Re: filmscanners: OT:Ektachrome E100VS bad?

["Lloyd O'Daniel" <lodaniel@bellsouth.net>]

The problem you describe sounds like retained silver. I have recently
processed a lot of both E100VS and Provia 100F in Kodak Single-use E6 with
no problems. Perhaps you got a bad batch of bleach or maybe had a mixing
error?

I use a Jobo ATL-2 and perform densitometric process monitoring using Fuji
Control Strips. I've been able to get an in-control process with the new E6.
The only modification I had to do was to increase Pre-bleach time from 2 to
3 minutes. I run Fuji and Kodak in the same tank and ignore Jobo's
recommendation to use longer 1st Dev time for Fuji films.

If you use a Jobo or other rotary processor, there is one problem I
discovered early on with this E6. One of the Kodak tech docs (I think the
one specific to rotary processing) has an incorrect minimum volume
requirement per roll of film. It states 235ml/ 2 rolls 135-36 or 120. The
other tech doc states 278ml/ 2 rolls, or 139ml/roll. This means that you
can't process a full Jobo 1500 tank at the minimum required for the tank.
With the old 1 gallon E6, I could run 8 rolls in 1 liter, 125ml/roll. When I
did that with the new stuff, I could not get it in control. Once I found the
discrepency, I began doing 7 rolls in the 8-roll tank using a liter ( I put
a single control strip on reel 8 to monitor.) No problems! I now just make
sure I have at least 140ml/roll.

As for grain and color, VS is more saturated and grainier than Provia 100F.
I use the former now as a faster Velvia substitute. Hope this helps...

Lloyd
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Smith" <rsmith@unb.ca>
To: <filmscanners@halftone.co.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2001 6:59 AM
Subject: filmscanners: Ektachrome E100VS bad?


> Anybody out there used Kodak's E100VS film? I got four trial
> rolls from one of Kodak's special deals and developed my first one
> yesterday, along with a Fuji Provia 100F for comparison. I used
> freshly mixed E6 chemicals and my usual procedure. When I took the
> two rolls out of the tank after the fixer, the Fuji was fine but the
> Kodak had a milky strip along the whole length of the film. I had
> seen that effect before a couple of years ago, ironically with Fuji
> and Agfa films, after Kodak made a big change in the E6 chemistry. (I
> have not been able to find out why). The bleach is much weaker in the
> new formulation and seems to become exhausted quickly. Re-bleaching
> and re-fixing corrected the situation, with no harm to the images
> that I could detect. I certainly never expected one of Kodak's films
> to show the incomplete bleaching or fixing effect.
> I put the E100VS back into the bleach for another few minutes
> and then back into the fixer, which cleared up the milky appearance.
> After the usual washing, Final Rinse and drying, I compared the two
> films and made some scans. The Provira 100F produced its usual
> superbly sharp, slightly understated colour images. The E100VS was
> strange, with almost cartoon colours including weird electric greens
> and reddish browns. The scans (Minolta Scan Dual II) seemed to
> emphasize the odd colours and the grain was much more prominent than
> in the Provira 100F scans (further evidence that Provira 100F is the
> grain champ for scanning).
> Anyway, I'm curious to know if others have had good luck with
> what I assume is one of Kodak's flagship films. I was a bit
> suspicious of its "Vivid Saturation" designation, but I expected the
> colours to be fairly accurate. I will make sure to add extra Bleach &
> Fix time for the next rolls, but if the other three films turn out to
> be equally quirky, I can't see much use for E100VS.
>
> Regards,
> Roger Smith
>
>
>