B&W Reversal

[titrisol]

What I like about the process I followed is that it uses easy (for me at least) to get hold of chemicals that are fairly benign. I've watched some videos with people using Cafenol as the developer. It seems from my reading & searching that this process is quite popular with the 8mm movie enthusiasts.

I'll develop a couple of the 9x12cm sheets with the reversal process and post the results (good or bad).

Caffenol works well on some films, especially if you add vitamin C (or erythrobic acid)

[P C Headland]

I did two sheets from the 9x12cm Zeca folder. I think I loaded these sheets more than 5 years ago, probably more like 10! They do seem to have suffered a bit, plenty of light leaks. Still, the reversal process seems to have been relatively successful again.

First two shots are after the bleach and before re-development:



The next two are phone snaps of the sheets on the light box:




I think I'll shoot a couple more experimental rolls and try with PC-TEA instead of Rodinal for the developer.

[alexvaras]

So interesting this thread!!

[GrahamS]

Good grief, you take me back in time, Paul, to the 1970's, when my lab staff decided we needed to offer reversal B&W as a service, and embarked on weeks of experimentation. One of the tried methods was to contact print the B&W neg onto fine grain Kodak print film, in much the same way a motion picture lab of the day would have done it. One of my guys built a table top contact printer to do this, using an old editing viewer and a set of rewind handles. I remember it became difficult to control the contrast depending on the contrast of the original negs, which varied immensely. In the end, we settled on a slide copy process using a Bowens Illumitran copier and Kodak Pan F film. I admire your enthusiasm and ecpertise.

[titrisol]

the 1st image (hills and meadow) is impressive

[P C Headland]

My only expertise is my ability in searching the internet

I may have unfairly blamed the film holders for the fogging. My changing bag "elastics" have gone, so I may well have been getting light leaks through the arm holes. A new one is on its way, and I'll fashion a repair on the old one as a backup.

[PFMcFarland]

I miss the old Polaroid reversal films. No darkroom needed. But then if I'd had the space to build a darkroom it might have been a different matter. Good to see you're still keeping the old ways relevant, Paul.

PF

[P C Headland]

Well, I reversed a couple more sheets, loaded in the new changing bag. Fewer light leaks and less fogging than the previous ones. Subsequent rolls of 120 and 35mm show no light leaks from the new bag. These holders were loaded so long ago who knows how light-tight the changing bag was back then.

Anyway, better results which will give me more confidence to try some more. These are 9x12cm Classic Pan 200, developed in Rodinal 1+20 for 10 minutes, then 20 minutes bleach, re-exposure then 10 minutes in the second Rodinal 1+20 developer. These are iPhone snaps of the sheets on the light box.

[GrahamS]

Paul, No images, just a placeholder,

[P C Headland]

Fixed links.