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Neil Smith
14th November 2010, 09:07 PM
I bought a 5L Kodak 6 Bath E6 kit from Matt at AG and I put a test through this morning with some Provia 100F, it was processed in the Jobo CPE. The kit is a one shot kit which you mix as needed, I mixed 250ml, which could have done 2 films but I wanted to see the test before putting anything else through. The results are spot on and I'm extremely impressed by the kit, I thought I would share my findings, just in case anybody had an interest.

Sadly I have no way of scanning transparency so I can't post an image, but I can confirm it the process was perfect, its a great kit, the subject was rather boring anyway, I just shot my street as I was going off to shoot some architecture and it was a convenient test.

Here is the Technical Sheet for the Kit

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/ti2443/ti2443.pdf


I have just spotted on the AG website that it looks like Kodak have discontinued this kit:mad: they recommend the Fuji kit now but I notice the Fuji kit is £76.50 where as the Kodak was only £39.95 so thats quite a hike in price, and they both do about the same number of films.


Neil

Mike O'Pray
14th November 2010, 11:29 PM
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I have just spotted on the AG website that it looks like Kodak have discontinued this kit:mad: they recommend the Fuji kit now but I notice the Fuji kit is £76.50 where as the Kodak was only £39.95 so thats quite a hike in price, and they both do about the same number of films.


Neil

This sounds crazy:confused: It is as if Ford was saying: Sorry we are discontinuing our range of vehicles as we can't make a profit from them However we can recommend Vauxhalls which are equally as good but twice the price.

Exit the Ford spokesman wondering if there is a link between Vauxhall continuing to produce but charging twice the price and Ford not making any money at half the price :(

Actually when I think about it, it may be said that the same situation prevails with Kodak RA4 paper v Fuji.

Mike

Dave miller
15th November 2010, 08:15 AM
Maybe the market just isn't big enough to interest Kodak irrespective of the profit percentage.

Neil Smith
15th November 2010, 09:28 AM
This sounds crazy:confused: It is as if Ford was saying: Sorry we are discontinuing our range of vehicles as we can't make a profit from them However we can recommend Vauxhalls which are equally as good but twice the price.

Exit the Ford spokesman wondering if there is a link between Vauxhall continuing to produce but charging twice the price and Ford not making any money at half the price :(

Actually when I think about it, it may be said that the same situation prevails with Kodak RA4 paper v Fuji.

Mike


Mike, sorry I didn't make myself clear it was the AG website that recommends the Fuji as a replacement not Kodak themselves. I don't think there is a lot of competition in the 6 bath kits there are choices in the 3 bath kits including Tetenal, but the 6 bath are better.


Neil

Mark-NY
15th November 2010, 11:28 AM
Neil -- There have been the usual "rumors" here in the US about the discontinuation of the Kodak E6 kits. However, the kits are still available to buy retail and they are still included on the Kodak website [which is usually very good about detailing discontinuances]. I would not give up just yet...

Neil Smith
15th November 2010, 01:27 PM
Neil -- There have been the usual "rumors" here in the US about the discontinuation of the Kodak E6 kits. However, the kits are still available to buy retail and they are still included on the Kodak website [which is usually very good about detailing discontinuances]. I would not give up just yet...

I was aware of that thanks Mark and I haven't given up completely on this, but I did have a similar thing happen with T-Max 3200 this year and the rumours turned out to be true eventually, and it took quite a while to find that out. I have emailed Kodak but I am not holding my breath for a response.


Neil

hectorpaljr
16th November 2010, 10:13 AM
You may find a difference in the Fuji kit performance . I personally believe that Kodak chemistry produces a crisper, brighter result . The Fuji 'E6' process has slightly different recommended process times, effectively affecting the original ISO rating of your film.

Mike O'Pray
17th November 2010, 04:55 PM
Some of what I am about to say is of historical interest only as some of the kits tested seem no longer to be sold. It is in essence an edited summary of John Tinsley's testing of E6 kits both 3 bath and 6bath back in 1992.

He saw little or no difference in standards in the kits. All appeared to be almost as equally good. He went as far as to say that while the six bath kits gave a slightly better neutral look, the 3 bath kits slightly warmer look often suited outdoor shots mid-day when the six bath shots had been done withoutr filtration. Looking at the processed slides of the colour charts it is indeed very marginal between the processes.

Unfortunately Fuji E6 was not one tested but Tetenal 3 and 6 bath were and Kodak 6 bath as well.

Of course there is then the question of whether a separate bleach and fix confers greater longevity on the slides than a blix used in the 3 bath.

On this latter point I have almost witnessed a dual in the Bois de Boulogne between the supporters of bleach then fix and those of blix.

Well I would have done had we been living in late 18th century France :D:

PS to my eyes the brightest and crispest result based on the colour charts was stuff called Photo TechnologyMasterclass( still around?) which was marginally but only marginally ahead of Kodak.

Mind you it was all 18 years ago and all kits may have improved

Mike