E6 Processing at Home

[Mark-NY]

Always looking to explore new things and would like to try processing 120 colour slide films at home. I would like to keep my process as low-cost as possible.

The Kodak Single-Use Chemistry Kit for E6 looks pretty straightforward and it is possible to process these films in a standard small developing tank such as the Paterson Universal Tank.

The other posts in the Colour Film Forum regarding E6 were helpful in understanding this process. It appears quite straightforward and formulaic but I can't help thinking I am missing something here. Other than carefully controlling temperature and precisely following the steps and conditions in the Kodak instructions, is there anything else I need to consider?

Any other equipment necessary that is specific to transparencies - I have all the gear for B&W film development? Assuming I wash everything well, can I use the same tank for B&W and E6?

Thanks! Mark

[Dave]

It is a straight forward process, just a few steps more than monochrome processing. I can't think of any reason not to use the same equipment for B&W, I did.

[Richard Gould]

Providing you watch the tempertures and follow the instructions to the letter then you should not have any problems, you can certainly use black and white equipment,I did when I processed e6 many moons ago, very successfully,Richard

[B&W Neil]

I used to do a lot of E6 at home with basic B&W tanks etc without any problems. As Richard mentions time and temperature control is the main thing to get right - especially with the developer. A simple washing up bowl can improvise as a tempering bowl for your chemicals. Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

Neil.

[Mike O'Pray]

When you show these slides the audience is in for a real treat. 35mm slides and a good projector can be great but 120 slides should be stupendous.

Mike

[Mark-NY]

Thanks for all the help and confirmation that one can "easily" do this at home. I have further read that a good way to control temperature is to use a hot plate and a non-disposable turkey pan. In terms of cost versus sending out to a lab, the chems would pay for themselves after only 5 to 6 rolls. After that its a profit.

I will keep my eye out for a 120 projector...

[marty]

Hello. I can confirm everything previously said by others, perfectly doable with BW equipment and not more difficult. :)

Cheers, M.-

[B&W Neil]

Mark, a tropical fish tank heater can also double as a means of keeping your tempering bath at the right temperature. Has to be bought in of course, which will add to the cost.

Neil.

[Paul.]

Mark, a tropical fish tank heater can also double as a means of keeping your tempering bath at the right temperature. Has to be bought in of course, which will add to the cost.

Neil.

I found that the fish tank heaters while useable did not give the optimum temp for the chemicals I was useing, 32oC not 38oC so had to extend the first dev time. However the answer was a Nova heater, same as fish tank heater but goes all the way up to40oC, cost £46 if I remember correctly and you can get spare glass tubes for them, belive me you cannot glue the broken bits together successfuly no matter how hard you try:slap:

Paul