What causes color shifts when cross-processing slide film in C-41?
Asked 8/5/2014
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I shot two different rolls of Lomography XPro film and had them cross-processed (E-6 slide film developed in C-41 chemistry). One batch came back with a strong yellow/green cast, while another roll from a different camera looked much more neutral and saturated.
What determines the color tint you get from cross-processed film? Is it mainly the film stock, the processing chemistry, lighting conditions, the camera, or scanning/post-processing?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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Cross processing (running an E6 film in C41 chemistry) results in different colors based on both the film and the chemistry used to process it. Films are generally known to more-often-than-not shift to one color. Velvia shifts red, Elite Chrome shifts green, etc. But, the intensity of those shifts often depends on the chemistry. The camera has very little to do with it.
There are other factors too, for example, Lomo sells redscale film. While this isn't a cross-process per-se (it's standard C41 film in C41 chemistry, the red color comes from shooting the film backwards, through the anti-halation layer), you're always guaranteed a red/orange color shift.
Originally by user6104. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user6104
11y ago
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The main causes are the film stock and the chemistry used for cross-processing. When E-6 slide film is developed in C-41, each emulsion tends to shift differently: some films often go green, others red, etc. The strength of the cast can also vary with the condition and behavior of the chemistry.
The camera itself usually has very little to do with the color shift.
Scanning and lab post-processing are also big factors. Lab scanners often apply automatic corrections, so the same roll can produce frames with different-looking casts depending on how the software interprets each image. A home scan with auto-correction disabled will usually show the underlying cross-process cast more consistently.
Lighting/exposure can influence the final look, but the dominant reasons for the strong yellow/green tint are the specific film emulsion, the cross-processing chemistry, and how the negatives/slides were scanned or corrected afterward.
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