Printing from black & white reversals

[pdeeh]

I've recently been experimenting with black & white reversal (as part of an idea to eventually produce 10x8 pinhole reversals for lightbox display).

It's been a pleasant surprise to me how relatively straightforward the process has been, and have produced some decent results - although nailing down a process that consistently produces top-notch quality will probably be quite another matter.

I'll be putting this aside for a while now, but in the course of my experiments, I have inevitably ended up with a few pictures (on both 35mm and 6x6, particularly the latter) that I would like to print.

I have done a bit of research, and it seems the options are likely to be:

1. Print to direct positive paper - as I have a few sheets of Harman 5x4 DPP, I'll certainly try that to start, but am not enamoured of the gloss finish.

2. Rephotograph the positive on a lightbox, and print from the resulting negative. I'll give it a try, but I'm not hopeful about retaining sharpness and am wary of adding grain.

3. Produce a copy negative - either contacted or via enlarger - to ordinary negative film (or to one of the ortho copying films that are still available?) and print from that. I'd expect that it would be easier to use 5x4 sheets than faff about with roll film for this, but either way how would I begin to judge exposure times? (by trial and error I expect)

4. Print directly from the positive film and then reverse process the paper- which would be fun to try, but can wait until I'm a better printer.

5. Scan it.

So ... any hints, tips, different processes to suggest, or links to internet "how-tos" on this subject will be welcomed.

 

[ndrs]

6. Find some Ilfochrome paper and chemicals. Expired paper no longer suitable for colour printing can still be usable for monochrome. B&W on Ilfochrome is quite breathtaking.

Andres

 

[darkosaric]

6. Find some Ilfochrome paper and chemicals. Expired paper no longer suitable for colour printing can still be usable for monochrome. B&W on Ilfochrome is quite breathtaking.

Andres

I guess it can not be done under safe red light?

 

[jp498]

print onto a thin (such as rc glossy arista edu) paper and contact print that paper negative onto the final positive paper.

 

[ndrs]

I guess it can not be done under safe red light?

No, but there's nothing difficult about having to do some steps in darkness either.

 

[Bill Burk]

I know this problem, before joining APUG, I had scanned and inkjet printed a shot taken on reversal processed black and white (horrors!). A shot of our old cabin interior looking out the living room window over the couch (irreplaceable shot). Now that print has faded (I used archival ink and matt paper - but it was found to be susceptible to ozone) and I want to replace it with a Silver Gelatin print.

I want to use my stock paper, Galerie. And I want to use my stock film, TMY-2

My plan will be to "enlarge" the 35mm transparency to a sheet of 4x5 film. Using the setup described in the thread Enlarger ----> Sensitometer

I will include a step-wedge in the margin - to reduce the number of "trial and error" cycles.

Then I will have a negative to print on my usual paper.

By using 4x5 film instead of a smaller format, I maintain quality without adding a "generation" of 35mm grain to the image.

 

[Roger Cole]

Why not just print to regular paper then contact print the resulting negative to regular paper again just like with any paper negative?

 

[pdeeh]

jp498, Roger: ah yes, I had thought about papernegs but it slipped my mind repeatedly. So, now added to the list of things to try.

I had seen a few threads about using ciba/ilfochrome for this, but I think by the time I've tracked down the materials, sold a kidney to pay for them and then learned how to use them, I'd be too old to remember why I started the whole business ...

 

[johnielvis]

another option

you can also print directly to fuji instant using an enlarger, contact or a special "polaprinter" slide copier.

 

[pdeeh]

now that's good info ; bit small for what I want but might be a bit of fun to try

 

[jp498]

you can also print directly to fuji instant using an enlarger, contact or a special "polaprinter" slide copier.

I remember those old polaroid daylab contraptions!

 

[viridari]

Harman Direct Positive Paper?

 

[Oxleyroad]

Or if you are adventurous. B&W reversal process your paper as well.



Dektol first developer, K2Cr2O7 bleach and NaS clearing bath, wash with white room lights on and then normal B&W process again.

But +1 for Harmon DPP. Much better black and while tonal range than can be achieved with reversal processing regular paper, and a heap faster/easier to process.