C-41 is a chromogenic color print film developing process introduced by Kodak in 1972,

The negative

thumb|right|upright|[[Kodacolor (still photography)|Kodacolor Gold 100 film, exposed and developed negative, showing characteristic orange base color and inverted colors]]

After processing, the resulting film is a negative, meaning that the darkest spots on the film are those areas that were brightest in the source. Light is projected through the finished negative onto color photographic paper, yielding positive image prints.

Nearly all C-41 films also include an orange mask to offset the optical inadequacies of the dyes in the film. These C-41 negatives appear orange when viewed directly, though the orange mask is compensated for in the formulation of color print materials. Some C-41 films, intended for scanning, do not have this orange mask.

Process

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|+Color negative film exposure and processing schematic

Due to the complexity of the film and exacting nature of the process, the results vary widely; as with black-and-white negatives, the process generally results in a negative that is higher in contrast and sometimes higher in grain.

Cross processing

It is also possible to cross-process slide film for the E-6 process in C-41, which yields negatives with a color shift and stronger saturation. Varying brands and film speeds yield different color shifts producing bright, saturated colors and high contrast. C-41 film also may be processed in E-6, yielding positive images with a strong green cast, caused by the orange mask.

C-41 film can be processed in standard black-and-white chemicals, to produce a monochrome negative image. The negatives will typically be of very low contrast, and cloudy, partly caused by the orange mask.

Black-and-white use

C-41 "chromogenic" black-and-white films

While C-41 is usually considered a color process, Ilford currently manufactures a "chromogenic" C-41 compatible black-and-white film, XP2 Super.

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  • Kodak process C-41 (color negative) processing manual Z-131 (PDF)