Re: [Leica] Re: [Lieca] Slides

[Thomas Kachadurian <kach@freeway.net>]

Jim:

Yes but. in the absence of a truly outstanding lab, I can get far better
results myself. You are quite right about the variables, but knowing your
own line is essential.

First, I'm not sure how you came to your 4 hour mark. I can exactly and
carefully mix the chemistry in about 20 minutes. While it comes to
temperature within less than 1/2 a degree in the Jobo, I'm doing something
else. While it's processing, I'm mixing the next batch of chemistry which
comes to temp in a second tempering tray. I can soup 24 rolls of 120 film
in just about three hours, and during some of that time I'm catching up on
my reading and writing some Email (but not tonight). 

There are more good reasons than cost for doing your own(although I am
processing E-6 for about $1.25 a roll). I have two primary reasons. 1.
Turnaround. Labs only get film done in 3 hours during the hours that they
are open. I was working on a book this summer and was often shooting until
11p.m. I came home and souped my film for the day, so that when I went out
the next morning I knew exactly what I had done tha day before. Also, Try
getting E-6 done on a Sunday. 2. Velvia. I shoot Velvia nearly exclusively,
and I have yet to find a lab that completely bleaches the film. After
extensive testing I have a protocol that increases color development and
fixing, and significantly increases bleaching. I hear lots of people talk
about the contrast problems with Velvia, but not in my lab.

I will admit to one batch in 30 having a slight color shift, but only
something you see on the targets. The worst color shift I have ever had was
far less than I routinely have to have fixed when I go from one color
separator to another. 

I still use a lab about 10% of the time, but most of my E-6 comes out of my
Jobo.

Tom


>He may save $20,000 gross but to save this much would require a full time
>lab technician. That's a lot of film. So the salary should be subtracted
>out. Also the kits aren't always consistent. I know from years of use. What
>I settled-in with is: a water de-ionizer and a pH meter, NaOH and H2SO4.
>Mixed all chemistry with de-ionized water. Tested the first and color
>developers with the pH meter and adjusted the pH (via NaOH & H2SO4). And
>don't forget that a pH meter takes lots of maintenance. Calibration with
>buffers. Storage problems. The resultant chemistry was split into one-shot
>size portions, stored in glass brown bottles, using glass beads to take-up
>the extra air space. The rotary processor drum must be warmed to processing
>temperature BEFORE starting processing. The drum will suck the heat out of
>the one-shot of first developer and cause low D-max (muddy looking slides).
>You cannot run the stabilizer through the processor as it can cause
>contamination. So you stabilize separately. Then either squeegee or not,
>and hang in a DUST FREE drying space. To push or pull a single roll or
>sheet, requires a full shot of chemistry. Not very economical. If you walk
>into your lab and start from scratch (mix chemistry, adjust pH, load film,
>process, hang to dry, then CLEAN-UP... we're talking a minimum of four
>hours. Probably more. This is if you are going to do it correctly. You can
>skip steps, but your results will suffer and never be consistent. I have
>also found that fresh "just mixed" chemistry is "hot" and needs to age a
>few hours before use. There is "three step" E6 chemistry but it is classed
>as amateur and when it came out, was not recommended for rotary processor
>use. That may have changed by now.
>
>It is a LOT OF WORK to produce properly processed and consistent E6
>transparencies. I know from years of experience. The control strips that
>pro/commercial labs run and their modem link to Kodak's Tech-Net will
>provide the necessary adjustments to keep the line in balance. I don't know
>about other labs, but Calypso (and I'm sure many other labs) work very hard
>at maintaining an in balance E6 process. I can personally vouch for Calypso
>as I've run separate 4x5 sheets, on different days, of the exact same
>subject/exposure and ended up with identical 4x5 transparencies.
>
>Why would I do this? When photographing with my Linhof, I shoot two sheets
>of film for every subject. When I get back, I process only one sheet of
>each pair. I then evaluate the transparency and figure out how to process
>the second sheet. Most of the time it gets processed normally (that's how I
>get two identical transparencies, processed on different days) but if my
>exposure was a little off, or if I want to change the mood, I'll have the
>second sheet pushed or pulled accordingly. With 1/8 stop steps, you can
>fine-tune your final transparency. I was wrong in a previous post. It's 1/8
>stop increments, not 1/4 stop.
>
>This is how you bracket with a 4x5. You do it at the lab.
>
>Anyway, if I had a huge amount of E6 yearly, I probably would do what your
>acquaintances do. Set-up a lab, hire a lab tech, and do it in-house. Once
>you get a routine down, you can produce consistent results. But it sure is
>easier to let someone else do it... especially with two hour turn-around.
>
>Jim
>
>