstewart175]

Comment on bottles: The plastic expansion bottles shown here have one advantage and a couple of problems. Their reason to exist is that with partly filled bottles, you can squeeze them down to eliminate trapped air, avoiding exposing your solution to excess oxygen. They are more expensive. However, if you reuse any solution, you are pouring waste byproducts back into the bottle. With all bottles, that waste will tend to attach to the bottom and walls of the bottle. The expansion bottles have a great deal more wall area, and their folds prevent any effective cleaning. Plain plastic bottle will also accumulate scum, but they are more easily cleaned. The gold standard is glass amber bottles, easily cleaned, but will not squeeze out air. Long ago, I switched to the expansion bottles as a no-brainer for air control. After a few months, I went to clean them and discovered it wasn't going to happen. Never used them again.

[@KORNMUSIKde]

Thanks for this great explanation! Two things: the Digibase-kit works at a lot of different temperatures, even at 25°C. I work at 30°C, and I'm holding the temperature with a aquarium heater and pump in the dish washing box.

[@KORNMUSIKde]

Hi, lower temperatur means more tolerance. Five seconds more or less in changing the chemistry is not that dramatic at a lower temperature.

[@KORNMUSIKde]

Viele Aquariumheizstäbe gehen bis 31°C. Dann noch eine kleine Aquariumpumpe (5€) mit in die Schüssel, damit sich das erwärmte Wasser verteilt.

[@MrSpitfireMustang]

Thanks Mike, great work.

[@minhthai70]

Thank you for your tutorial! That was very helpful!

[@hixrat]

Amazing video. Thanks so much!!!!

[@vvmmm1]

Excellent tutorial. I really enjoy it. Thank you very much.

[@drawingwithlight2397]

You sound so much like James Vietch! Great guide, thanks.

[@PhotographyBloke]

Hi Tasos T - yes that should be fine, I used to use the same tank and had exactly the same problem. It may be best to start with a single quick inversion just to make sure everything is mixed but you should be fine just agitating.

[@neildewestelinck6639]

This sounds like I'm watching golf on television when I was young. The commentator also spoke this way. :-)

[@dlarge6502]

I've been developing B&W since I was a young teenager in the 90's. Always thought the C-41 process was too scary lol. No idea why as I just started watching C-41 developing videos like this. I have a handful of C-41 films I kept forgetting to process over the years so will be probably developing them myself rather than sending to a lab.

[@silva-anderida7695]

Interesting.Thank you.

[@Michael-w8v]

Ah good oldie tank from Paterson.

thanks for sharing your video.

[@TheAlphatraveller]

thanks for the video, a great help indeed. I just started to develop c41 and understand that its not same as bw processing (did manage to mess up few rolls). Hopefully this will get me back on track!

[@HogbergPhotography]

Wow! If I would wipe my film off like you do in the end it would be scratched beyond crazy!

[@PhotographyBloke]

+HogbergPhotography I can see your point there, but so far (touch wood!) I've never had a problem doing it that way - I am on the lookout for a proper film wiper though having said that

[@Rusty1995_]

making a color print is the fun part...

[@edouardgadesaude182]

really cool thank you

[@JPKVan17]

Great video, I was looking for a video for the digibase kit.

[@thethirdman225]

Photography_Bloke Very good video with very clear processing instructions. Makes me want to give it a try. Do you know if you can use a wetting agent with C-41? I have one rider though: personally, I wouldn't use a sponge, especially so soon after the film has come out of the tank because the emulsion will be quite soft. Clearly you haven't had any problems but I would be a bit wary of it.

[@PhotographyBloke]

H Fumoto - apologies, for some reason I don't have a reply button on your comment As far as I'm aware, with C41 chemistry the ISO of film has no effect on the chemicals, so you'll be able to develop up to 12 films with each batch you mix regardless of the ISO rating of the films The unmixed concentrates seem to last extremely well - around a year or so if you keep them in the original containers in a cool dry place Hope this helps!

