Ilford XP-2 processing????’s

[Stephen J. Collier]

I have about 10 rolls of Ilford XP-2 super left over from a time when I thought that I was not going to set up a darkroom for a long time and would therefore have to process all my film at a one-hour lab. Now I have a darkroom and the idea of letting all that film expire and go to waste bothers me. I know, thanks to the Ilford web site, that regular B&W processing is not an option. My question is this; is there a way to get some C-41 chemicals and hand process the XP-2 on my own with just a SS tank and reel or am I up a creek without a paddle?

 

[Nige]

you can get C41 kits, but why not just get the rolls developed (only.. no prints) at a lab. Would be cheaper and less chance of stuffing it up!

Also, you can proces it with normal B&W, however the results may not be optimal (I've tried some C-41 Fujicolor for a laugh)

 

[Flotsam]

Nige said it all. I take the occasional color neg rolls that I shoot to my local Walgreens. I've never gotten a second glance when I say "process only".

 

[Chris Lee]

Xp2 will actually develop fine in normal B+W Dev and fix, I have used ID11 about the the same time as for HP5 I seem to remember and it came out fine!

 

[modafoto]

Xp2 will actually develop fine in normal B+W Dev and fix, I have used ID11 about the the same time as for HP5 I seem to remember and it came out fine!

I'll try that. I have some rolls left.

 

[Les McLean]

I have about 10 rolls of Ilford XP-2 super left over from a time when I thought that I was not going to set up a darkroom for a long time and would therefore have to process all my film at a one-hour lab. Now I have a darkroom and the idea of letting all that film expire and go to waste bothers me. I know, thanks to the Ilford web site, that regular B&W processing is not an option. My question is this; is there a way to get some C-41 chemicals and hand process the XP-2 on my own with just a SS tank and reel or am I up a creek without a paddle?

Stephen

When XP-2 Super was first introduced I wrote an article for a UK mag on an experiment that I did. I used 12 different regular B&W developers and developed both XP-2 Super and the Kodak C41 film (T400 CN I think), the results were interesting to say the least. Some developers produced rubbish but XP-2 Super dev'd in Kodak''s Xtol produced excellent negatives that printed with no trace of grain or problems. Interestingly T400 CN dev'd in Ilford's ID11 was just about the same. The article was written some years ago but I'll look it up if you wish me too for I remember doing a list of the times and dilutions which may be helpful to you if you want to try it.

 

[modafoto]

I used 12 different regular B&W developers and developed both XP-2 Super and the Kodak C41 film (T400 CN I think), the results were interesting to say the least.

Any experience with Rodinal? I am very interested...or HC110?

greeTings Morten

 

[rusty_tripod]

Les, please post the article if you can find it. I have lots of XP-2 to use up, but have been hesitant because of time and unfamiliarity with the chemistry.

Rusty

 

[ann]

several years ago one of our students developed this film in HC110 solution B.

Took a while to figure out why this film was so strange looking; but it did print. The standard development time for HP5+ was used, with the usual stop and fixer , washing procedures followed.

I don't remember the exposure times, but since the masking color was pretty strong i am sure they were longer than the usual.

 

[Les McLean]

I used all the developers mentioned here so I'll find and post the article and I will also dig out the negatives and scan the best omes to put in the technical gallery.

 

[Flotsam]

Interesting.
When the film is developed in B&W chems, without the bleach step, you have a silver image and when you use C-41, the image is formed by dye? There must be a very distinct difference between the results. I'd like to read a comparison of the two methods.

 

[Greg Rust]

I accidentally learned that XP2 can be developed in PMK and have made very good prints. Try 10 minutes @68deg. F with the 1-2-100 dilution.

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

I used all the developers mentioned here so I'll find and post the article and I will also dig out the negatives and scan the best omes to put in the technical gallery.

Thank you all for the info. Les I would really appreciate it if you posted the article when you found it. Let me me know when you do. Thanks again.

 

[Les McLean]

I've found the article on XP2 in B&W developers and will try to post it to the articles section.

I've posted the piece to Materials Review section but the table has been distorted in the transfer. If you cannot understand it and need info about any of the combinations please PM me and I'll let you have it.

 

[rusty_tripod]

Thank you, Les. Ready to give it a try.

Rusty

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

I've found the article on XP2 in B&W developers and will try to post it to the articles section.

I've posted the piece to Materials Review section but the table has been distorted in the transfer. If you cannot understand it and need info about any of the combinations please PM me and I'll let you have it.

I think that I got the table right. The only thing that I am confused about is the adjusted film speed. Does that mean that I should rate my film at a different speed when I am exposing it?

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

Les, I was wondering if you tried Kodak D76 and if so how did that turn out?

 

[Les McLean]

I think that I got the table right. The only thing that I am confused about is the adjusted film speed. Does that mean that I should rate my film at a different speed when I am exposing it?

Rate the film at the speed shown against it to get the best result. To determine this when I did the test I simply bracketed and compared the negatives by measuring densities on the publishers densitometer.


I didn't use D76 but ID11 is reckoned to be just about the same developer.

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

Rate the film at the speed shown against it to get the best result. To determine this when I did the test I simply bracketed and compared the negatives by measuring densities on the publishers densitometer.


I didn't use D76 but ID11 is reckoned to be just about the same developer.

Thank you very much, I appreciate it. You really saved me some money!!!