thomas345
Hello everyone,
I’m fairly new to the world of analogue photography and would love to hear your thoughts on a topic that’s been on my mind for a while now.
I’m currently developing my film using the Tetenal C-41 liquid developer kit and a Jobo tank.
I prepare the chemicals in brown 500ml pharmacy bottles and use Protectan spray for storage.
The thing is, I don’t develop all that many films, so the full 500ml batch of developer recommended by Tetenal is hardly worth it before it goes off.
I’d be interested to know:
How much chemical solution do you usually prepare?
Over what period do you use it?
Do you see any issues with preparing smaller batches, e.g. 250ml?
Do you also use Protectan, marbles or similar for the liquid concentrates?
Many thanks in advance and I look forward to the discussion,
Thomas
Magirus
Hello
With liquid chemicals, partial batches are possible.
Regards, Bernd
Rolf-Werner
That’s definitely possible; the only question is how long the concentrates will keep.
?
I always make up 500 ml, because I need that for my film canisters as well. So far, I’ve managed a maximum of two developing runs with that amount; several films always fit into one canister. Otherwise, I only keep these 500 ml batches for a second use if I know I’ll be using them again within about a week. Otherwise, it’s a one-off.
?
I also add Protectan to the concentrates and store them in the fridge in summer; in winter, they’re kept in an unheated room (so always around 7 degrees). I’ve had good results with this for up to 9 months. At the moment I’ve still got a partially used pack left over from the spring, and I’m starting to feel a bit uneasy about it.
?
But perhaps others here can say more on that.
?
Regards
Rolf
mattes
You’re not alone in facing this problem.
Solution 1: Take more photos so you end up with enough film.
Solution 2: Collect the film, freeze it if necessary, and defrost it again when you’re ready to perform the processing.
Unfortunately, liquid concentrates only have a limited shelf life.
Most manufacturers are very conservative in their best-before date specifications. If storage conditions are optimal, you can expect a longer shelf life.
You’ll have to test for yourself, at your own risk, how long you can exceed these specifications.
Matthias
