rherz
Hello to all DIY black-and-white slide film developers
I’ve got bright spots in the black areas, but only in the centre of the film. Strangely enough, this only affects the middle section of the film (in terms of the frame numbers, e.g. frames 13 to 27). Everything that’s supposed to be white is white (in the finished slide), so I don’t think it’s down to the bleaching. It looks as though there isn’t enough light. (100 W reflector bulb, 5 mins on each side, 5 mm water level above the spiral, distance from bulb to water level 2 cm, standard Jobo spiral)
Otherwise, the result is excellent!
Perhaps a quick note on the Bleach bath solutions:
Component A:B = 1:1
Component A: 150 ml 15% sulphuric acid + 250 ml water
Component B: 2 g potassium permanganate + 500 ml water
Processing time 5 mins.
And the fixing bath:
Dissolve 25 g anhydrous sodium sulphite in 400 ml water and then make up to 500 ml.
Processing time 3 mins.
Perhaps there’s someone here who’s had something like this before?
:rolleyes:
Best regards
Robert
Gast
Hi Robert,
I can only imagine it’s down to the double exposure. Do you ever move the lamp?
Best regards, Dieter
rherz
Hi Dieter,
Maybe it’s just my imagination, but a 100 W spotlight from a maximum distance of 5 cm, for 5 minutes on each side, should really be enough. Your eyes get dazzled just looking at it, and 5 cm of water isn’t that deep anyway.
But to answer your question: yes, I do move the bulb (spotlight), mainly because the spiral’s ribs might otherwise cast shadows, and I also try to vary the beam angle so that the light really gets between the spiral coils.
It’s a bit mad – normally you’re working with hundredths of a second and getting something on the film, and then 10 minutes of brutal brightness isn’t enough (you only have to squint into the spotlight)... I’m on the verge of putting the whole thing out in the sun – only, you don’t always have that, and the intensity is beyond your control.
When you consider that I started with 2 minutes 30 seconds on each side and the result isn’t noticeably different from the two 5-minute exposures.
Perhaps someone else has another idea, but I’m going to give it another go with two 10-minute exposures.
Best regards
Robert
Gast
Hello Robert,
I’ve read in several publications that daylight isn’t suitable for double exposure. Apparently, overexposure isn’t possible either. Unfortunately, I don’t know the chemical processes yet.
I feel a bit uneasy as long as the outcome of the reversal process remains uncertain.
I shoot with a 16mm camera and hate having to send my films to a reversal lab.
Perhaps we’ll have some success with our work at some point.
Best regards – Dieter
rherz
Hi Dieter,
As soon as the results are in, I’ll send you the recipe.
Have you ever tried the Foma development kit?
Best regards,
Robert
Gast
Hello Robert,
I’ve used the Foma reversal film twice:
First the Fomapan 100R – result: brown, negative…
Then an Agfapan 100 roll film, which gave me a clear base without any images.
I’m going to give it a third go today.
Best regards – Dieter
Gast
Hello,
I think the issue with the clear base is down to the sulphuric acid being too concentrated.
My first attempt with 5% acid already caused the emulsion to peel off. With T-Max it came off in rough shreds, with APX100 in small flakes. That’s why I now reckon that, in certain cases, the AP is significantly finer-grained than the Kodak. :-) I’m now using about 1–2%. I’ve also found that the intermediate exposure is usually insufficient, even at 500W from 10 cm. What do you think of the Kodak kit? By the way, its yield can be increased.
rherz
Hello,
Following a tip I saw on another forum, I took the film out of the spiral and performed an exposure whilst it was hanging. I slowly moved a 100 W spotlight past it at a distance of about 20 cm – this takes about 30 seconds for the whole roll. You can watch the film change as you do this. I prevented water droplets by using a very, very dilute wetting agent solution (0.1 ml Mirasol in 250 ml deionised water). It worked – the white spots are gone! However, you can’t get the film back into the spiral after that. I then pulled it through the arches. Not exactly relaxing and not to be recommended, as 150 cm of film is extremely unwieldy if you don’t want to scratch it. An attempt with 2 x 10 mins on the light table, in water, didn’t help either. Water seems to absorb a huge amount of light – that was already known, but I wouldn’t have thought it was quite that much.
