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Test processing C-41 film in black and white chemistry?

Discussion in 'Color: Film, Paper, and Chemistry' started by B&Wpositive, May 10, 2011.

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  1. May 10, 2011 #1
    B&Wpositive

    B&Wpositive Member

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    I have a roll of old NPZ 800 that was part of a handful of old, freezer-stored film I got with a camera. The leader is retracted almost all the way into the cassette (which is in the wrong canister), and there is a small piece of tape on the leader. My guess is the photographer who owned the camera shot part of the roll. I contacted him and asked, but he did not remember, and did not seem concerned about what might be on the roll. So I was going to do a clip test to see if it was partially used. I was wondering if I can use black and white developer and fixer for this.
     
  2. May 10, 2011 #2
    Athiril

    Athiril Subscriber

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    You could.. or you could just process it in C-41 and get all the pictures (if any) on the roll?

    B&W fixer needs to be stronger than normal with excessive times to clear C-41 film I've found.
     
  3. May 11, 2011 #3
    jm94

    jm94 Member

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    I experimented with ilford microphen and firstcall NE print developer for developing C41, and you will end up with very "thin" B/W pictures, with an orange mask. (B/W chemicals dont activate the C41 dyes, and C41 films use dyes for the final image (the silver being removed in the bleach step) As for fixing, using rollei neutral fix i did it in about 5 minutes at 20C. Enlarging them can be a pain in the backside, requiring very long exposures to get something half decent. If you attempted to print them on panchromatic paper, i have no idea how easy they would be to print. Maybe push or pull processing might help you a bit, and if they have been over exposed by a little, you might be a bit better off. I would advise going to the nearest lab and asking for dev. (negatives) only, they usually charge either nothing or peanuts for it. Or developing it in the proper chemicals. If you are just testing one before C41 processing the rest, develop them in print developer, which is stronger. dev. for about 2 minutes at 1 + 9, then stop and fix in the usual manner. I love the short development times of print developer.
     
  4. May 11, 2011 #4
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    B&Wpositive

    B&Wpositive Member

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    I was thinking of simply cutting off part and respooling, and bringing it to Costco (I don't do color developing). THey won't charge if nothing comes out.
    But, who knows what might be on that film. I don't want to take the risk--what if it's something not so great? That's why it'd be better to do it myself. I don't care about the photos (if there are any). Just want to see if it was used or not. I may toss it, but what would be the fun in that?
     
  5. May 14, 2011 #5
    cs_foto

    cs_foto Member

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    I'll just shoot it and then see what comes... if it wasn't exposed you get your shots. if it was, you get some kind of double exposed neg that might (or might not) give you some stuff to play with...

    at the end you said you wanted some fun no?

    :D
     
  6. May 14, 2011 #6
    hpulley

    hpulley Member

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    Develop C-41 yourself. It's so easy, I have no idea why the mystique ever 'developer' (har har) about color being hard to do.

    Color film in B&W developer is only OK for ancient rolls which have no chance of working dye couplers. With recent film, process it in color!
     
  7. May 14, 2011 #7
    ArtTwisted

    ArtTwisted Member

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    just pay the 8 bucks or less and have the roll processed. no lab should charge more then 2 - 3 bucks for a blank roll so not much risk.
     
  8. May 15, 2011 #8
    analogital

    analogital Member

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    I thought, C-41 films in BW-chemistry would give BW-Photos also. But there would be a yellow-orange tone...