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  #1  
Old 5th November 2011, 10:22 AM
robinb robinb is offline
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Default c41 rollie digibase problems

hi

I'm trying to do c41 in a cpe2+ and lift using the rollie digibase kit

I have done the 10 rolls that the kit is good for and have not been happy with any of them

@38deg
dev 3.15min
stop 4min
fix 5min
stabilise 5min

as per the instructions

should this work in a jobo?

I have tried elyse 100 and fuji 160
both with different problems

some were washed out neg on a very heavy orange background
but the last 2 rolls were very washed out in the orange background as well

I need to buy some more chemicals now
can anybody using a jobo make a recommendation of chemical brand and times
I did think that c41 was supposed to be easy in a jobo

thanks

robin
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  #2  
Old 5th November 2011, 02:38 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Robin I had thought that the kit has a separate bleach and fix stages but your process seems to only involve fix

We need to get that bit cleared up before moving on, I feel.

By the way there is not need for 4 mins in stop - is this a typing mistake for the bleach stage?

I made notes on about 30 pages of a thread on Digibase kits from another forum and can give you a summary if you wish but let's clear up the missing bleach bit first.

For what it is worth my impression was that the overall verdict on that forum was that the kit is excellent.

I have bought it but have yet to try it, hence my interest/concern about your experience

Mike
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  #3  
Old 5th November 2011, 04:33 PM
robinb robinb is offline
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hi mike

yes sorry about that

it is of course 4 min bleach not stop and then 5 min fix
I have it programmed into a b/w timer that uses stop where I need bleach

sorry about that confusion

I would be very interested in the large thread you have about it

once I have this sorted I will move onto my RA4 problems but they are mostly I'm sure to do with my negatives so will fix that first

thanks

robin
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  #4  
Old 5th November 2011, 06:53 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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OK Robin that sorts that one out. Here's the recommended process from my synopsis of the extensive thread I read:

1. 2x30 secs pre-wash( water at dev temp). This ensures that film is at the right temp
2. 3:15 dev at 38C
3. 30 secs stop. I'd recommend doing this bit off the CPE using hand inversion as stop can so easily blow the cover off the tank
4.Anything between 4mins 20 secs and 6mins 30 secs bleach. You might want to go for the longer time. You cannot really over do the bleach step
5. 4 x 30 secs wash. Ensures all traces of bleach are removed.
6. As per step 4 for fix. Again you cannot really overdo the fix step
7. As per step 5 plus a 2x1 min wash. This will eliminate all traces of fix
8. 1 min stabiliser with tank upright and static as per the photoflo/ wetting agent stage with b&w

My first impressions when I had taken all this down was that it seems slightly over the top and takes quite a long time but much of it is based on advice given by an ex Kodak colour neg engineer who should know what he is doing.

Given that you have had problems, you might want to be just as thorough. At least you will then know that if the above process doesn't solve your problems then you will have to look beyond the process for the causes.

If you used the same process each time then it is a puzzle as to why the negs looked different. I assume that it was the same kind of colour film each time.

Check the negs under a loop on a light table if you can. If all the detail is there then you should be fine although the correct exposure for the prints may differ quite a bit between the two films' negs.

Mike
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  #5  
Old 6th November 2011, 03:15 PM
robinb robinb is offline
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thanks mike

I've ordered another kit and will try your times

also thanks for the PM

that other site is a lot less friendly than FADU
some people really seem to have an axe to grind


thanks

robin
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  #6  
Old 6th November 2011, 07:35 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Robin, let us know how you get on. As I said above, I will need to try the process that I listed above sometime soon myself so will be be very interested in how it goes for you.

I suspect that the orange/brown masks may vary somewhat between different kinds/makes of film so a change to the masks' look may not indicate any issue with your process.

I have looked at the Digibase's troubleshooting section as no doubt you have and under "colour of the mask brownish" it lists bleach and fixing time too short so the 6mins 30secs may well be worthwhile.

If the "washed out" look you mention means thin negs then the three causes in the section listed cover this but it would seem you got the temp right( unless a non pre-washed room temp film pulled it down) and it doesn't sound as if you exhausted the dev in capacity terms.

That leaves exposure. Colour neg can tolerate quite a lot of overexposure but very little underexposure so maybe that's something else to check.

A good number of users say that rating a colour neg film at 1/3rd stop less is worthwhile so a 400 becomes 320 and is 1/3rd of a stop overexposed.

Just things to consider.

Mike
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