c41/e6 processing

[Chris Wilding]

Hi folks

I previously posted this question in 'Wet processing'.

Is it advisable to pre-wash film when c41 or e6 processing. I have read conflicting information on this point but what do people here think?

Thanks

Chris

[Clive Gray]

I've never seen what I would consider to be a definitive answer what I can recall seeing some manual;s recommending fot it and some against, myself I have always presoaked E6 at least.

In my case I am generally dip dunking six 10x8 or twenty four 5x4 at once in a fairly small volume tank which could potentailly cause quite a temperature drop if they did not go into a pre soak to warm up.

Anyway when doing 120 in a small tank its fun to pour away that wierd purple colour when doing Velvia .....

[Collas]

The Tetenal E6 kit I use specifically says that it is not required.

Nick

[dave_whatever]

I think both the Jobo literature and the Fuji Hunt say no pre-rinse. I however do a pre-rinse, as it seems to solve a problem I had.

[Chris Wilding]

Thanks for the advice guys. Did my first batch of E6 last night with so so results maybe I'll just try it with a pre-rinse and compare the results.

Thanks again.

Chris

[Wilson Cheung]

The e6 tetenal instructions I have shows a prewash.

[Collas]

That's just what I don't like about the Tetenal instructions! The information is sometimes contradictory and is spread all over the place - online and in the instruction book that comes with the kit. And then they provide slightly different instructions for those using a Jobo processor.

Nick

[timparkin]

They say don't pre wash either. However I had problems with C41 without a pre-wash (probably because of the short dev time). I think skipping pre-wash is OK for a dip and dunk where you go from nothing on the film to 100% covered in a split second. However when adding in a drum, I use a good 4 minute pre-wash to ensure that the film gelatin is thoroughly wetted. Since I've done this I have had no streaking problems with C41. E6 is fine as long as it stays completely dry before you add the first dev. Any trace of water that touches the film before hand will slow down dev and limit development (leading to streaks). So keep your reels 100% dry before using them again (have a spare reel and keep it in the airing cupboard, don't imagine that you can dry all of the channels in a reel by hand, water always stays in the corners and then runs over your film as you add it.

Tim

[dave_whatever]

Drying reels with a hair-drier (the wife's not mine ) is a good way to dry them totally and quickly. I used to do this before I got a second reel.

[timparkin]

Drying reels with a hair-drier (the wife's not mine ) is a good way to dry them totally and quickly. I used to do this before I got a second reel.

Careful with this one - I ruined a £300 expert drum trying to dry it a bit too quickly (the plastic bowed in so it touched the film when in use). Reels should be OK with the dryer though - should be, might be

Tim

[Neil Barnes]

<cough> Gentle heat only, not the full blast... </cough>

[timparkin]

<cough> Gentle heat only, not the full blast... </cough>

OK - Sticking the 1Kw hair dryer on full heat and then inserting it into the drum for a few minutes may not have been the best idea I've ever had. It was definitely dry when I finished though. The problem was that I presumed the material that the drums were made of was the same as the top of the drum but it's actually very thin, blow moulded plastic - doesn't take much heat to screw up.

[AbsolutelyN]

I had issues which appeared to be caused by the pre-wash not being the same temperature as the dev (and we're not talking hugely out). These days I get the pre-wash as close as poss temperature wise and pre-wash for 4 or 5 mins so the temp stays consistent from pre-wash to dev and all is well.

[Chris Wilding]

Hey there

So you do that for both E6 and C41?

Cheers

Chris