Reversal Process Questions

emoeykensarballo · Oct 9, 2015

Hello, I am trying to do a reversal process with Ilford HP5 film. Can anyone recommend any processes and/or formulas we can mix ourselves?

Also, does anyone have any experience with prepackaged kits? What was your experience or do you have any reviews?

Thanks

Gerald C Koch · Oct 9, 2015

Yes, follow the directions on the Ilford website explicitly. From posts on APUG the people who run into trouble vary from Ilford's directions and formulas.

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/page.asp?n=90

mr.datsun · Oct 9, 2015

Gerald C Koch said:
Yes, follow the directions on the Ilford website explicitly. From posts on APUG the people who run into trouble vary from Ilford's directions and formulas.

They do not have directions for HP5 Plus in the reversal application sheet

They say:

'We do not recommend reversal processing HP5 Plus',

due to lack of contrast in that film. The Ilford sheet makes it very clear. The contrast is determined by the film stock, not the process.

Having done reversal process on Tri-X, I feel that I can say to emoeykensarballo - do not expect fantastic results, unless flatness is to your preference – because I think the same will apply to HP5 Plus.

At the very least you are going to lose 1 to 2 stops in film speed. In which case you might just as well start off using Pan F or FP4.

There are three Reversal kits. The Foma kit in north Europe, a kit in Italy and a privately distributed kit in the USA. I have posted about the latter two kits recently but have only used the Foma. I found myself substituting higher contrast developers like Dokumol, HC110 and D19 when I used the Foma kit.

Gerald C Koch · Oct 9, 2015

We [Ilford] do not recommend reversal processing HP5 Plus'

Yes, as I said follow Ilford's directions.

Carrying things a bit further, a fast film is not a good choice for slides due to the amount of magnification in showing slides.

snikulin · Oct 9, 2015

mr.datsun said:
There are three Reversal kits. The Foma kit in north Europe, a kit in Italy and a privately distributed kit in the USA.

Do you know about this kit?

http://stores.photoformulary.com/reversal-developer-for-t-max/

destroya · Oct 9, 2015

a few posts down shows the process I have used many times that works real well. Its best with traditional grained films

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

mr.datsun · Oct 10, 2015

snikulin said:
Do you know about this kit?

http://stores.photoformulary.com/reversal-developer-for-t-max/

Never tried it, but do not use TMax.

Tom Taylor · Oct 10, 2015

I successfully processed B&W slides from 100TMax for the first time last week following the directions and formulas given in The Darkroom Cookbook, 3d edition. See this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Thomas

avortex · Oct 10, 2015

For ILFORD HP5, you can use D19 as your first developer. 12' @20ºC.
Very good contrast. Ilford are almost the only ones saying that this stock doesn't perform well in reversal.

A final bath in selenium toner can be beneficial to boost contrast up a little bit.

Alessandro, I'm now looking to add a final toner to my slides. How do you apply it? How about colour changes? Because it could be interesting also to give a colder tone to warmer films like Silvermax.

avortex · Oct 10, 2015

Really beautiful examples. I use to get cold tones with D11 much better than with D19, but in the end, it's the Adox Silvermax the one that is giving me trouble. And Eukobrom or Tetenal doesn't work without halide solvent with many emulsions.
My goal is to standarize a process without the use of commercial solutions and without halide solvent.
Dithionite works well, but I still find the light reversal superior. Perhaps it's just my case, as many people here love the results with Iron Out.

With Silvermax, I've found recently that D11 straight for 20' @23ºC and constant agitation works great. Followed by 15' of Dr5 clearing bath. It has excellent contrast and clear highlights, but there's still a bit of warmness that perhaps a final toner could fix.

mr.datsun · Oct 11, 2015

Alessandro Serrao said:
This example is Tmax 100 in Eukobrom Dead Link Removed

This one is Efke 50 in D-19 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3377256160_0e9f617920_o.jpg

Alessandro, your results look fantastic.

mr.datsun · Oct 11, 2015

avortex said:
Really beautiful examples. I use to get cold tones with D11 much better than with D19, but in the end, it's the Adox Silvermax the one that is giving me trouble. And Eukobrom or Tetenal doesn't work without halide solvent with many emulsions.
My goal is to standarize a process without the use of commercial solutions and without halide solvent.
Dithionite works well, but I still find the light reversal superior. Perhaps it's just my case, as many people here love the results with Iron Out.

With Silvermax, I've found recently that D11 straight for 20' @23ºC and constant agitation works great. Followed by 15' of Dr5 clearing bath. It has excellent contrast and clear highlights, but there's still a bit of warmness that perhaps a final toner could fix.

Avortex. You have access to the proprietary Dr5 chemistry? Please tell us more.

And would you mind showing us your HP5 plus results, please?

avortex · Oct 11, 2015

Avortex. You have access to the proprietary Dr5 chemistry? Please tell us more.

No! That would be a dream!
I just have the recipes for the bleach and clarifier from them, as published at "The Darkroom Cookbook".

DW BLEACH for 1 liter

Potassium Dichromate 6grs.
Sulfuric acid 12ml

DW CLEARING BATH for 1 liter

Sodium Sulfite 30g
Sodium Metabisulfite 10g
Boric acid 1g
Citric acid 3g

And would you mind showing us your HP5 plus results, please?

No problem. Here's my test slide from 2 years ago. Sorry for the big grain, but the scanner magnifies it:

As you can see, contrast is really hard. Even a bit extension of the first developer time would help to reduce it a bit.

mr.datsun · Oct 11, 2015

avortex said:
No! That would be a dream!
I just have the recipes for the bleach and clarifier from them, as published at "The Darkroom Cookbook".

DW BLEACH for 1 liter

Potassium Dichromate 6grs.
Sulfuric acid 12ml

DW CLEARING BATH for 1 liter

Sodium Sulfite 30g
Sodium Metabisulfite 10g
Boric acid 1g
Citric acid 3g

No problem. Here's my test slide from 2 years ago. Sorry for the big grain, but the scanner magnifies it:

As you can see, contrast is really hard. Even a bit extension of the first developer time would help to reduce it a bit.

I got excited for a minute! But thanks for telling is what you are using. I don't remember seeing Boric acid and Citric acid mentioned in Clearing baths before.

I'm very impressed with the HP5 Plus. Never would have thought it possible. This is all down to the D11? Makes me want to go back and attempt Tri-X Reversal Super 8 again. Maybe one day.

mrred · Oct 11, 2015

I'll second that. HP5 works well, just leave out the solvent. I consider it a film that works well naturally.

davedm · Oct 12, 2015

If you use ilford's method, halve the amount of KMnO4. Whatever method you follow, read ilford's and Jens Osbahr's Pdf. Also see Peter's and Mr. Serraro's work on reversal.

Dead Link Removed

I follow this method with FP4+ with very good results. I will shortly try this with HP5+ and PAN F+.

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