Re: E6 processing?

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>My stereo slide processing bills are getting pretty high.  

With commercial E6 processing available at $4 per 36 exp. 
I'd say you can hardly do any better than that.

>Question to anyone doing their own E6 processing:  What's it cost 
>to get set up? What's the marginal cost to process a roll of 36?

I once attempted to do my own processing, not so much for the cost
savings but for the control and freedom.  My cost calculations
showed that, depending on how large batches of chemicals you buy
and how much film you process, cost can be $2-$4.  At the moment,
I was using drug store processing at $4 per roll.  At the end, I
concluded that doing one's own E6 processing is not worth the
aggrevation and risk.  You cannot just process one roll every
few weeks.  It is better if you store the rolls and process a
bunch of them together.  You have to worry about storage of
chemicals (once opened, they have short shelf-life), disposal
of used chemicals, temperature and time control, etc.  My first
and only home-processed rolls turned greenish.  I know two people 
who do their own processing the the SSA folios and their slides 
often have a green cast too.  Definitely not worth it for me!

I now pay $8 per roll to enjoy the many benefits of having a good 
lab do the work, pickup and return next day to my workplace, treat 
my film with respect, deliver without scratches rolled in a big 
round tube covered with plastic sleeve, etc.  

"You get what you pay for"  -- George Themelis


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