[@andrewburns863]

Isn't the stabilizer meant to be the last chemical in the developing tank, and be used after washing thoroughly?

[@BadMouseProductions]

That looks like a lot more than 12 exposures, so does that mean you need to triple each chemical?

[@PhotographyBloke]

no, the developer mix will process 12 separate rolls of film, regardless of how many exposures are on each roll - there were 24 exposures on the roll I developed, but I used the developer mix for another 11 rolls of film after this one

[@brettbaffa8652]

@photography_bloke isn't the stabilizer the final process. wouldn't the water remove the stabilizer from the film? Also when you use that sponge is it likely that you could possibly mess up the film like scratch it or possibly strip part of the film?

[@m38calypso]

excellent video . Ive done plenty of black and white over the years but never dared go near colour........until now . Ive always used shop processing but noticed there is sometimes many white spots showing up on the final digitalized image . Is this dust finding its way in at some point of the process (probably while drying at the end )? What is the best way to minimize it ?

[@howard33072]

Great

[@lucaprodigo2011]

Hi There, thanks so much for the video, very straight forward! I'm approaching BW and C41 developing in the past weeks, and still in general I don't understand : 1. After you used the chemicals, let's say for 1 roll, and store the chemicals somewhere, how long I can wait to use it again (for example if I want develop another roll in1 month after is that possible?) 2.The chemicals can be re-used up to 10-12 times right ? Thanks so much, is still something I quite don't understand.

[@millskaviar]

You talk just like a pilot :) Love your "how to" videos. Very informative. EDIT: You forgot to use the gloves :p

[@PhotographyBloke]

Haha - well, I have always wanted to be a pilot! Thanks - there are some more in production! Err, yes, I was wondering who'd be the first to spot that...!

[@m38calypso]

forgot to ask ......what is the shelf life of the chemicals ,once mixed and also in their raw state ?

[@sergeykazannik4530]

Thank you man :-)

[@harrystevens3885]

Nice video but your final wash is the stabilizer you basically washed it all off, it's there so the dyes in the film don't get attacked in the future by microbes and fungus and slowly destroyed over time.......I believe you can re-apply it.I watch the Americans do this and they use and waste about 7000 gallons of hot water!! Anyway nice video.

[@Amberlightcollective]

I'm a bit confused and hoping you can answer my question. (My apologies if its been asked already). In the beginning of the video you mention the mixed chemicals being good for about 6 hours. Does that mean I need to develop all 12 rolls within that 6 hour time frame? Or did I misunderstand that part?

[@PhotographyBloke]

+The Amberlight Collective Hi, that is correct yes - you would need to develop all 12 rolls without that 6 hour timeframe before the mixed chemicals degrade

[@JCONCEPMEDIA]

Great tutorial, best ive found so far! just wanted to ask, the chemical measurements, if you are developing 2 rolls in one tank. do you double all the chemical measurements?

[@PhotographyBloke]

essentially yes - it does depend on the size of your tank though. Most tanks have a measurement guide embossed onto the bottom which will indicate how much solution you need for how many rolls of film you are developing. Generally the amount for 2 rolls is double the amount needed for one, but sometimes the shape of the tank means you need to add slightly more - it is best to check, as if you don't add enough you will only develop half of the width of one of the rolls!

[@PhotographyBloke]

Rodale Mendoza (apologies, I don't have a reply link on your comment for some reason) - I'm afraid the short answer is no, each of the chemicals at each stage of the process does a specific job and you do need to use all of them. If you miss any out the film won't develop properly. I can share your frustration as I've done it myself, but I'm afraid the only option to replace the chemical.

[@speltospel]

thanks! exacly the same!

[@bedevere007]

nice

[@Ghostrider03Z]

How come you can open the top of the tank to pour in chemicals and not have to worry about light messing with the film?

