CineStill has announced a new developing kit for photographers to develop E6 slide film at home.
The US company, which sells a range of Kodak motion picture films able to be processed in normal C-41 or B&W chemistry, says their new developing set-up allows the film to be developed in three distinct ways.
In a press release announcing the new three-bath process on Tuesday (19 May), CineStill said: “We are proud to introduce our new Cs6 “Creative Slide” 3-Bath Process for colour-timing E-6 reversal film, creating three new distinct slide film results – the true wonder of slide film unlocked. This process illuminates unique colour profiles never before seen on slide film, effectively turning the tried and true standard into three totally different films.
“You already have E100. But what about E100T? With TungstenChrome, you have the ability to tap into the cinematic rich tones of tungsten-balanced photography, now brought to life in Positive. Processing with DaylightChrome yields the conventional standard you’d expect to see from the legendary positive film. And finally, processing with DynamicChrome, unlocks peerless detail, warmth, and dynamic range.
“You can now create beautiful colour transparencies at home through one simple process.”
CineStill says the new product is the first time photographers can change the colour profile of their film. It follows on from their monobath chemical kit for black-and-white film and a two-bath process for C-41 film.
The new E6 developing range includes five different products, with CineStill’s own descriptions of their qualities listed below:
- D6 “DaylightChrome” Neutral-tone 5500K 1st Developer
“Renders approximately 6+ stops of usable dynamic-range* with bright whites and moderately enhanced colour saturation, just like conventional E-6 processing. Daylight-balanced for conventional slides in daylight or with electronic flash. Single-use 1+1 dilution develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide film.”
- D9 “DynamicChrome” Warm-tone 1st Developer
“Renders approximately 9+ stops of usable dynamic-range*, while maintaining vibrant colour-contrast and rich warm tones with preserved highlight and shadow detail (optimised for scanning) for a more cinematic look. Extended exposure latitude increases the usable dynamic-range* of slide film from 6 to 9+ stops! Conventional E-6 processing renders approximately 6 stops of usable dynamic-range*. Perfect for high contrast lighting or backlit subjects in daylight, shade or with electronic flash. Single-use 1+1 dilution develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide film.” 
- T6 “TungstenChrome” Cool-tone 3200K 1st Developer
“Renders approximately 6+ stops of usable dynamic-range* with cleaner whites, and moderately enhanced colour saturation. Shoot in artificial light without sacrificing 2 stops of exposure to colour filtering! Kodak’s published technical data sheet recommends exposing E100 at EI 25 with an 80A Filter in Tungsten (3200 K) light.Now you can expose at box speed in low-light or even push to EI 200 or 400, and colour-time your slides in processing. With conventional E-6 processing this would require colour filtration and a 2-4 stop exposure compensation. Single-use 1+1 dilution develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of Ektachrome®.”
- Cr6 “Color&Reversal” 2-in-1 Slide Solution
“Combines the reversal step with colour development. 6min minimum process time for completion with flexible temperature range of 80-104°f (27-40°C)**. Reusable solution reverses 16+ rolls of developed slide film.” - Bf6 “Bleaches&Fixer” 3-in-1 Slide Solution
“Combines the bleach and conditioner steps with the fixing step. 6min minimum process time for completion with flexible temperature range of 75 -104°f (23-40°C)**. Reusable solution clears 24+ rolls of reversal film.”
The 3-bath kit is available now from $39 (£32). The 1000ml/Quart Kits can process 16+ Rolls or 100ft of slide film and the 3-2-1 Chemical Reuse Kit processes 32+ rolls of film.
The following images were released by CineStill showing results using the kit:
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
I’m doing everything I can to promote film photography in the 21st Century, and help it survive and thrive. If you want to write something for Kosmo Foto, please drop me a line at foto.dowling@gmail.com.
