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Negative is looking like positive

baachitraka

Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
3,651
Location
Bremen, Germany.
Format
Multi Format
I developed a roll of HP5+ on yesterday, negatives came good but if I view with my hand behind at certain distance they look like positive.

I can clearly see the positive image.
May I know is it because of under exposure?

Developer is DD-23. Bath A first and Bath B second...
 

Confirmed.
You should be able to get a print but it won't be easy...
Suggest two stops more exposure on meter.
Easy to print with a stop over...
 
Its a portrait of my wife and the first test with Rolleicord IIb.
 
If you can see the positive image in this manner, you can print it. It will require less exposure of the print, but can produce a beautiful one. When I used 35 mm many years ago I commonly produced negatives with this characteristic purposely.
 
Curious to know, what make it look like positive?
 
baachitraka said:
Curious to know, what make it look like positive?
Click to expand...

the light reflecting off the emulsion makes it look light, while dark areas behind the negative make the clear areas look dark.

Tintypes and Ambrotypes work this way. An Ambrotype is really a very thin negative on glass with a black backing behind it.

Negatives on film that do this are going to be thin, and a challenge to print, but can be printed.
 
Back to the basics. How did you determine your exposure index and development time? Separating under-exposure from under- development is not so easy looking at the negatives.
 
Its under exposure. May be speeds are not accurate in Rolleicord IIb ;-) It's my wife who stood on last evening and incident reading read at EV 9 and I set 1/25 and f/4. I try to get the face of her on the print and rest is not so important.
 
Ok if you are sure about your metering you have a shutter problem.

So

Try firing it lots of times or
Strip it and relube
Or send it for a 'CLA'

Getting a good print won't be easy.
 
Nexus 7 tab as light table and shot with smartphone. Just converted negative to positive...

I will print the negative soon...

 
At the right angle and with the right light the image on a black & white negative can appear as a positive. I use that sometimes to look at negatives for printing.
 
Can you post the negative non-reversed. I don't have magic eyes to see it.( or envy way to easily reverse it on iPhone)
 

It's because of under exposure, under development or both. a very high paper grade and a short exposure should give you something but nothing spectacular.
 
Negative...

 
Yes the negative is thin, but it is a negative and not a positive.
 
Finally some prints...
 
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