Tetenal Colourtec C-41 and Jobo CPE-2 developing advice

[Bogdan_B]

I finally managed to shoot enough NPS(in sheets) and Portra(in 120 rolls) to run a couple of batches in my CPE-2. I'm planning to load a 2509n with 6 sheets of NPS for the first batch and 2 rolls of Portra in a 2502 for the second batch, loaded in a 2523 with 250ml of chemistry. The manual doesn't specify a rinse bath between the dev and blix but because I want to reuse the chemicals, for the second batch, I'm a little bit worried that a little bit of dev might go in the blix and therefore have contamination problems. Also the times I have in mind are:

1. 5' pre-heat
2. 3'15" dev
3. 30" wash???
4. 4' blix
5. 4' wash (probably in 4 x1' batches)
6. 1' stabilizer

I would be grateful if you guys have comments on all of the above.

[Joanna Carter]

I'm planning to load a 2509n with 6 sheets of NPS for the first batch and 2 rolls of Portra in a 2502 for the second batch, loaded in a 2523 with 250ml of chemistry.

Just a word of caution on possibly exhausting the chemistry: A 5ltr kit is meant to develop 60 rolls of 120 or 240 sheets of 4x5. This means that the volume of chemistry recommended to avoid depletion, for 6 sheets of 4x5 would be 125ml, and for the 2 rolls of 120 would be 167ml - a total of 292ml.

My recommendation would be to use 300ml rather than skimping at 250ml.

[Bogdan_B]

Jobo recommends 270ml of chemistry for the 2523, but i have successfully developed E6 with only 210ml on a third batch(due to first developer consumption) with 4 sheets on each of the first and second batch and 2 rolls of 120 on the third. I would think developing C-41 instead of E6 will not change the coverage.

[Joanna Carter]

Jobo recommends 270ml of chemistry for the 2523, but i have successfully developed E6 with only 210ml on a third batch(due to first developer consumption) with 4 sheets on each of the first and second batch and 2 rolls of 120 on the third. I would think developing C-41 instead of E6 will not change the coverage.

Hmmm, I suppose my attitude is more towards, why risk spoiling film to save a few mls of chemistry? I find it odd that folks will go against the chemistry manufacturers recommendations for the sake of a few pennies extra cost per sheet.

[Bogdan_B]

Hmmm, I suppose my attitude is more towards, why risk spoiling film to save a few mls of chemistry? I find it odd that folks will go against the chemistry manufacturers recommendations for the sake of a few pennies extra cost per sheet.

I guess using rotary processors like the CPE-2, that allow re-using chemicals with ease, takes the human brain into saving mode even further. I know of quite few people using the same amount of chemicals with no problems and I had 100% success rate to this date.

[Joanna Carter]

I guess using rotary processors like the CPE-2, that allow re-using chemicals with ease, takes the human brain into saving mode even further. I know of quite few people using the same amount of chemicals with no problems and I had 100% success rate to this date.

Maybe for you but, for those of us who use the ATL range of processors, we don't have the opportunity to easily re-use chemistry; due to their design, we have to regard our useage as strictly one-shot. Anyway, you come from Wales, not Yorkshire

[Bogdan_B]

Maybe for you but, for those of us who use the ATL range of processors, we don't have the opportunity to easily re-use chemistry; due to their design, we have to regard our useage as strictly one-shot. Anyway, you come from Wales, not Yorkshire

Did you put any C-41 through your ATL? It seems like my times are OK, i just don't know if I should do a short wash between the dev and the blix.

[Joanna Carter]

Did you put any C-41 through your ATL? It seems like my times are OK, i just don't know if I should do a short wash between the dev and the blix.

I'm sorry, I can't help you there. I only shoot either E6 or B&W.

[gary mulder]

The development has to be stopped after 3.15. Usual this is done by the blix or better bleach. You can try a stop bath ±5 pH. I do not recommend reuse of chemicals in a rotary processor. Especially when you print optically. You will always see the difference in the print from the 1e,2e and last batch. If you insist try 3.15 develop time for the first, 3.20 for the second and 3.25-3.30 for the third