Re-developing film?

natelfo · Sep 7, 2008

I was just wondering what would happen if you put silver based B/W film back into developer after fixing? Does anyone do this to achieve any particular results? I am also curious as to weather anyone has ever used any type of alcohol bath, or would this damage the film? I would try these things myself, but can not afford to just throw film away right now and just seeing if anyone has produced any interesting results by doing this.

Photo Engineer · Sep 7, 2008

Redeveloping fixed film does absolutely nothing except require washing and drying again.

Alcohol baths after washing have been used for years to rapidly dry film, but it is reserved for emergencies as the cost of the dry alcohol is rather steep in the long run compared with drying. Otherwise, there is no appreciable effect.

PE

DWThomas · Sep 7, 2008

Once the film has been fixed, there is nothing left for developer to operate on.

There are some processes that convert the silver image back to silver compounds/salts that can then be operated on by intensifiers or toners to alter the original results.

DaveT

gainer · Sep 7, 2008

IIRC, alcohol can be dried with anhydrous copper sulfate. Anhydrous copper sulfate can be prepared by heating copper sulfate until it turns white. Copper sulfate is obtainable from hardware stores as a root killer for septic drain fields. Copper sulfate is insoluble in alcohol. I'm sure you will correct me if I'm wrong.

Photo Engineer · Sep 7, 2008

Patrick, you are correct. It turns from blue to white during the process.

The problem is that the cycle alcohol dry, dry alcohol, dry copper sulfate, alcohol dry is expensive and time consuming. It is better to use for emergencies and just air dry the film. Otherwise it serves no purpose AFAIK.

PE

Larry Bullis · Sep 7, 2008

Photo Engineer said:
Alcohol baths after washing have been used for years to rapidly dry film, but it is reserved for emergencies as the cost of the dry alcohol is rather steep in the long run compared with drying. Otherwise, there is no appreciable effect.

PE

You can use alcohol acquired from the hardware store, which isn't quite dry. When it evaporates, the amount of water left in the emulsion is much less than it would be had you not done so. While it doesn't make the film dry quite as fast, it does cut the drying time quite a lot. I used to do this infrequently on short deadlines.

You could, of course, pour the alcohol back into a container and use it again, but it would gradually lose its effectiveness as its water content increased. I suppose you could use straight grain alcohol. After a number of uses it would become vodka? "killing two birds..."

Kino · Sep 7, 2008

bowzart said:
You can use alcohol acquired from the hardware store, which isn't quite dry. When it evaporates, the amount of water left in the emulsion is much less than it would be had you not done so. While it doesn't make the film dry quite as fast, it does cut the drying time quite a lot. I used to do this infrequently on short deadlines.

You could, of course, pour the alcohol back into a container and use it again, but it would gradually lose its effectiveness as its water content increased. I suppose you could use straight grain alcohol. After a number of uses it would become vodka? "killing two birds..."

No, Filmka!

natelfo · Sep 8, 2008

I appreciate the info. My intent isn't necessarily to expedite drying, I am just curious about effects of other "non-darkroom" substances on film. I get these weird ideas in my head like "i wonder if lighter fluid would cause large sized reticulation?" or "what would Clorox do to film?" But, like I said, I can't really afford to throw away a bunch of film by trying all these ideas, so I ask to see if someone else has done it, and perhaps even perfected a method of obtaining unusual and creative results with them.

Dennis S · Sep 8, 2008

Well I just poured the developer back in after stopping it and the effect is in the trash. (Got to make my labels clearer)

Philippe-Georges · Sep 8, 2008

When using pyrocat developer, one can put the film back in the used developer after the processing is finished, there will be some change in the staining.

I have done this once, just out of curiosity : Tri-X film processed in Rodinal (1+50) and put it, after final washing, in used Pyrocat-HD, the film came out as developed (stained) in Pyro but looked like a little 'intensified'...
I wonder if this can be done to 'save' slightly underdeveloped film?

Philippe

Dan Henderson · Sep 8, 2008

The instructions for DiXactol developer say to save the developer and pour it back into the film for 2 minutes after fixing to enhance the stain. This step is not necessary if an alkaline type fixer is used.

Pete H · Sep 8, 2008

Has anyone tried using the types of bleach used for toning prints? Potassium ferricyanide plus a halide. Then you could redevelop. I guess you'd need very dense negatives to start with.

nworth · Sep 8, 2008

Many intensifiers are based on the bleach-redevelop model. Chromium intensifier is one that comes to mind. You bleach the fixed film in dichromate and redevelop in something like Dektol. In fact, sepia toning a negative will intensify it a lot.

natelfo · Sep 9, 2008

If I wanted to try sepia toning a negative, is it something done during the development process, or can I just grab an existing negative and tone it? I would imagine I would have to pre-soak it first in water, then tone. Would I have to re-fix afterward?

Ian Grant · Sep 9, 2008

You can't direct sepia tone a negative in the initial development, go back to earlier posts in this thread. Soak ann existing processed neg for 5 mins in water, bleach wash & then tone. a re-Fix is optional.

Ian

natelfo · Sep 12, 2008

Thanks. I want to try sepia toning T-Max film. Can anyone suggest some good references for dilution and toning times?

Ian Grant · Sep 12, 2008

Just use the dilutions recommended for papers. Both the bleach and toning are to completion so the times aren't relevant.

Ian

Re-developing film?

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