Development times for Kodak 16mm film shot as 110

[paul ewins]

I've decided to get out and use my Pentax 110 and am setting myself up for reloading 110 cartridges with 16mm movie film. I've bought some recently out of date film on eBay to practice with, but would like some pointers for developing times. I'll be using an old Jobo inversion tank, probably developing two reels at a time.

So far I have got a reel of Plus-X negative film and two reels of Tri-X reversal film. The Pentax 110 rates the low speed cartridges at 80 and the high speed cartridges at 400.

I'd prefer to use an off-the-shelf deveoper if possible. My usual is ID 11 (@1:1) and I've been playing with Ilfotec DD-X but I'm not averse to trying something new. Obviously there will be heaps of grain, but I'm hoping there is a way to use this creatively.

thanks, Paul

 

[Donald Qualls]

From what I've read, it's probably adequate as a starting point to treat both the same as the still films of the same name. They aren't the same, quite, but that should get you close enough to adjust your times within a roll or two.

 

[Gerald Koch]

I routinely shoot Eastman 5231 (MP Plus-X) at a speed of 125 to get normal contrast. Kodak motion picture negative films are developed to low contrast and this is reflected in their listed speeds. This is done because they are printed on contrasty MP positive film.

 

[paul ewins]

Okay, that sounds simple then. There's not much I can do about the camera exposing at 80 instead of 125, but the appropriate adjsutment shouldn't be too hard to find.

Is there anything special about the reversal films that I will have to worry about? Surely there would be something otherwise there would be no point in having separate negative stock and reversal stock.

 

[Donald Qualls]

IIRC, the reversal films are optimized to give projection contrast when processed in Kodak's standard cine reversal process -- which is why they have unusual speeds for the emulsion name. Given you've got 200 feet of the Tri-X Rev, it seems reasonable to shoot a couple rolls as tests and nail down the particulars, but I'd suggest starting with the camera at 400 and giving the same development you'd give 320 TXP.