Recent Forum Posts

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

Statistics: Posted by PFMcFarland — Tue Nov 29, 2022 9:24 pm

Zoroniak! Next time I go to Spain I'll give you a call. Maybe we can meet.

Statistics: Posted by Santiago Montenegro — Mon Nov 28, 2022 2:20 pm

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.

Statistics: Posted by P C Headland — Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:56 pm

the 1st image (hills and meadow) is impressive

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Sun Nov 27, 2022 6:37 pm

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.

Statistics: Posted by GrahamS — Sun Nov 27, 2022 6:02 am

So interesting this thread!!

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Sat Nov 26, 2022 4:46 am

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.

Statistics: Posted by P C Headland — Sat Nov 26, 2022 4:24 am

Bilbao, north part near to France.

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:58 pm

Alex, where in Spain are you located now?

Statistics: Posted by Santiago Montenegro — Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:11 pm

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)

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Fri Nov 25, 2022 12:01 pm

Thank you, Santiago an Benny!

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Fri Nov 25, 2022 10:25 am

Thank you, all.
I was looking the 616 version of this as well, maybe one day it comes across.

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Fri Nov 25, 2022 10:24 am

Ooh, that's one nice folding camera! That brown leather is something else than those usual black off-the-mill folders.

Statistics: Posted by Bennybee — Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:07 am

A nice experiment and great results you seem to have gotten too. You have way more courage and energy than me when ill - I tend to lay down and sleep away the time...

Statistics: Posted by Bennybee — Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:03 am

Congrats and lots of success, Alex. I bookmarked your great website.

Statistics: Posted by Bennybee — Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:58 am

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).

Statistics: Posted by P C Headland — Thu Nov 24, 2022 1:57 pm

Donald saidIf I were doing it again (not out of the question at all) I'd probably use copper sulfate followed by an ammonia bath. Based on results I've seen for peroxide bleach, it causes color shifts in the final product as well as being a little unpredictable. Acidic copper sulfate with sodium chloride will convert the image silver to silver chloride -- which is soluble in ammonium hydroxide solution, unlike silver bromide or silver iodide. This should give clean bleaching (work in front of an exhaust fan, though) without affecting the final positive image.

A very good alternative now seems to be XP2 Super, which can be reversed by developing in B&W first dev, then reversal bath or exposure, followed by a normal C-41 process (might want to run the color dev a little longer than normal). The bleach and fix or blix will remove all the developed silver, and you'll get a positive dye image. Slight pink base tint, but otherwise should make good slides (got a roll in my Stereo Graphic, but it's hard to carry since the case strap broke).

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Thu Nov 24, 2022 9:57 am

I emaild Donald, he still lives about 1h away from here, and is a resource as always.
I asked about his website as well, will report if and when he answers

Information is still in Wayback Machine, Donald is not making a new one, his provider stopped providing domains in 2013

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Wed Nov 23, 2022 11:56 am

PC, FWIW these are my old notes on the process. The basis was the Ilford document, where the formulae are given, although I modified them a bit.

My notes make references to an apparently defunct site, Times and Dilutions, by Don Qualls (ImageMaker).

Statistics: Posted by Julio1fer — Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:56 pm

Big congrats! Wish you the best of lucks!

Statistics: Posted by Santiago Montenegro — Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:34 pm