Can E-6 slide film be developed in C-41 chemicals, and what will the results look like?
Asked 1/25/2011
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I have some 35mm Kodak Ektachrome slide film and would like to process it at home. To save money, I’m considering developing it in my C-41 color negative chemicals instead of buying a separate E-6 kit. Is this possible, and if so, what kind of results should I expect in terms of color, contrast, and the final film image?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
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I worked in a professional photo lab for a number of years. Cross Processing was something that guys like Scott Clum and Trevor Graves were using for their photography back in the pioneering days of snowboarding. The effect produced is very striking.
The most common characteristics of cross processing is contrast and extreme color crossovers. Crossovers are color shifts that can't be corrected out of an image by normal means. For instance, an image might have a strong blue cast in the shadows but a heavy yellow cast in the highlights. Since blue and yellow are opposites (roughly speaking) if you attempt to correct out the blue cast in the shadows it only intensifies the yellow problem in the highlights. Although this image was manipulated in photoshop to achieve the effect it is a good example. Cred: basic clothing basica cross processing
On one occasion I inadvertently cross processed several rolls of E6 in the C41. It was a busy day and I simply walked to the wrong processor. I was mortified because the images were of a gentleman's mission trip to a remote part of the world. I was sick to my stomach. We ended up shooting copy slides and essentially re-cross processing the images. While it wasn't perfect the customer felt we had done our best.
If you decide to cross process be warned that getting reliable results in a positive image form are hard to achieve. Scanners and printers (as in photo lab printers) are designed to work with a negative that has a strong 'orange' substrate. Cross processing renders a negative without this baseline and the equipment rarely knows how to handle the extreme difference.
Have fun! Cross processing is a blast.
Originally by user3203. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3203
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Developing E-6 slide film in C-41 chemicals is possible and is commonly called cross-processing.
You should not expect normal slide-film results. Typically, cross-processed E-6 in C-41 produces a negative image with strong color shifts, high contrast, and very saturated colors. The color changes can be extreme and uneven across the tonal range—for example, one cast in the shadows and another in the highlights—so they often can’t be fully corrected afterward.
The exact look varies a lot by film brand and speed, which is part of why some photographers use it creatively. If you want accurate, predictable color, this is the wrong process. If you want a stylized, punchy, unpredictable look, it can be very effective.
One practical note: some automated scanners/minilabs may try to “fix” the colors and give poor scans, so manual scanning or careful color handling may be needed to preserve the intended effect.
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