It takes me less room to do colour then B&W. B&W means trays spread out.
Colour for me means a drum in a water bath. My water bath is a 50 quart
picnic cooler.

 The only time I had anything like this happen was my first print. Turned
out I had taken the photo under tungsten lighting and trying to get it right
was a pain. The others ones I've done are relatively painless and quick.
Little more then figure out the exposure. Make the first test print. Adjust
if needed. I guess a good analyzer would make it even quicker but mine isn't
working right. My setup time can be longer then B&W since I need to get the
water bath and chemicals up in temp. OTOH my cleanup time is much shorter.

Nick

    Personally I would just have them develop the film and then
make your own contact sheets. If I'm going to have a lab proof a set
of negatives it's for display to the client.

    Analyzers are good for very precise work but are not really
necessary for enlarging. Personally I found color (RA-4) printing to
be very simple and I can produce a finished print in about 20 minutes
dry-to-dry.

    For up to 11X14, consider using the Nova dip-and-dunk
processors. They persist with their numerous flaws but they are about
the best thing going. I've had mine since '93~'94 and have had little
difficulty with it.

    Sure. It really depends on the negative and the lab processing
the film. And of course on the skill of the printer.

    It depends on how valuable the film is to you. For commercial
work I will only use a pro lab. For personal work I will use anyone
that has a high volume and appears to have a clean operation. C-41 is
essentially standardized though chemicals will vary from lab to lab.

    Of course be forewarned that most minilabs use film to clean
their floors.

    This is exactly what I do. I send any films of significant
value to CPQ Colorchrome (http://www.cpq.net/) in Cleveland,
Tennessee. IMO they are one great lab and have never let me down.

Regards,

  John S. Douglas, Photographer -  http://www.darkroompro.com
             Please remove the "_" when replying via email

Color chemicals can be quite nasty.  Be sure that you have more ventillation
in your bathroom than you think you'll need.  Much more nasty than those you
run across when doing normal B&W.

I want to thank you all for what you have written; some of it is very
thoughtful.

I think I will head in the direction of limited color printing when I get
some PayPal bucks again.  I think I could tolerate spending an hour to get
the filtration in the ballpark as long as it does not have to be done for
every negative.  Sounds like an analyzer may be an important timesaver; but,
that  if I am mainly making  8 X 10 proofs to see if there is any gold in
the shot that I may want to send to the lab; maybe the analyzer is more
luxury than necessity.  At least I would have more control than asking Ritz
for reprints from the index sheet.

I am not sure I even see me getting much more than an "entry" level color
enlarger (other than making sure it has 3 color wheels and is rigid).

My only complaint about getting older is that you start to realize there
simply is not enough time left to become competent in all the things that
grab your interest; and that you really do have to choose where you spend
your time.

The biggest hassle is making your first good print - getting the filtration
and exposure correct for a typical negative.  That drives eveyone up the
wall.  Once the primary exposure and filtration for you film, paper, and
processing conditions is determined, other negatives will differ only
sightly, if at all.

There are NO hassles.

But do it right. Do NOT try these tubes, they gives you a lot of hassles.
Do not try to make 36 small prints from a 36 roll, let the lab do it.
Do NOT use a color analyser - use a exposure meter like in black and white.
I have a color analyser but use it only as an ordinary exposure meter.
Analysers are good for mass production with integrated meassurements and NOT
topp quality.

If you want no hassles, use just one kind of film or a films that are
identical from the point of printing ( for example the Kodak Portra films ).
So, get you a good enlarger with a color head.
An exposure meter and timer.
For developing I suggest a vertical slot tank like the Nova
(www.novadarkroom.com) with heating. You can get one for $100 - $200 at
eBay.

And, I forgot, do NOT use the low temperature kits that are on the market.
Use Kodak chemicals at the recomended temperature (most versions needs 35
degrees centigrade). The chemicals can be in the Nova tank for months (there
are special lids). You do not have to use new chemiclas, just regenerate.
You save mony and can always make prints with one hour delay (for heating of
the chemicals)

Start with making a perfect neutral grey copy from a NOT exposed film frame.
At the same time you calibrate the exposure measurement for a very light but
not white spot (as black and white work). On my Omega ProLab II Chromega
head this means 000-069-058 (but changing the bulb means you need some
adjustment of the filtration). A differnt paper batch can sometimes give
soem changies in the filteration. Sometimes.
This filtration will be ok for most prints as long as the light balance was
ok when you took the picture. Use correction filters when shooting, it gives
better results then filtering in the dark room.

I have this process running since a few years and it's consistent. I make 95
percent of the prints with the same filtration and the whites and greys are
perfectly white or gray. I mostly make 30 x 40 cm prints and all on the same
paper (Kodak Ultra Endura).

The cost for one 30 x 40 cm print (chemicals and paper) is average about
$2.00 - $3.00.
The quality is as professional labs manual prints or better. The time needed
is as usual black and white in the enlarger and 90 seconds for developing
and bleechfix. 1 - 3 minutes intense washing is enough. Drying takes 5
minutes or so if you use a hot air.

But please remember, the key to success is to use the same film, the same
chemicals, the same paper and regenerate the chemicals right all the time.
Are you the kind of person that likes to experiment with every possible film
on the market, then you are looking for hassles.

Feel fre to ask if you need more information about how to do it.

Regards

Victor