The next attempt will be outside the water again in the spiral, with a little wetting agent to prevent droplets – about a minute on each side, changing the angle of incidence. That should actually prevent shadows from forming through the webs.
If it works, I’ll be in touch again – as soon as I’ve got some new Fomapans. They’re out of stock and you can’t get hold of any anywhere in Germany.
Best regards,
Robert
Gast
Hello, reverse developers,
As I develop films that are 30.5 metres long, I’m at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to double exposure. Has anyone ever tried the chemical method?
My attempts so far have been a complete disaster...
Best regards – Dieter
Gast
Hello, all B&W slide developers!
Please try the following (unfortunately only in English):
*********************************************
B&W Slides
-------------
Use only silver halide films with a clear base and an anti-halation layer (AHU) that will clear out during the process – or no such layer at all!
Concentrates (for 1 litre):
bleach -> 25 g potassium dichromate (potassium dichromate) +
100 g sodium bisulphate (sodium hydrogen sulphate)/monohydrate
-> if you don’t like mixing this stuff, you may use the bleach from E-6 or any B/W reversal kit
clear -> 250 g sodium sulphite (sodium sulphite)/anhydrous (desiccated)
-> may be substituted by HCA (to neutralise the bleach)
Mix 1+4 to make a working solution
Development (20 °C):
1st dev. (see table) ANY high-energy "positive" (paper) developer (Dektol etc.) 1+4
-> for greater projection brilliance, you may wish to add some silver solvent =
approx. 9 g sodium thiosulphate (sodium thiosulphate)/pentahydrate -----
this amount is critical: a larger dose quickly removes too much silver, whilst a smaller
amount results in an image that is too dark!
rinse (under running water)
bleach
rinse
clear
rinse (open the tank at this stage; sufficient re-exposure is essential for
orthochromatic films, i.e. use a transparent reel/spiral !)
re-exp. (100 W bulb = white light) 1 min./side (reel top & bottom)
2nd dev. (Dektol 1+4, no solvent)
wash 1 min.
fix (Hypam or similar rapid fix)
wash 5 mins.
hypo (Kodak HCA or similar)
wash 5 mins.
wet (Agepon 1:200 or similar) 1 min.
All other phases/stages 3 mins. each.
Films (daylight):
135 format ISO 1st dev. (mins.) EI contr. response chrom. (sensit.)
Kodalith Ortho (Type 3) N/A 3 8 H graphic ortho * = High-Contrast
Slide = HCS (bulk film)
Maco ORT 25 18 DX N half-tone ortho
Kodak FRP N/A 8 ? 12 ? N half-tone ortho = Fine-Grain
Release Positive (bulk film)
Agfa Scala 200 10 DX N full-tone pan
Kodak TP N/A 8 16 H half-tone pan * = Technical Pan
Maco UPC 64 10 25 N full-tone pan
Maco PO 100 10 DX N full-tone ortho
FomaPan 100 ? 100 ?
* means no silver solvent needed !
120/220 format
Maco ORT
Agfa APX 100 100 6 DX N full-tone pan
400 ? 400 ?
Ilford Delta 100 100 10 DX N full-tone pan
400 400 18 ? DX ? N full-tone pan
3200 ? 3200 ? 800 ?
Agfa Scala
Kodak TP
Maco PO
Maco UPC -> www.technikdirekt.de (see also www.mahn.net)
You might also try Speedibrews Celer-Reverser -> www.silverprint.co.uk (#3118)
***********************************************************************
I have tried almost all the films mentioned and the results are very good.
Unfortunately, I still need to try FomaPan (initial development time)...
Kind regards,
tero.tommila@ficora.fi
Gast
Once, in my naivety, I re-exposed the film under a standard kitchen lamp – 100W, with an AP spiral – picked it up while it was still dripping wet and held it under the light without a water bath, for 30 seconds on each side, moving it slightly – for my taste, the results were absolutely fine, no spots, and the droplets didn’t cause any problems either.
However, I constantly move the film around in the canister, i.e. I don’t let it settle – so far the results have generally been good.
I use the Fomapan reversal kit. The only problem so far has been that potassium permanganate crystals weren’t properly dissolved and left ugly spots, but you can avoid that by mixing the solution more thoroughly beforehand.
