>>3228806>s it worth the trouble to just do it by hand without anything like a joboMy man, it depends on price.
C-41 is standardised process with next to no "creative freedom" compared to B&W (unless you get in special techniques like bleach bypass etc.).
So you're just trying to match the lab, only the lab has very exact temperature and agitation control. You can come really close that there won't be any difference in the negatives. The only question whether it's worth it then is: How much does the lab charge you and how much would it cost you if you did it yourself?
Personally, I can do it for about £2/roll. Because the Fuji C-41 kit is £60 shipped and can do ~30 rolls one shot. (It could probably do some more with time compensation, but the jobo tank has a 170ml minimum capacity to cover the film so if you use it one shot, it works out to ~30 rolls).
So, unless C-41 dev around here gets more than £5/roll, I don't bother. Simple as that. And same for E-6, since this one costs £150 for the 5L kit, so even if I stretch the capacity to 35-40 rolls with extended dev time, it works out to £4/roll. So unless the lab is charging £8 or more, I don't bother.
Also, all those chemicals (first and colour dev especially), last less than 2 months in gas-tight, fully filled bottles, and the recommendation is to use within 1 week in opened/half empty bottles. So apart from cost, you should factor the inconvenience too. I.e. how much in $$ and time would it take you to shoot 30-40 rolls of film before you cab develop and see the pictures? Is it worth it?
Anyway, colour dev is possible at home even without a jobo processor. It's just inconvenient.