[@PhotographyBloke]

+Ghostrider03z The tank is specially designed to be lightsafe - there is a funnel built in to the top of the lid, which slots into the spindle which holds the film inside the tank and allows the chemicals to flow into the tank whilst making sure the light can't reach the film. This is also way the tank is black - it prevents the light reflecting around and making it inside the tank

[@chiscocks]

I use a Rondinax tank for B+W development. Wondered if its poss to alter the volumes of solution to make a final 200ml working solution (the max for the rondinax)?

[@chiscocks]

***** Thanks for the reply, and the video.

[@LJ7000]

you didn't explain the most important, where is the film? how do you get the film out of the roll? and then what do you do with it, and how do you get it on to photo paper?

[@PhotographyBloke]

The details on how to the load the film into the tank are outlined in my video on developing mono film - there's a link in the description to that video, which shows the process in detail - hope this helps. The process for printing images onto paper is separate, as this video only covers developing the film itself, and I'm afraid I have not been able to produce a video showing this just yet - I am hoping to soon though

[@tasost2161]

Hello is that ok if i dont invert the tank and just agitade ? i have the paterson system 4 tank and it dosent close that eazy as your tank

[@amdesidik305]

The sound is a bit too low -may be speaker

I have been using the Rollei kit instead, which combines bleach and fix. Just did my first roll but it seems to work. Two questions. I bought the same canister you have, does it tend to leak? Especially of you do the vertical agitation mostly? And second, what are the steps for push processing, basically the same, just multiply by amount of stops or?

[@PhotographyBloke]

Hi Carl, sorry for the slow reply, I'm afraid I didn't get a notification of your comment and didn't spot it :( - Yes, these tanks do leak quite a lot it is a bit of a problem. The newer type Peterson tanks with the rubber snap on lid are better, theses ones don't tend to leak as badly from my experience, although I don't own any of them unfortunately. I have to confess I'm not sure about push/pull processing for colour film - I would guess that it would be the same, although the chemistry is different - sorry I can't be more help with that one

[@raspberryems]

Great video. Where do you buy the chemicals and collapsable bottles? Also do you do any colour hand- printing at home? I'd love to know how to do that...

[@PhotographyBloke]

Hey Emma, I buy my chemicals and equipment from Firstcall Photographic in the UK (www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk). I'm not able to do any colour hand printing at the moment as I don't have a colour enlarger, and I don't know anyone who has - hopefully I can track one down at some stage! I have been looking into making a video about black and white printing, the technique for which is very similar, so hopefully I can have a go at that soon (things have been very busy this year sadly)

[@raspberryems]

That's brilliant, couldn't find the equipment you were using anywhere! Just wondering do you know if it's possible to hand print and and develop colour prints by hand? I have never heard of anyone doing it/ don't know if it's possible.

[@PhotographyBloke]

emma stewart not worries :) its definitely possible - you would need a colour enlarger though, and these are a bit harder to come by second hand and are more expensive. I've never done it myself, but I believe the process is similar to traditional black and white printing, except with different chemicals/paper and I think a different colour of safelight

[@ahmedal-saeed9374]

hi , I have questions pls , all c41 chamical can use again ? and for how many?

[@northstar1950]

How long do the chemicals last in their 'neat' form or if you like their pre-diluted form? Nice demo BTW.

[@PhotographyBloke]

+northstar1950 Thanks! The neat chemicals have a pretty good shelf life - the manufacturer indicates about 12 months, but I've had some stored for much longer and they still work fine

[@northstar1950]

+Photography_Bloke Thanks for your rapid response :)

[@MyJuancho2010]

Hello very good,Do you have any tutorial to process a COLOR PAPER WITH RA4.? Thank you

[@caporretto]

Hi There, what is the quantity of your Digibase C41 Kit, also if I buy 1L kit how many mix I can do with it? Thanks in advance.

