On Tuesday, January 23, Sean Harding wrote:
> On Tue Jan 23 at 12:08:49 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>> Does anyone have experience home developing negatives at home? What
>> products are available? What difficulties? I have had lots of experience
>
> I've been developing almost all of my C-41 at home for several months
> (though my shooting has been fairly light recently because I've been busy
> with other responsibilities). I've used both the Unicolor RapidScan and the
> Unicolor K-2 kits. So far most of my results have been excellent.
Similar story to Sean's for me. I started a few months ago and I've
been very pleased with the results. I'd heard some dire warnings about
how difficult color processing was, maybe related somehow to a "real
photographers shoot black & white" mystique that many amateurs buy
into, I dunno. Transparencies might be a lot touchier, but it hasn't
been hard making color negatives that are very usable for scanning.
The process seems quite forgiving really.
I got Kodak Flexicolor chemicals since I didn't have many options
from the photo stores in this area, and online ordering seems difficult
because of hazardous materials issues. Kodak doesn't sell a hobbyist
kit for C-41 anymore, but I didn't have any problems mixing up a half-
liter working batch from one-gallon quantities of each chemical.
> The only other problem I've had is what seems to be
> dust. Occasionally, I see white specks all over the picture when I scan
> it. I can see the specks (black on the neg, of course) in the frame when I
> look at it with a loupe, but the film cleaners I've tried can't get rid of
> it. So I'm not sure if this is something I'm doing incorrectly with my
> processing, or if it's just well-embedded dust, or what.
Same here. Dust on negatives seems to be a consistent problem in
general, no matter where they're developed. Some of the nastiest ones
I've faced were negatives that had been used to make reprints by a
local drugstore photo counter. They'll never come clean.
Someone mentioned a while back that the image on a color negative has
a significantly lower usable density than a slide, so the effect of any
small aberration like a dust speck will be amplified in the result. The
observation seemed to go by without comment, maybe because it was part
of a "so you should always shoot slide film for scanning" rant. I didn't
agree with the larger argument, but the point about the effect of dust
seems valid. The density of a well-exposed color negative is only about
1.0 above the base from what I've seen, and that isn't a whole lot of
image to work with. That's another good reason to make sure that you don't
underexpose or underdevelop, I guess. Much better to err the other way.
Even with tradition printing, good commercial print labs seem fairly
fanatical about maintaining cleanroom conditions. And even so, it doesn't
seem unusual to have to touch up a couple of dust spots. Working at home--
with the avoidable clothing, bedding, upholstery, human skin, etc.--it's
going to be that much worse.
I try not to stir the air around negatives while they're hanging to dry,
and I've started cutting and sleeving them as soon as they're dry enough
to hang straight. There might be some advantage to letting them air dry
for a little longer, but it's also more time to gather dust.
Just with that, and generally being very careful about keeping them sleeved
and blowing them off before scanning, I've found that my dust problems
have dropped quite a bit. There might be a few spots to clean up before
making a print, but nothing like what I had to deal with at first.
I'm still considering some other arrangement for drying negatives though.
Anyone have any suggestions for buying or building some kind of drying
cabinet? That seems to be the time when they're most vulnerable.
Best wishes,
Tim Victor
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
begin 600 WINMAIL.DAT
M>)\^(C$0`0:0" `$```````!``$``0>0!@`(````Y 0```````#H``$(@ <`
M& ```$E032Y-:6-R;W-O9G0@36%I;"Y.;W1E`#$(`0V ! `"`````@`"``$$
MD 8`X $```$````0`````P``, (````+``\.``````(!_P\!````50``````
M``"!*Q^DOJ,0&9UN`-T!#U0"`````&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<T!H86QF=&]N92YC
M;RYU:P!33510`&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<T!H86QF=&]N92YC;RYU:P`````>``(P
M`0````4```!33510`````!X``S !````' ```&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<T!H86QF
M=&]N92YC;RYU:P`#`!4,`0````,`_@\&````'@`!, $````>````)V9I;&US
M8V%N;F5R<T!H86QF=&]N92YC;RYU:R<````"`0LP`0```"$```!33510.D9)
M3$U30T%.3D524T!(04Q&5$].12Y#3RY52P`````#```Y``````L`0#H!````
M'@#V7P$````<````9FEL;7-C86YN97)S0&AA;&9T;VYE+F-O+G5K``(!]U\!
