Kodak Tri-X 400 film

[el_froggy]

Hi,
i was wondering i could develop my kodak Tri-X 400 film as a dia.
because i've heard some rumors but i'm not quite sure.
if someone could help me out, i would be very gratefull

regards

Kiran

 

[Konical]

Good Afternoon, El Froggy,

In theory, you probably can. I know that Kodak offers a special kit for processing T-Max 100 into transparencies, but I have no idea if it would work well with other films.

I think that more satisfactory results can be obtained by developing the Tri-X as usual to get negatives. Then copy the negatives onto the finest-grain B & W film available to you to get the positives. The old Kodak High Contrast Positive worked well for this when developed in either D-19 or Dektol. I suspect that Technical Pan could be processed to give similar results, although at rather high cost considering that Tech Pan is now becoming hard to find.

It takes a little effort, but I find the negative to positive approach preferable since you can process the original film as you ordinarily would. Getting the positives is much akin to making prints: if you screw up on the first try, you can always try again. With the special reversal processing, you have only one shot at good results.

Konical

 

[clogz]

IIRC a reversal kit is sold by Fotoimpex in Berlin. www.fotoimpex.de

 

[Donald Qualls]

Yes, the T-Max Reversal Kit works just fine with other B&W films, though you'll probably have to experimentally adjust the first developer time. The Foma reversal kit works the same way -- again, you'll have to adjust the first dev time to get the correct contrast, and you'll probably have to shoot a few test rolls to get exactly the right combination of EI and first dev in either case (typically you'll have a higher EI when reversing a B&W negative material).

For that matter, you can make your own bleach, use plain sodium sulfite solution as a clearing bath after the bleach, and otherwise do the job with the same chemicals you're used to using. Main thing is to make sure you don't have a halogenating bleach -- potassium ferricyanide (Farmer's Reducer) is a bad choice, because it converts the image silver to a halide that will expose in reversal and then develop in the second dev, giving a solid black film. Potassium Dichromate, potassium permanganate, and copper sulfate, all in a weak sulfuric acid solution, have been used successfully with reversal processes. All clear nicely in sodium sulfite solution, IIRC at 2% strength.