"Tin Types" from color slides...

[Robert Kennedy]

I've been trying to work with tin types for a while now. The biggest problems I have had are related to getting good 4x5 holders, emulsion problems, etc.

Now, I've realized that most of these could be solved if I could make the tin types in the darkroom. More control that way.

Of course this is counter to the way tin types were realized and work....

EXCEPT, I started to think....

If I had a color positive, and threw it in the enlarger, and projected it onto a prepared plate, it should, in theory work the same as if I shot the scene in my camera. Right? The emulsion will still react the same, and I will get a negative image and not a positive. Which is what I need anyway. Plus I could then fiddle with the time, etc. to get the ideal exposure since you need to UNDER expose tin types.

Is this a good plan or am I missing something REALLY obvious here?

 

[phfitz]

Hi there,

I think tin-types work at the U.V. end of the scale so your time may be a lot longer than the meter reading with an enlarger. Have fun with it.

 

[Kerik]

Are you making real collodion tintypes, or are you using the Rockland product?

 

[Joe Lipka]

When projecting color images on black and white material, you might run into problems where the color of the transparancy is the same color as a safelight. The black and white emulsion would not respond to that color.

 

[htmlguru4242]

When projecting color images on black and white material, you might run into problems where the color of the transparancy is the same color as a safelight. The black and white emulsion would not respond to that color.

Yes, this is true, but a similar thing would happen if you exposed the neagative to a scene with these colors in it. Exposing these under the enlarger will certainly take a while, due to low light levels and low to nonexistent UV light levels in the already dim light...

 

[Robert Kennedy]

First off, I am using the Rockland product. Secondly, even collodion tintypes were sensitive to visible light IIRC. It is a simple silver process.

And yes, any colors the emulsion isn't sensitive to would be black, just like in real life if I used the same thing in camera.

So I can't see a problem...Again, am I missing something here?

 

[Calamity Jane]

I've used Rockland's AgPlus under the enlarger recently (B&W). On my Dichro 45, I'm using about f8 @ 30 Seconds to print a B&W negative. I expect colour would be about the same.

[Have you actually got Rockland's "tintype developer" that WORKS ?????????

Out of 6 batches of developer over the past year, I have only had 2 that were any good Despite MANY correspondances with Rockland, they seem unable to turn out a reliable product - and from others I have discussed this with, it has been the same poor situation for 30 years. I have given up on their developer though I am still having fun with AgPlus! I just can't afford to throw away that much time and money . . . ]

 

[TracyStorer]

Color slide vs live image in camera should be the same except for the color of the light source. I had some success with the Rockland TIntype kit around ten years ago and found higher speed with daylight than tungsten. (not a surprise, it's ortho, not pan) Slow speeds in the darkroom aren't the problem they are with live subjects though.
I tried a batch of it a year or so ago, and had a bad batch of developer. When I used it originally, Rockland shipped a packet of powder that you added to Dektol to make the "tintype" developer. I have always wanted to know what that "Tintype developer additive" was. It worked beautifully. (in 1994)

 

[joshverd]

Calamity Jane,
What are you using for "tintype"(rockland) developer now? It has to be a reversal developer, correct? Any recipes?