Black and white reversal Easy Peasy!

Stephen Frizza · Jul 31, 2008

Hey everyone well i just wanted to announce that today i did black and white reversal of film for the first time. And it was easy peasy!

Anyone who's considering it don't be daunted or afraid give it a go!

markbarendt · Jul 31, 2008

Great news, I'm looking forward to trying it.

What chems did you use?

Ian Grant · Jul 31, 2008

So are you going to offer the world an Australian alternative to dr5 ?

It is a very easy process capable of extremely high quality results, I've been doing my own on & off for about 35 years.

Ian

Stephen Frizza · Jul 31, 2008

Dr5 is awesome! my clients still send their stuff there when its a needed service but its nice to know new processes.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 31, 2008

Glad to hear the processing went well. I want to try running my own Super-8 reversal. I've got a Russian tank (yes, Russian tanks have invaded my apartment) and instructions, but I've got to teach myself how to load it in the dark first.

Stephen Frizza · Jul 31, 2008

the ingredients

markbarendt said:
Great news, I'm looking forward to trying it.

What chems did you use?

For the developers I used

Sodium Sulphite, Metol, Hydroquinone,Sodium Carbonate and Potassium Bromide
with water

For the Bleach I used

Sulphuric acid and Potassium Permanganate with water

and I made a clearing bath out of metabisulphate with water

and I also used Ilford rapid fix at the end...dont know if thats needed?

As for the amounts and the mixing steps etc Im currently at home. When im back at the lab i will share them here. I should point out that my method of reversing black and white is one i scribbled down from a lecture at college 8 years ago. there mat be different recipes which are more effective but from what came out of the process today I am very amazed by the result.

Ian Grant · Jul 31, 2008

The fix is still needed just in case there's any undeveloped silver halide left in the emulsion.

Ian

usagisakana · Jul 31, 2008

How is it done? Might be good to try it for a bit of a laugh

Ian Grant · Jul 31, 2008

Easy way is go to the Ilford website and download their PDF file.

I've even posted the direct link for you

Ian

kraker · Jul 31, 2008

The secret word for tonight: daunting

Stephen Frizza said:
Anyone who's considering it don't be daunted or afraid give it a go!

Hm, I've thought about it a few times, but the second exposure and subsequent development has always put me off. Still the daunting part...

How much light exactly (okay, the estimate in the Ilford instruction in Watt and cm is clearer than many others talking about lux, lumen, candela and whatnot), and how do I "apply" the light evenly to the full roll of film? I would say: by taking it off the reel, but putting a wet film back on a reel sounds, err, well, daunting is again the right word.

Then again, I just read I shoudn't be daunted and should just give it a go .
(Any hints and tips on the seemingly daunting tasks mentioned?)

Marco B · Jul 31, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
I've got a Russian tank (yes, Russian tanks have invaded my apartment) and instructions, but I've got to teach myself how to load it in the dark first.

Don't the Russians have light in their tanks? How the heck did they ever win the war...?

manfromh · Jul 31, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
I've got a Russian tank and instructions, but I've got to teach myself how to load it in the dark first.

If the FBI were to only read that part...

Anyway, ive been interested in reverse-processing some film, but every time I think about it I start wondering "what should i do with the positives afterwards?"

So do you guys project them? Or is there some delicate quality to a b&w positive? Or is it just for fun?

Matis

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 31, 2008

My understanding is that the reversal exposure isn't critical, as long as it is exposed to completion, and that the way to do it with a reel is to use a clear or translucent reel, like a Paterson reel.

On cine processors that I've seen, it looks like the film goes whizzing past a light bulb, which looks like a relatively ordinary bulb of about 15 watts, and the rest of the steps can take place in daylight.

My Russian tank has clear reels for the reversal exposure.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 31, 2008

manfromh said:
So do you guys project them? Or is there some delicate quality to a b&w positive? Or is it just for fun?

Matis

The large Tri-X transparencies that I've seen at DR5 are really beautiful.

kraker · Jul 31, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
My understanding is that the reversal exposure isn't critical, as long as it is exposed to completion, and that the way to do it with a reel is to use a clear or translucent reel, like a Paterson reel.

In that case... if the second exposure can be done while the film is on the reel, I might as well give it a try someday . Then it's only just a matter of getting a few not-too-extravagant chemicals and just do it.

nick mulder · Jul 31, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
My Russian tank has clear reels for the reversal exposure.

I've had quite a bit of experience with the Lomo tanks and have all the models here - first buying a small 33' one, bigger 2x50' one, then finally forking out for the 100' model so I can do a complete daylight roll of 16mm with no splice...

The bigger they get the trickier but if you have experience with 120 spirals then 16mm should even be easier.

One tip I never found in the instructions is to use the top of the tank as a kind of plinth on which to spin the spiral, much less friction and you can be sure you're not going to bite film and scratch it underneath. I now pull my complete roll of film out onto the floor (carpet) - whilst guiding it in with one hand and making sure it isn't overly twisted you can then spin it onto the spiral as fast as you can spin it with the other. Especially fun when there is someone else around who uses them wondering how the hell you did it so fast.

CRhymer · Jul 31, 2008

I too use the Lomo tanks, but I have never tried using the top like that Nick. It so happens that I have about 12 carts of super8 to do, so I'll give it a go. I have 4 - 50' tanks and a smaller Meopta one for 16mm (D8) which only holds about 30'. All of them have clear reels. David, just remember that the emulsion side faces out instead of in - I don't know why. Also, I find 16mm the easiest to load, and two layers of super8 that hardest. I would appreciate any other hints anyone may have. The tanks don't leak light, but the lid can come off is one is not vigilant. There is a small hole/drain/ in the light trap at the top of the spindle, which may possibly leak light, but it can be masked with a bit of gaffer's tape.

Cheers,
Clarence

nick mulder · Jul 31, 2008

CRhymer said:
There is a small hole/drain/ in the light trap at the top of the spindle, which may possibly leak light

I know on at least on the 2x50' model this will leak light

amuderick · Jul 31, 2008

Reversal exposure is hard to screw up. Just remember, no sunlight! It can solarize the film.

Does anyone know if the tin chloride used as a reversal agent in the E-6 process can substitute for light exposure here?

I make MF stereo slides with my BW positives and look at them in my backlit viewer. Spectacular!

Ian Grant · Aug 1, 2008

There's a formula in the articles section using Stannous Chloride for the reversal.

Ian

Ian Grant · Aug 9, 2008

The second exposure and the second (re-)development are very easy.

Essentially if you use a translucent/transparent spiral for 35mm or 120 film you just hold it at half a meter from a 100 watt light bulb, rotating a few times for about 2 minutes. What you don't want is gross over exposure to blue/UV light source like sunlight, that can cause problems. That's very simple, and so is the redevelopment because it's to completion anyway, and you can easily tell when the films fully developed.

Ian

Black and white reversal Easy Peasy!

Stephen Frizza

markbarendt

Ian Grant

Stephen Frizza

David A. Goldfarb

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Stephen Frizza

Ian Grant

usagisakana

Ian Grant

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Marco B

manfromh

David A. Goldfarb

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David A. Goldfarb

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kraker

nick mulder

CRhymer

nick mulder

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Ian Grant

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Black and white reversal Easy Peasy!

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