M````50````````"!*Q^DOJ,0&9UN`-T!#U0"`````&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<T!H
M86QF=&]N92YC;RYU:P!33510`&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<T!H86QF=&]N92YC;RYU
M:P`````#`/U?`0````,`_U\``````@'V#P$````$`````````KEN`02 `0`X
M````4D4Z(&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<SH@4V-R871C:&5D($YE9W,@)B!(;VUE($,M
M-#$@<')O8V5S<VEN9P#/$@$%@ ,`#@```-$'`0`7``L`!@`7``(`&@$!(( #
M``X```#1!P$`%P`*`"$`% `"`#$!`0F `0`A````1#@Q-T4U0D0Q,D8Q1#0Q
M,3DP0D$P,#0P,S,S1C9&,CD`#@<!`Y &`&@-```A````"P`"``$````+`",`
M``````,`)@``````"P`I```````#`"X```````,`-@``````0 `Y`&"/PFY6
MA< !'@!P``$````X````4D4Z(&9I;&US8V%N;F5R<SH@4V-R871C:&5D($YE
M9W,@)B!(;VUE($,M-#$@<')O8V5S<VEN9P`"`7$``0```!8````!P(56;J"]
MY1?:\1(1U)"Z`$ S/V\I```>`!X,`0````4```!33510`````!X`'PP!````
M$@```%1I;59I8W1O<D!C<VDN8V]M`````P`&$%W]?1 #``<0(0P``!X`"! !
M````90```$].5%5%4T1!62Q*04Y505)9,C,L4T5!3DA!4D1)3D=74D]413I/
M3E1514I!3C(S050Q,CHP.#HT.4%-+%-30D%+15) 0T%.041!0T]-5U)/5$4Z
M1$]%4T%.64].14A!5D5%6% ``````@$)$ $````O"@``*PH```(1``!,6D9U
MGX<*+P,`"@!R8W!G,3(U%C(`^ M@;@X0,#,SG0'W( *D`^,"`&-H"L!@<V5T
M," '$P* ?1D*@75C`% +`W5L;J4"(&4+IB!/`Z!4"E" <V1A>2P@2@!PPG4*
MP'D@,C,44 [EMAIL PROTECTED] L1"X!G('<#8-AT93H*H@J /A.E%&(9%.$@805 #B Z
M,#AH.C0Y$7!-%% $$&*D86L$D$!C`'!A%"":+@6@;17\%L!$;P>150!P>1+Q
M(!$`=A<P9>QX< 9Q"?!C&X$#<!<PMP$`&\ )`' 5PA,`9Q? 'FD;P!L1!4 <
MHC\@5U41`'0:5W #8&02,'3W&Q$)<!>P=@MP"V "8!ZE^QS@!I!F#> 2P!W@
M!Y >L&9)&Y01`&0@"0`@`6].9AOI%F469DDG&\%B[PGA'.H'0 1@<P5 !T #
M((4C46T4T$,M-#$>-MX@`A %P!$P&\!R!T G,&T"(6@0P!9U*"DP"&!G^F@G
M,G,<H!8@%<(1``0@)25C9@MP<FP4T&QI_RHP!4 )<!QP`C K\25@&4#6=1$P
M)0EB+5!Y%F8#\)\I,"- *3 $D"QQ<W "()T`D&(#$"\`(@$I+B4$GRU1(N &
MX"\1+U$@50,`RPCC!_!A'5!D4QE!&R$/(N O419F,@=++3(@RFLO`',PL%-O
M*Z$%P/\F@R<4+Z$AT00@&Z,E8QOPMQQP)N LL2X69!9D4P=P>R"A*&%T!; 4
MT#F %2,G_P0@*$('@#"Q.6$*P!8P(N#>82@P!]$I!!>P9S5@,S+_)1(69"5C
M**$4T M0%4 Q,O\N\S'"-G4PLB+@+V +$1BP]QRS*] 7,'<*P ,`#R ;$;T&
