We're engineering a precision C-41 film processor built from the ground up — minilab-quality chemistry control designed to bring reliable, automated color negative processing back to independent labs.
Machines like the Noritsu QSF-V30, QSF-T15, and Fuji FP-360B have been the backbone of C-41 processing for decades. Labs have kept them alive through ingenuity, aftermarket parts, and sheer determination. That resourcefulness is inspiring — but it shouldn't be the only option. The film community deserves a processor that's still in production, with documentation that's still current and parts that are still manufactured.
Noritsu and Fuji stopped manufacturing minilab film processors years ago. The machines still running are decades old, surviving on dwindling spare parts and community knowledge. When a critical component fails, there may not be a replacement.
Hand-tanking is fine for a roll or two. But for a lab processing dozens of rolls a day, or a school running a darkroom program, manual methods can't deliver the consistency or throughput needed.
Used minilabs — when you can find them — cost thousands, require specialized plumbing, and depend on proprietary parts from manufacturers who no longer support them. The barrier to entry keeps new labs from opening, and the cost of ownership keeps existing ones struggling.
C-41 chemistry is unforgiving — a half-degree deviation changes color balance. We're targeting ±0.1°C stability using proven industrial heating elements and temperature sensors in a closed-loop control architecture designed for rapid, accurate response.
Off-the-shelf microcontroller at the core, with purpose-designed circuitry handling real-time process control. Every sensor, actuator, and control loop is integrated for this specific application — reliable hardware you can source and replace.
A true minilab — not a warehouse-scale processor and not a DIY benchtop kit. We're engineering the fluid path, chemistry management, and mechanical transport to deliver professional throughput in a footprint that fits your space.
Need a new pump? Order it from us, from McMaster-Carr, from Grainger — your choice. We're designing around proven, off-the-shelf industrial components so you're never locked into proprietary parts from a single vendor. Open documentation, standard connectors, and hardware you can actually source.
We're starting with C-41 because that's where the volume is — it's the process most labs run every day. But we're designing with a modular approach from day one, with the aim of supporting B&W and E-6 slide processing with minimal re-engineering. Different chemistry, different timing profiles — same core platform.
We come from backgrounds in test engineering, embedded systems, and industrial design — and we share a genuine love for analog photography. This project exists because we wanted a C-41 processor we could actually buy, and nobody was building one.
We're under no illusions about the road ahead. Designing a precision electromechanical system from scratch is hard. There will be setbacks, dead ends, and things that work on the bench but fail in practice. That's part of the process, and we're here for it.
Our plan is roughly two years of prototyping and development, followed by a year of refinement and preparation for manufacturing. That's a realistic timeline for doing this right — not a deadline driven by investor pressure or a crowdfunding campaign. We'd rather take the time and build something that actually works.
System architecture definition, thermal subsystem prototyping, chemistry flow path design. Building the foundational proof-of-concept for temperature control and fluid management.
Integrated mechanical and electronic prototype capable of processing test rolls. Validating chemistry timing, agitation, and temperature uniformity across the full C-41 sequence.
Extended reliability testing, design for manufacturability, user interface development. Moving from "it works in the lab" to "it works in yours."
Small-batch manufacturing and initial availability to labs, schools, and photographers who've been waiting for a modern C-41 solution.
We'll send occasional updates as we hit milestones — no spam, no hype. Just honest engineering progress.