burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

You will need good chemical temperature control, good ventilation, chemical-proof gloves,* and eye protection for ANY C-41 or E-6 process.

C-41 in any form is nasty. At the lab where I worked, we used several thousand gallons of C-41 every Fall until 2007, when we ripped out the film processors. The chem mix lab was off limits to everyone except the chem mix supervisor, who wore a hazmat suit and a NIOSH approved respirator when mixing that stuff. Both our film processing employees died of liver cancer shortly after we shut down the film processing area. They were notorious for ignoring PPE when the power went off and they took it upon themselves to be heroes and clear a stalled ciné processor to rescue what little film they could.

*I ran 15-20 rolls of Ektachrome through an E-6 sink line about once a week for five years. I had contact dermatitis from the latex gloves I wore, and didn't realize it wasn't from the chemistry until some years later, when I was diagnosed with a serious latex allergy. But still, I got a serious headache from the fumes in that darkroom every time, despite a ventilation hood over the sink line.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

C-41 is standardized. If you:

> Use fresh chemistry
> Use clean equipment
> Maintain the recommended temperature constraints (usually 100.4°F ± 0.5°F)
> Follow recommended agitation and timing
> Wash the film properly
> Use stabilizer as recommended

…Then the film will be fine.

Optical printing variables included:

> Film brand, film type, film generation, film emulsion number
> Film processing variations (see above)
> Enlarger lamp or printer lamp age (output gets warmer as the lamp ages)
> Paper brand, paper type, paper generation, paper emulsion number
> Dichroic filter gearing slop in the enlarger head or printer lamp house
> Paper processor control (chemical activity, pH, temperature, time, agitation...)

Using Lightroom Classic with Negative Lab Pro makes the process easier than working in a pro color lab with an expensive video color negative analyzer. I don't mind digitizing film at all in 2024. The tools are so much better than they were in the optical lab days!

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

The problem I had was twofold.

1. Processing and agitation was not a problem but all I had for color was an entry level JOBO setup. I was suspicious of its ability to maintain the proper temperature accurately and the timing was short. Getting the developer drained and refilled on time was a challenge (the following steps were less time-sensitive).
2. I only needed to process 1-2 rolls of medium format film per month. I had to rely on the chemistry being stable enough to last so I would have to dump the stuff if it didn't keep.

It was less expensive overall to just take the film to a nearby professional lab for all of my 35mm and MF work and pick it up in a day or two. When they sent the Kodachrome out for processing it only took an extra day or two.

I had two nice enlargers with dichroic heads for B&W work, one a 4x5 Beseler 4x5. B&W printing was much easier. I never did 4x5 color.

B&W negative film was much easier to process. I just developed at room temperature (70°F to 76°F in South Florida A/C) and adjust the development time based on temperature.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

At home, I used Honeywell Nikor stainless steel tanks with Nikor reels, in a big plastic tub "water jacket" that tempered my tank and chemical bottles. I got very consistent results with all processes, but after doing C-41 twice, I decided, as you did, that it was more practical and economical to just have a lab do C-41.

My personal color work was mostly Kodachrome 64, sent to Kodak in Atlanta. I souped a few rolls of E-6 at home, but it didn't save me any money, due to low volume. B&W was ALWAYS best done at home, as I souped over a thousand rolls through the years.

I don't use new film now, but if I did, I'd do my own B&W and take color film to a trustworthy custom lab. I continue to copy film digitally with my macro lens and camera.

BebuLamar

As you said "use fresh chemical" and because doing it at home I can't replenish I used the chemicals only once so the cost is higher than having the lab do the C-41 (or E6 for that matter). But I do my own color printing with EP-2 and then RA-4 because the lab is not me and can't do the way I want in term of density and color balance.

AzatVi Loc: AZ

Stop reading this, take your camera go outside and be creative!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Life is like a camera. Just focus on what’s important and capture the good times, develop the negatives and wish you'd brought the digital camera instead.

RodeoMan Loc: St Joseph, Missouri

As far as tossing images left by photographers who have passed on, I understand that, but also am glad that Virginia Meirer's heirs didn't get to hers before someone who had the awareness that they were looking at something worthy of preserving.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

I did. Just got back in.

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Ooooooooh ! .... great wisdom from The Wise Man is bestowed upon us ! All take take heed, the sun is risen upon our collective darkness ! Wonder why he wants us to to all go outside ?

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Thaz cuz indoors is haunted by us evil clowns.

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And outside theres lurking strangers .......

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Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Thanks to everyone for the interesting and informative comments.