MX'4?!1R@!^ A=R R-'\?H1QP!! 5PRLP%% `P'G_)6 L<0M@.U) 8D)".=$[
MD.XB"7 '0!9D<!R@.8 )P#\RH"]A!" JDR50"V!C:Y0@)A7P:"\`92(G,?DF
MH&EQ%R$I,!?!`X$4T-YA`, 6, AP*T%U+F4+@&\Y@!10(E ?T&X2X#"P5/\H
MP " "K$<42(!)S L,T2Q_SN0(P$YP1(P2+ $D!10+C#_!4 O`"L2.C ?!25C
M$0$BX/\`P#3P%=$R-!VH2:,@,CW3ORU0(,(H-!E!03(X)50QT?-#A2AQ96T$
M($E@2,$H,OYG'? 5PD9"*_ X*R)0/'!-!4!+!' 8\"!&(.!X_S(E$/!5< W@
M!T!'H0N '''_2\$RP$]Q&Y1)\QU '> OX?\69 -2,;-&XSEC!Y$+@#&Q^P0`
M(")A%% S,@(@+" ;<?\%L 2!%<)55"%W/28M-"-1_1$`>@L1"&!-(441!R)=
MD?\$$!/Q,+!81&(@!Y!:HA$PQR;A.Y <H&)B>00`'P7_-/$H,R=T&T $8 EP
M3K1:7']*`A^A(-%5@3D06- 5T77F<&2R!T!F+19D,$$O<>YW!;!0PQC@=!#P
M*#!<8OT2\2T=P";@`B!5H0!P'>#_(?(C0P#0*D!95C@K%L!4DO]>T5MA+U-H
MA24$(L)>`4B@_Q?!550YT25@%F8?T":@,+#\3V,90 "0`B!6TDNB55'_2)08
ML!P02% ;$2;B**%<E/T-X'0(<'22)8$Z\1E!%F:_+P`ZTC+R='(QPG45*$@D
M?VR1,<(=H110(U$%H$J19?XI7:0H(2C ',%VU!9F"0#^;TA@%\%/$2[S3=)I
M@&;U]WNC`Q 9T&,^,1,`1Y$E$]YT"($BX!E!6K%G$4 L</\RP"-!=XHU4240
M&= 2X&11_W:2!I!=U%X!0&)=X171@K+_8B 5PEH!!; L@2S2+O,G0'\69D.(
M>J$%P(.!+P`Z06JW<R$5\#?!+55P)6!D`0#_(N!S$H?#<9(X+'P"+V$ZP?Y$
MB*)LD1VH<>D[@06@`('_)J LL7!'"X$6<X$@?\$'0#\44!+@8F)JHXNR,;)Y
M)_\@01SU"8 U,AS!(U%Z,RLP_R'RC$('D%>%)2(KL!QP/H'_D1)1?2+")6,Q
M(SG14*$_$G\?H$MA*T%*(6HE0Z HT63^<BH@74-<U7KQ`C $D$PQ_Y%B)N$3
M`'72&;$7,'^#."S_'+$;8@> ;/$2\3MR2*%3,?\8X$A12:,QP@=P/&!O@HWC
MWU$Z*Q(69#N0`)!G`P`AH7]LX2OR0E O<5+U`0``@73W.;$1`* B<RP@`0`8
MH35@OS'"`1&%T2-"&S$69',`P/]DDB5@A; =T6R1+""7D3N0WW,2=00NX2;A
M3:)M"U"B07\Q07MU-G2:PQ9D9/ 1,'+_(("G<U52EQ0\<9A1+O)!L?^;LIVR
M1&8M%GVB*S$*L1\%[Z7R1B"E$1M0=2J"$L [<?YL00!)($>UI*-_)%-J2/#_
M3&%X$UITH84)PCZ8.3&!(/L%P+8A=:WT?K8OT$MA083_I3US$J9556,@@*2Q
MFL.CI_^P0XCD' `FD("2H'Q>`6^C^4&9,2X18$&1@#(QT1C@WRUA7%-QDR43
M55%N7G1)H_\$`%JBGE(&\+7Q1_&!II^T_SG1:N(NXYK"%\ Z00!P+T3_/' $
M<%:B0&!=P9=5@S-)H_^PTF(@3W=+\ 2!O!2'TLACWQSU2Z*VH$/!,+!-3E$E
M47^0HSG1IS$QLR]$L:$X*T7_&\ #H#ZD*, 5L*=SE^.'D_O%DZW#<DSP*-&7
MX[8!JY#_54,KI5OU&5$=X)D2N 0`P/]+80MQ4--_D@-@&<&.$<YD_34A03-!