[@CasnioMiCasio]

Can i use the same ammount of chemicals in the new Paterson Tank? Does the old type use 290ml per film too?

[@PhotographyBloke]

I believe the volume of the older and newer Patterson tanks is the same, always worth double checking the quantities of each chemical and the mixing ratios though, as they do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer

[@gonzalomvargasm]

Thanks, great tutorial, one question, if I'm working with a jobo tank with 4x5 film, how should I agitate the tank? same as in with smaller tanks? thanks!

[@PhotographyBloke]

I have to confess I've never worked with sheet film - I would guess that as it isn't wound onto a spool as such you would probably need to invert the tank rather than agitate it

[@sadiesauls6394]

What daylight tank are you using? I'm struggling to find one!

[@PhotographyBloke]

+Sadie Sauls There's a few out there, I'm using the AP Photographic tank from AG Photographic - www.ag-photographic.co.uk/ap-35mm--120-film-tank--2-reels-2359-p.asp

[@Ciaran55]

what's the name of the thermometer? I can't find that type..

[@rowshane47]

Hi, Thank you so much for this video, I just have a quick question about the part where you washed the film between Developer and Bleach. I have heard that I shouldn't wash between developer and bleach, only after bleach and after fix. I end up with super bright colors and less contrast. What are your thoughts? Thank you Regards

[@PhotographyBloke]

I believe you're right with that one - we've discussed it on some of the other comments, and the general feeling is that you shouldn't wash at that stage, only as you say after bleach and fix - a learning point for me which is always a good thing!

[@rowshane47]

Hi there again. I have a very important question to ask. I bought a Tetenal Colortec C-41 developer kit and Somehow I bought Tetenal developer Starter as well, Can I really don't know at what stage I should be using the starter. Any suggestion would be very helpful. Best Regards

[@marcps12]

Is the powder c41 process the same? the temperatures and so?

[@PhotographyBloke]

As far as I'm aware it is yes, although it's always best to check the packaging that your kit comes in, they will normally list working temperatures on there

[@harrystevens3885]

No blix used but a two parter the bleach looks like Potassium Ferricyanide which can cause staining but there is no clearing bath just a water washes, would like to have seen some results because without any the other wise excellent video falls far short.

[@denisg1208]

But you can only do twelve films in 6 hours, right? So after that it's pretty much useless.

[@neildewestelinck6639]

Not really keene on use anything to dry the surface physically

[@erikprestmo4900]

Pre-soaking should be discarded. Pre-HEATING is the way to go. Pre-soaking will only dilute the developer uncontrollably, and worse if one used chemicals that are used to develop 10 films in one liter, as the water remaining inside the tank accumulates in the developer litre.... Pre-soaking was NOT part of the original Kodak Flexicolor procedure, which laid down the procedure here (witness "Focal guide to colour film provcessing" 1978 -1982, page 190 - 192 for an overview and formulas for mixing your own chemicals)

[@erikprestmo4900]

You fail to grasp the obvious.... Its not the amount ofwater in the tank. Its the amount of water in the film emulsion! You fill the emulsion with water, that in itself will be a hindrance for the emulsion to absorb the right amount of developing fluid, sa designed by those that created the emulsion.... And INSIDE the emulsion the amount of water already there would dilute the developer instantly.... But worse, when the developer is drained some of it remains, inside the emulsion and on the tank and spiral surfaces. This can be measured very easy : stop presoaking, develop 10 films and measure how much is left in the developer bottle. I have done that,and found that between 250 ml and 350 ml has been "lost", depending of the construction of the developing tank, and how diligently and thoroughly the tank was emptied..... Now do the same experiment with presoaking, and lo and behold, NO VOLUME was lost! What do you think makes the difference? I will spell it out to you, clean water has replaced the developing fluid, and diluted it! So with presoaking 1000 ml developer has been reduced to between 750ml and 650 ml plus the additional volume of water making what remains in the bottle up to 1000 ml. Work out th remaining concentration yourself, and work out the remaining concentration of the deifferent chemicals in the solution yourself and asess how this change in concentration will make the developer NOT work as designed. In a normal color developer there is color- developer more than enough to develop 15 films, by diluting the develpoer with pre-soak water many workers report they cannot get more than 7 - 9 films develpoed per litre. The explanation for that remains in the pre-soak water.

