[Leica] Developing E-4 Ektachrome at home

Wed Jun 20 15:05:31 PDT 2018

Thanks, Dr Ted! That’s something I’d never considered. Fortunately, background radiation at sea level is mostly due to alpha and beta particles, which would not penetrate a camera body.

Hoping to get lucky with someone who’s done what I want to do.

Best wishes,
—howard

> On Jun 20, 2018, at 16:53, Ted Grant via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote:
> 
> The only thing I can add to this is?
> Depending how old the film is will depend if you have any images at all? Even depending on your processing? WHY? 
> Simply depending on the radiation factor of planet Earth and time the film was exposed until today? The radiation can or might have destroyed your images.
> Many photogs have no idea about Planet Earths' radiation factor and it's effect on long time exposure to it. Yep it's there 24 hours a day and we? YES US the shooters with cameras and film are subjected to it daily!!
> I suppose as I have been told you can give it a try? however others have offered in processing? MAYBE YOU'LL GET LUCKY????"
> good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> cheers,
> Dr.Ted Grant O.C.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Don Dory via LUG
> Sent: June-20-18 8:47 AM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Cc: Don Dory
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Developing E-4 Ektachrome at home
> 
> My suggestion would be to use an extreme compensating developer say Rodinal
> 1/100 with no agitation.  Memory tells me that the chromes have extreme
> contrast that needs to be moderated.  Also, after all this time latent
> images will be weak and lots of fog.
> 
> On Wed, Jun 20, 2018, 10:43 AM Howard L Ritter Jr <hlritter at twc.com> wrote:
> 
>> I’ve read that E-4 and E-6 processes are very different, and that E-4 film
>> will be ruined by E-6 processing. For one thing, E-4 film needs a
>> pre-hardening step that E-6 doesn’t employ, to keep the emulsion from
>> detaching from the film base. I think this might be the main obstruction to
>> home processing.
>> 
>> It’s been surprisingly unfruitful to google this topic.
>> 
>> —howard
>> 
>>> On Jun 20, 2018, at 07:48, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.uk> wrote:
>>> 
>>> AFAIR, E4 was lower temperature than E6 - many decades since I shot
>> Kodak colour IR ;-)
>>> 
>>> john
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+john=mcmaster.co.uk at leica-users.org] On
>> Behalf Of Montie via LUG
>>> Sent: 20 June 2018 08:23
>>> To: lug at leica-users.org
>>> Cc: Montie
>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Developing E-4 Ektachrome at home
>>> 
>>> If it were me, I'd be shopping around for a single shot E-6 kit
>> (Formulary, B&H, etc.) There may be some still around. I'm thinkin E-4 film
>> will render a usable image (if properly exposed) processed in E-6.
>>> Could be wrong, again, it's been decades...But something to check on. ;-/
>>> 
>>> Montie
>>> 
>>> 
>>>>> Does anyone know anything about home processing of E-4 Ektachrome as a
>> B&W negative?
>>> 
>>> My brother just came across Dad’s old View-Master stereo camera, opened
>> the back, and discovered that it had a partially exposed roll of film in
>> it. He sent the camera to me and I figured out how to rewind the film.
>> (Thank you, Mike Butkus at Orphan Cameras, butkus.org <http://butkus.org/>)
>> When I took it out, I found that it’s process E-4 Ektachrome, which I was
>> told was marketed from 1963-74. I suspect the film was shot toward the
>> early part of that period. I’d like to see what images of me and my sibs
>> might be on it.
>>> 
>>> It can be processed at some expense by several commercial labs, but
>> they’ll develop it as a B&W negative. I’d think this could be done at home,
>> since it’s the color and the reversal that take the exotic chemicals and
>> the technique, correct? I know there’s a caveat about the need for
>> hardening of the emulsion of E-4 film prior to processing, so this might
>> make it impossible to do at home.
>>> 
>>> Any instructions, experiences, or guidance appreciated.
>>> 
>>> BTW, I’m running a roll of Ilford Delta 100, the highest ASA the camera
>> is calibrated for – and it goes down to ASA 4, for original Kodachrome! –
>> through it now. It might yield some interesting images for those who can
>> fuse stereo pairs by staring at them onscreen. If so, I’ll post them.
>>> 
>>> (This camera has an innovative system with linked ASA, shutter speed,
>> and aperture dials, calibrated for subject brightness and for illumination
>> level – and even for summer or winter! – obviating the need for a light
>> meter. As I recall, it was quite effective even with the slide film that it
>> had to use. It had fixed-focus lenses and a viewfinder that incorporated a
>> spirit level below the field of view, as leveling is critical for a stereo
>> camera. A flash attachment with its own built-in split-image rangefinder
>> for determining the correct aperture setting was available. Because the
>> stereo effect was more pronounced the closer the subject, two degrees of
>> close-up lenses were available, going down to 20". Conceptually and
>> mechanically, it’s a fascinating camera and system.)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> —howard
>>> 
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