M'0%X@4N13Q%C]?^YB,E!+5 4H ,@.=$;HSG1_TXS:71Z\3XAN09U`2,1,+#V
M5VKU'D4M:A4^IQNPA2#_%"!3(G^ +T&'DXE2AY-I@._"48YA%, 44&BVL'AR
M4,'S%% 10&,NVZ"(0H]EA2/_C91)I,K2:N$1,%<=@& 4T/^"\ET3*]#<9.1Q
M"L":82+@_QVHGG215J1!5D#A-)E0%$#_H84\M3L'(< "0"8C,T&DH/\)X%9C
M+U$9T"LQ0&"@$E'R_Y%U%,$)\"H2%F37\U^BSC'_+#*:PR!!34= 8QEP((#3
M8?_#E"#@Z93JQ.1QY\%;]06Q_TW1+P`LT,*"#R!.F,3B6<#_D&&9LAW@',&L
MLA? +V)S$_TX.DJ(HSZT%\!>=(_%+./O%<(]TQE "7!F$L"W]1D`_Y?0ZH?J
M,PF Z @"8$)0ZH?_(U C8"5@*$%T\5.U2Z&4@__E0TFD%-"H,VB&0>4;LIE0
M_QU DC%5I3N0,"#N/SN%VD/_.<)_@VER_/2^5%"E.Y"7X_].M,4B%<*GP\ T
M(K/GDD91_WW%9>$KT/6M@K)),2;ACA/_7V:2DR]3-9!,88$@G;(H,__GP1UL
M*?0X)=50&UA*`C:0_F>!($DQ+^$H,TK1%<(0T_\@H!6S0&-0P8&"#16^5-*0
M^S @GA!T'K#$HHTK,<+TD_=VTY%6)H-V0N"/XB#1."O^0I.2?= JD!L`Y_54
M-3D`/"!6=F$R8!FG&D1 8ZTP`"Z;P3@Z?:' `!T0``,`$! ``````P`1$ ``
M```#`( 0_____T `!S! H*;0487 `4 `"#! H*;0487 `0L``( (( 8`````
M`, ```````!&``````.%`````````P`"@ @@!@``````P ```````$8`````
M$(4````````#``6 "" &``````# ````````1@````!2A0``MPT``!X`)8 (
M( 8``````, ```````!&`````%2%```!````! ```#@N, `#`": "" &````
M``# ````````1@`````!A0````````L`+X (( 8``````, ```````!&````
M``Z%`````````P`P@ @@!@``````P ```````$8`````$84````````#`#*
M"" &``````# ````````1@`````8A0```````!X`08 (( 8``````, `````
M``!&`````#:%```!`````0`````````>`$* "" &``````# ````````1@``
M```WA0```0````$`````````'@!#@ @@!@``````P ```````$8`````.(4`
K``$````!`````````!X`/0`!````!0```%)%.B ``````P`--/TW``"X7X4`
`
end
