@BMbikerider wow 20 yrs of consistency is great. I'm finding replenishment is certainly a pain. The odd variable in the equation is I'm finding it hard to know how much to replenish. Kodak's Z manuals lists Portra VC / NC but not the current gen nor Ektar. I think I'll try switching to premixed developer next time. Are you going so far as to use control strips to test variability?
Are you guys storing the developer or other chems in the fridge?
Are you storing bleach in closed containers with air on top to keep regenerated?
I am more than willing to sacrifice the extra cost of developing a film by using the use once and discard method. That way you are sure that everything is going to be equal so long as the developer doesn't 'go off'. I always store the working developer in full glass bottles so there is little air to affect the chemicals. I never have used control test strips. If after the first film is proven to be OK, I have always taken it for granted the remainder will follow suit.
My only deviation from the mixing is due to my largest measuring jug being only 2 litres. So I mix up to 2 litres but when I come to decanting it into a storage bottle I use a ratio of 4/5ths of the amount and add another 1/5th of plain water to make up the required dilution.
In general I find C41 developer to be very forgiving with mixing and apart from a couple of B&W developers has a very long shelf life.
Why store the chems in a fridge? It may be fine for papers and films but having them in a fridge, cannot as far as I can make out offer any advantage (I may be a great disadvantage, because when the wife finds them she will give you a verbal ear bashing!
)
I store bleach in exactly the same way as the developer but as they quite stable and are not affected nearly so much as developer, I never worry if the bleach and the fix have an air gap
