Film Processing

[fimgirl]

Bit of a long shot this but hoping someone can help.

It's becoming difficult to acquire liquid based chemicals to develop C-41 based film such as XP-2 which I use extensively. Reading a little it appears that Unicolor Press kit does the job and, as powder only based, should be easier to ship in.

Question. Has anybody ever used this developer and what were your experiences?

Link: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/101241-Unicolor-Powder-C-41-Film-Negative-Processing-Kit-2-Liter

[sunshine51]

FG...

I have never used this but a friend in Singapore swears by it...not at it.

BTW...have you ever given these folks a try, they're in Huay Kwang BKK;

http://procolorlab.com/pro_firstpage.htm

Goodies galore in their shop and if they don't have it in stock they'll order

it for you.

Good luck

[fimgirl]

@sunshine - thanks for the response. I've been using pro color lab for E6 processing actually so am aware of their presence.

Reading about the press kit some regard it as a bitch to use and control hence my initial question. I think it's worth a try and some now on order.

Thanks again

[sunshine51]

^^^ You're Welcome...hope the stuff works well 4 U..

[fimgirl]

Looks easy enough eh?

http://petapixel.com/2013/05/13/how-to-process-c-41-color-negative-film-at-home-from-start-to-finish/

[sunshine51]

^^^ FG...the temp limits could really be fun to play with!

Mind you I never really did care much for the Patterson tanks

even though they were easy loading...maybe too simple for me?!

I still prefer the old stainless steel cans & spools. Have a single

& quad can today..have lasted me more than 25 years. Easy

when you get used to them. Mind you I need to fins a changing

bag. Put a finger through an old Arri 16mm one I have and can't

sew it up...poor thing's deteriorated too much. Have you ever used

any black trash bags for loading?

[fimgirl]

I find using changing bags fiddly and especially so with 120 film. So I go commando! I have a room that gets very dark ( read black) at night and I can load the film in the open room without any light leaks or problems.

I've been exchanging with a guy in another forum who's using the developer on 120 XP-2 with quite startling results. Far superior to anything I've managed to date. What's more he re-uses the mix for up to 8 films at anything up to 6 months apart without degradation! At $30 dollars that's economical eh?

Now, if only the cost of film would come down!

Edited July 21, 2014 by fimgirl

[sunshine51]

FG...I've been doing Ilford for mono & lately tried a 400 ft roll

of Kodak's Vision3 500T (Kodak 5219) Colour Neg...with rather

interesting results. Actually it wasn't tried lately but back in

February...just a test shoot. You need Kodak's processing

chemicals though and the good news is that Kodak in BKK

usually has stock. The price works out to around 300 USD

per 400 ft on spool roll.

However...35mm film cassettes may be hard to find if you

don't have a few laying around collecting dust in this digital

age. Google is your friend in locating them!

Changing bags...I don't mind using them since I shot 16mm

extensivly in the past before broadcast video KO'd us film

guys. Since the demise of my old CB I have found that

loading a cassette inside of 2 black plastic trash bags

in the bathroom at night works fairly well for me but the

bags are really no substitute for a "proper" CB.

Plastic trash bags are available anywhere and cheap

whereas these days a CB is more likely not to be found

except in Changing Tent design and these are quite pricey

with their silver reflective outer cover, fibreglass poles &

light trap arm thinggy! They resemble a tent for leprachauns.

Very short leprachauns at that.

I just cannot see myself taking a coffee table into the loo

along with the "tent", sitting on the pot and loading film!

That could be disasterous...or perhaps interesting...depending

on how late at night I'd be loading cans....in more way than one

perhaps...hah!

Here's a link to Kodak's pdf on their film's & chemicals etc...etc

for your reference.

http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploadedFiles/QA_MotionPictureCatalog_June26_2014.pdf

Cheers,

gordo