Developing Slides (and Negatives)

I develop my own reversal film using the Kodak Single use E6 Process Kit (~$60 at Calumet). It's a piece of cake and it's inexpensive to get into. Everyone is concerned with the temperature control requirements but a $22 GE roaster from Wal-Mart will do the trick just fine and maintain temperature within the 100.4 +/- .5 F spec for the entire process easily. My total expenditure to get started including the 1st chemical kit was under $200. I develop about 16 rolls of 135 film per kit working out to about 3.75 per roll. I'd sure like to see more people get into developing their own E6. 21 August 2010: Many thanks to Ken Rockwell for putting a link to this page on his website. I have subsequently received several e-mails asking about processing slide film at home and in most cases people are not aware that this can be done or how easy it is. I am adding some details below regarding what I have learned and how to get started developing. I hope you give it a try. It is so fantastic to open up that tank when you’re done and see those images on the film, it is very addicting. I was initially intimidated by the process because there is not much talk on the web of how to do E6 processing but now I wish I had started earlier. It is as easy as B&W but it just takes a few more steps and you need to keep the temperature at about 100F for most of the process. The owner of a camera shop in Savannah told me that many years ago a gentleman had used an electric skillet to maintain temparature while teaching a class on developing film in her store. My wife suggested the roaster which we found at Walmart for $22.00. I bought a single roll developing tank, a few graduated cylinders (1x600ml and 1x150ml), a 35ml syringe, a squeegee, and a few clips to hang the film to dry at Adorama. My developing tank holds 300ml so I purchased 7 empty medicine bottles of that volume at a local drug store for $0.75 each in which to prepare each chemical for the process. For temperature control in the roaster I use an inexpensive kitchen digital thermometer. I check it against a standard medical thermometer and compensate for any error. I found mine reads about 1F high. I did some testing to determine the best setting for the temperature control rheostat and marked it on the roaster, about 2/3rds of the way between off and 150F. I get the water at 100F from the faucet to fill the roaster to about 3 or so inches deep so that there is no need to wait long for the temperature to stabilize. I use a standard small analog kitchen thermometer to monitor water coming out of the faucet for filling and rinsing since it will handle getting wet and the requirement for rinse temperature isn’t nearly as strict at 95F to 104F. I mix chemicals to 300ml bottles while the roaster water temperature stabilizes. During mixing I monitor roaster water temperature, making micro adjustments to the rheostat as necessary. Once the chemicals are mixed I load my film into the tank while allowing the bottle temperatures to stabilize and then start developing according to the small tank processing instructions in the Kodak Tech Pub. The whole process takes me about 2 hours from getting the roaster out to having the film hanging and equipment put away. The film looks a bit opaque when you first remove it from the tank but it will clear up beautifully as it dries. I usually hang it in a closet and let it dry for about 3 hours before cutting and scanning with a Nikon CoolScan V ED. One last note on the availability of the chemical kit: B&H lists the kit as available in the store but will not ship it. Adorama stocked it and would ship it but have discontinued carrying it as of August 2010. I found it in Aug 2010 at Calumet and they will ship it so they are now getting my film developing supply business. Update Jan 30th, 2011: I just started developing my own C-41 film (see the Negative Film gallery for examples). There are temperature constraints so I use the same set up as with E6 but the process uses fewer chemicals and therefore fewer steps so it is a little bit easier. I used the Tetenal C-41 Press Kit, $20 at B&H. It makes 1 liter of each of the three chemicals and this is rated for at least 8 rolls. The documentation says that you can increase that number up to 50% if you store the chemical in good conditions and are careful to avoid cross contamination. I’ve read where many are developing 10 to 20 rolls from a kit. Tetenal also offers a kit with more chemicals that makes 5 liters and a kit for E6 which I will probably order when my last Kodak E6 kit runs out. I can’t find it any more. It looks as if B&H is going to begin stocking the Tetenal chemistry kits though. Just go to B&H and search for Tetenal. Links

E6 kit instructions from Kodak

The GE Roaster Kodak E6 Chemical Kit at Calumet