Cross-Processing for best results

Jon Kincaid

Jon Kincaid

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I've jumped into film photography with both size 11 and have had a few goes with processing at home (Rodinal with varied results). I'm using Poundland Vista (and quite a few expired colour films) but am not brave enough at this stage to do c41 processing (though I have seen on the first-call website a less temperature sensitive c41 chemical set)

What would people recommend to get the best results possible with the self-imposed constraints?

Or am I just expecting too much?
 
Cross processing is traditionally E6 film in C41 chemicals (or vice versa) so what exactly are you hoping to achieve from your cross processing experiments?
 
Rodinal at 1:100 semi stand development works OK with c41 films.
Thé results will seriously lack contrast but can be pulled back in pp.

Alternatively give c41 processing a go......i've found the tetenal kit to be quite tolérant when it comes to temperature.
 
Hi Raglan, I just want to process c41 colour film as simply as possible without necessarily getting colour results but the rodinal results have looked like they were taken in the 1850's!
 
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Cross process/ Semi stand in rodinal then pull back in photoshop or similar solftware
 
Jon Kincaid said:
Hi Raglan, I just want to process c41 colour film as simply as possible without necessarily getting colour results but the rodinal results have looked like they were taken in the 1850's!
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They will look like that because of the lack' of contrast from proessing in b&w chems
 
Perhaps I'm not getting the results from rodinal that I should and I need to do a bit more practising!
 
Jon Kincaid said:
Hi Raglan, I just want to process c41 colour film as simply as possible without necessarily getting colour results but the rodinal results have looked like they were taken in the 1850's!
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I'm confused. Why is it that you are trying to make your film photography experience so difficult?
 
Rodinal is for b/w, it just so happens it can do a crap job on c41, but who wants a crap job ?
 
Solo man said:
So... you want to develop C-41 colour film into black and white?.
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I love b&w photography to be honest, so yes I guess. There is no way of getting colour results without traditional c41 processing is there?
 
Jon Kincaid said:
Hi Raglan, I just want to process c41 colour film as simply as possible without necessarily getting colour results but the rodinal results have looked like they were taken in the 1850's!
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Ok, I have to ask. Why? Why not just buy some b&w film and process it in b&w chemicals? Yes it can be done and it has been by quite a few folk on here but in my experience the results are less than spectacular. As a one off experiment it's fine or in an emergency if you're desperate to process your roll of c41 at 2 in the morning and all you've got is Rodinal then fine but it's a lot of effort when there are other film/chemical combinations that are far more rewarding.
 
E6, or get a pack of felt pens and colour in your b/w negs...:)

I personally would like to see that done...
 
C41 film requires C41 processing to obtain optimum results in thé same way b&w requires b&w developer and slide requires its own specific treatment.

Mix and match will produce results but as joxby says they r often carp
 
I suppose really I'm a cheapskate [emoji6] . I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and buy c41 chems and brown bottles etc OR buy b&w film from now on. Problem is I have about 30 colour films.
 
I think a tetenal c41 kit is about 20 quid and will do much more than thé states number of films.....i've devd 2dozen out of a 1 litre kit so not expensive at all really and you get good colour results
 
Jon Kincaid said:
I suppose really I'm a cheapskate [emoji6] . I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and buy c41 chems and brown bottles etc OR buy b&w film from now on. Problem is I have about 30 colour films.
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Buy b&w films and give your colour ones away.....problem solved!:D
 
Jon Kincaid said:
I suppose really I'm a cheapskate [emoji6] . I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and buy c41 chems and brown bottles etc OR buy b&w film from now on. Problem is I have about 30 colour films.
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Surely it would have been cheapest to have just bought black and white film in the first place? :thinking:

If you want black and white images, you have three decent options:
  1. shoot traditional black and white film and develop in black and white chemicals
  2. shoot chromogenic black and white film and develop in C41 chemicals
  3. shoot colour film, develop in C41 chemicals, and convert to black and white at scanning/post-processing stage
 
Or if don't want to give the film away sell it on eBay to the Lomo crowd and buy some b&w film with profit, you'll get much better results.
 
