Los Angeles based CineStill has just announced a completely unique family of slide film development kits with options that allows photographers a choice of three color and contrast profiles for the same type of film.

The 3-bath kits are made up of a first developer (three choices), a 2-in-1 Color & Reversal solution, and a 3-in-1 Bleaches & Fixer solution. Together, they don’t just make it easier to process your own E-6 film at home, they also allow you to change the color profile of your slide using the first developer solutions, effectively tripling the choices available for slide film.

“The reversal process is the purest of analog processes and it’s now more creative and accessible than ever!” writes CineStill. “The colors of slide film are unrivaled and now you can color-time and control dynamic range with alternative 1st developers.”

The three choices for the first developer are D6 DaylightChrome, D9 DynamicChrome, and T6 TungstenChrome.

Before get into the details, Cinestill note on their website, “Usable dynamic-range is the number of full stops of exposure value that renders acceptable detail and color. Total dynamic-range however, is the maximum range containing tonal separation rendering any detail, and is often twice the usable-dynamic range. The usable dynamic-range of conventional slide film is between 6-8 stops (total 14-16 stops). Color negative is between 9-13 stops (total 16-21 stops). Digital sensors are mostly between 7-10 stops (total 12-15 stops).”

DynamicChrome renders approximately 9+ stops of usable dynamic-range while maintaining vibrant color-contrast and rich warm tones with preserved highlights and shadow detail (optimized 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. DynamicChrome appears perfect then, for high contrast lighting or backlit subjects in daylight, shade, or with electronic flash. DynamicChrome comes in a single-use 1+1 dilution, which develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide Film.

DaylightChrome Renders approximately 6+ stops of usable dynamic range with bright whites and moderately enhanced color saturation, just like conventional E-6 processing.

Daylight-balanced for conventional slides in daylight or with electronic flash. DaylightChrome comes in a single-use 1+1 dilution, which develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide Film.

TungstenChrome renders approximately 6+ stops of usable dynamic-range with cleaner whites and moderately enhanced color saturation. Shoot in artificial light without sacrificing 2 stops of exposure to color 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 color grade your slides in processing. With conventional E-6 processing, this would require color filtration and a 2-4 stop exposure compensation. TungstenChrome comes in a single-use 1+1 dilution, which develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide Film.

“There’s no longer a need for a darkroom, professional lab or high-tech equipment to create analog photographs,” writes CineStill on their blog. “You can now create beautiful color transparencies at home through one simple process.”

Demystifying slide processing into just three baths will encourage more photographers to give reversal film a shot for the first time, reigniting a passion for positive.

Here some examples shot on Kodak E100 and developed using the new Cs6 Creative Slide 3-Bath Process kits.

Each Cs6 3-Bath Kit includes one of the 1st Developers, the Cr6 Color & Reversal solution and the Bf6 Beaches & Fixer solution, and they’re available to pick up today starting at $40 for the 1000ml/Quart Kit that can process 16+ rolls, or approximately 100ft, of slide film each.

The chemicals are available now from the CineStill website, and from retailers in the USA and Europe from the summer.
More info on CineStill’s website.