[@erikprestmo4900]

Thats because you fail to test it FULLY. You test only to prove yourself right. Try comparing BOTH ways. Besides ordering just ONE kit proves nothing, you gotta have something aclled experience, it usually takes years, and perhaps some education.......

[@therestorationofdrwho1865]

Erik Prestmo The water actually helps draw in the developer better. The developer will flow into the water must easier.

[@therestorationofdrwho1865]

Much*

[@erikprestmo4900]

Hehe what do YOU know about that? The active part of the film is gelatine based. Now gelatine is water solible and water-affinitive. That means that a certain amount of water will be sought up into the gelatine. *Somebody* at the film factory actually calculated this a loooong time ago. By design this is made so that the right amount of water withe the proper developing chemicals dissolved in it will be drawn into the film as per design. Now if you fill that gelatine with clean water, with no developing agents inside, the water already remaining there will form a *barrier* a restance to the water carrying the developing agents. This will obviously slow down the developing process. But this is just one side of the failurre situation you create by pre-soaking. The other side is that the water added (which has saturated the gelatine) also works as to DILUTE the developing agents trying to get in. Dilution as you should know, will slow down the developing process. But there is even one more side to this, as far as process C-41 goes: Color film is a 3 or 4 layer film, designed to be in close balance with each other, both when light enters ir and exposes it, and when chemicals works on the 3 different layers, and afterwards 3 layers in balance to give correct colors. Now by diluting the chemicals, and by making an unbalance, as far as how the developing agents penetrate the 3 layers, thse layers will be developed different than prescribed, not in balance as prescribed. Therefore pre-wetting will also create unwanted and uncontrolled color shifts. THat you claim success in your endeavors is no proof in itself. C41 film and developer was not designed like this, and if *you* are satisfied it speaks mor of the robustness of fiilms in general, perhaps luck, and perhaps more about your standard or expexcted standard of work. There is aboslutely NO NEED for pre-wetting it accomplishes nothing, but diliuting your color developer, shortening its working life. Pre-wetting does nothing that can't be accomplished simply by warming the tank dry at the same time the falsks of developer and blix are warmed. PS I have noted that at least one supplier of developing kits also state that the tank should be pre-wetted. I blame that on a new generation of engineers with the manufacturers that never did learn this properly. Sad to say modern engineers know more about electronics than chemistry. Manufacturers like that should be avoided like the plague.

[@ShaunDobbie]

Only a 6 hour life once mixed? That's really bad.

[@PhotographyBloke]

It's the nature of chemical mixes - as soon as they are diluted, and then exposed to the air and moisture in the air, they start to react and breakdown, losing their properties in the process

[@ShaunDobbie]

The kits I see advertised last 6 months.

[@PhotographyBloke]

Have you got the links to them? I guess it does depend on the kit - and ultimately the manufacturers probably are a bit over cautious when telling you the shelf life. In all honesty, the kit I'm using officially has a 2 year shelf life undiluted, but it's been in the cupboard for 5 years and it still works fine

[@ShaunDobbie]

5 Years is brilliant. Refrigerator storage would extend that. Kits such as the tetenal kit last several months but I don't like the idea of bleach and fix in one bath. That's why I ordered a bellinifoto C41 kit with the bleach and fix separate. I will be using motion picture film so I will need to make a prebath for the remjet.

[@supyrow]

I have never heard of "A B and C part" chemicals before, what part of the peri IDIOTIC table are you referrering to????

[@cap8-bmx254]

non va bene, non ci siamo. my mom doesn't wont.