RaglanSurf said:
Or if don't want to give the film away sell it on eBay to the Lomo crowd and buy some b&w film with profit, you'll get much better results.
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Dont tell him that !!.....i need more film for me fridge.....i notice i can actually fit food in it atm!:D:D
 
Where do you guys get your chems that doesn't charge over the odds for delivery? I don't have a local shop (live in Woking) so have to rely on online shopping. I've used first-call but they charge £8 delivery. I guess this is because they can't use royal mail to deliver chemicals
 
Jon Kincaid said:
Where do you guys get your chems that doesn't charge over the odds for delivery? I don't have a local shop (live in Woking) so have to rely on online shopping. I've used first-call but they charge £8 delivery. I guess this is because they can't use royal mail to deliver chemicals
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I use First- Call... you could try Amazon...not sure if they're cheaper?.
 
Postage can make an order of odd items quite expensive.

I usually make up a decent sized order of chems film, neg sleeves to make the carriage fée more worthwhile
 
Asha said:
Postage can make an order of odd items quite expensive.

I usually make up a decent sized order of chems film, neg sleeves to make the carriage fée more worthwhile
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I imagine it all costs the same to you, aren't you in France?
 
what format are we shooting because 35mm can't be a problem even in Woking

120 is a web search for the cheapest send away, the more you send the cheaper it is..
 
Yes i'm in France and generally buy from macodirect .. ....postage for me is about 15 euros upto a considérable weight hence its not worthwhile just buying one bottle of chems.

Perhaps some UK ourlets offer free post for orders over a certain value?
 
Do you ever get into london Jon? There are quite a few places where you can buy chesms off the shelf in the big city, combine your trip with a day out shooting the sights and round it all off joining a few of us for a beer or two on the next drink beer and talk utter [PLEASE DON'T TRY TO BYPASS THE SWEAR FILTER] MeetUp.
 
joxby said:
what format are we shooting because 35mm can't be a problem even in Woking

120 is a web search for the cheapest send away, the more you send the cheaper it is..
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I can take it to max spielmann in tesco brooklands for developing at £2 a roll (takes a week)

I meant buying chems locally, not having stuff developed for me.
 
Jon Kincaid said:
I can take it to max spielmann in tesco brooklands for developing at £2 a roll (takes a week)

I meant buying chems locally, not having stuff developed for me.
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oh, I see......well I don't buy chems locally, there aren't any......its SilverPrint all the way for me
 
RaglanSurf said:
Do you ever get into london Jon? There are quite a few places where you can buy chesms off the shelf in the big city, combine your trip with a day out shooting the sights and round it all off joining a few of us for a beer or two on the next drink beer and talk utter b****x MeetUp.
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What? That big scary place? Not sure what the congestion charge is for my horse and cart (cheaper than a tractor). My son and I come up to town on a Sunday quite often to point out cameras around (drive in and park for free on Waterloo bridge on a Sunday... did I mention I'm a cheapskate [emoji6]) but no doubt places will be shut then. Any recommendations?
 
TheBigYin said:
Oh god no, its bad enough with Bootie Brian, without another one :lol:
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Did you not notice how infectious it's becoming though ??...i got an OM lens yesterday for équivalent of 5 quidc(posted on new toys thread) from a local BOOTIE:eek::D:D
 
Jon Kincaid said:
Any recommendations?
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Silverprint, Process Supplies, Chiswick Camera Centre, Calumet, West End Cameras, Cameraworld etc etc etc.
Im not sure any of them are open on a Sunday though.
 
I understand the impulse for cheap film photography. If you hold your expectations low, you can get good results. Some of my favourite shots have been done with Vista souped in Rodinal - but they'd have been better as real B&W souped in Rodinal.

If your number one goal is to keep it as cheap as possible, then carry on what you're doing. You'll learn a lot in 30 rolls, and the people who buy expensive film and have it professionally scanned will never understand the attractions of 36 exposures for £1.20 :D
 
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