xp2 developing

canongary · Oct 2, 2019

i was dropping off a roll of film at my local walgreens store and the envelope you fill out says " for color c-41 process only"
i went on to question the clerk who is there all the time this question , would it make any difference giving you a roll of black and white film that is processed c-41. he looked at me with a blank stare,read the envelope and said no, you cant develope black and white in a color process.
so before i give them the rolls i have , i have to ask has anyone ever experienced this conversation before?
should i just send it out to a regular photo lab?

thanks -- gary

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 2, 2019

XP-2 is black and white film designed to be processed in color chemistry, unlike traditional black and white film. You can send it to a regular lab or Walgreens, if that’s where you go. That was the idea behind it, so that people could shoot b&w, but have it processed at their local drug store.

pentaxuser · Oct 2, 2019

Ask to see the manager and point out that this is C41 film designed to be processed in C41 chemistry just like colour negative film. Frankly if the clerk is saying things like this he may have lost Walgreen's a lot of business. If the manager backs him up I'd be wary if any of them there know enough or care enough about film processing to trust my film with them

pentaxuser

canongary · Oct 2, 2019

it's funny that he is the only person there and he knows me.i guess nobody but nobody gets any black and white developed there.he does not appear to be a jerk clerk but i guess i thru him a curve ball. just wanted to make sure i wasn't going to ruin their chemistry or my negatives.thanks for your input.

gary

pentaxuser · Oct 2, 2019

I wonder what kind of induction he got to his job and from whom?It was woefully inadequate. Unfortunately most people have an instinct to fill a vacuum even when this involves making statements that are wrong because they "wing it". I never cease to wonder why saying "Frankly, I am sorry, I don't know the answer but I'll find out" is seen as the worse statement in the world.

pentaxuser

canongary · Oct 2, 2019

you know i have been in the truck repair business for over 40 years now.way back then you had to learn what everything was and understand basic function of the vehicle.today i work for a huge truck dealer and everything is on the computer,i work in the parts end of it now and when they hire a newbie ,they just throw him or her on the front counter to deal with all the people.90% dont have a clue but there is a magic button they all now how to use.SEARCH BUTTON,makes it easy for them.let an older truck come in and they are lost.they dont know how to handle it.they'll ask me if i am around or just tell a customer they dont have the part.seems like no-one knows how to use the matter between their ears anymore.
so i can definitely see your point. information is king still today.
sorry to be so long winded!
gary

MattKing · Oct 2, 2019

I would have taken it as an opportunity to help the young clerk learn about a type of film that he probably had never encountered before.
The Chromogenic black and white films are specialist products designed to work in the amateur marketplace. There is no reason to expect that a young Walgreens clerk would have been informed or trained about them. He should have been trained though about who or where he could ask.
By the way, Walgreens' contract provider for developing and printing the films may, or may not, do a decent job printing from those negatives. Without the built in colour mask, those negatives will fool automatic printers that are not adjusted for them.

canongary · Oct 2, 2019

matt,
would you suggest that i take it to a regular lab then. i dont make any bones about it , if i was a 100% sure i would have never asked the clerk the question,but i claim not to be someone who can school the person as i have been away from film for so long.i am a person who sits back , listens and try to learn from people like you guys on this site that have a lot more knowledge than me.just the way i am .
no harm no foul in my book
gary

cowanw · Oct 2, 2019

To be more precise XP-2 is a colour film, a single layer panchromatic colour film.
XP- 2 is a chromogenic film. This means that the dyes which make up the image are formed during development rather than being present in the film or added later. Colour negative chromogenic films can be considered to have three layers, usually present sensitive to red, green, and blue colored light.
The processing is the same.
XP-2 has a base tint which would if printed on colour paper result in a coloured image. When printed this will be need an adjustment to be dialled in to neutralize the print. or create sepia or platinum or cyanotype colour prints.
Printed on Black and White paper obviously results in a monochrome image typical for that paper.
The most common chromogenic processes are C-41 for color (and chromogenic black and white) negative film, RA-4 for color negative paper , and E-6 or slides.
The film can absolutely be run in Walgreens.

Sirius Glass · Oct 2, 2019

The next question before you have to ask before you drop off film at Walgreens is "Will I get the film negatives back or only scan files?" If you do not get the negatives back, take the film elsewhere to be developed.

canongary · Oct 2, 2019

ok.no you will not get negatives back.only prints and a disc.
cowanw_- regarding your comment to printing on paper for color prints ,wont the prints have a color cast to them being the automatic printers they have being set up for c-41 color film only as stated on the original post ( envelope )

Frank53 · Oct 2, 2019

If you don’t mind not getting the negatives back, why not just put it in the c41 enveloppe and drop it off. Thats what I do with xp2. Nobody in the lab has any idea which film is which and nobody will ask any questions. And beside that, the cassette says c41.
Regards,
Frank

canongary · Oct 2, 2019

it's gonna cost me 20.00 bucks to have it processed at walgreens.i am going to check for a lab and check their prices out.it is almost the same we'll see about getting my negatives back
thanks again everybody for your input
gary

MattKing · Oct 2, 2019

canongary said:
matt,
would you suggest that i take it to a regular lab then. i dont make any bones about it , if i was a 100% sure i would have never asked the clerk the question,but i claim not to be someone who can school the person as i have been away from film for so long.i am a person who sits back , listens and try to learn from people like you guys on this site that have a lot more knowledge than me.just the way i am .
no harm no foul in my book
gary

If Walgreens doesn't return negatives, you don't want to use them.
The negatives are the most important result.
But as for what you should have said to the clerk, I understood from your original post that you understood about the film, but were concerned that Walgreens might not, and therefore might not handle it properly. If you were unsure as well, then it certainly is best that you didn't try to explain it!

koraks · Oct 3, 2019

MattKing said:
If Walgreens doesn't return negatives, you don't want to use them.

Period. What's the use of a lab that doesn't return your film? What's the sense of shooting film if you end up with only digital files?

Raghu Kuvempunagar · Oct 3, 2019

You might find it easier and rewarding to develop XP2 using a B&W developer at home yourself than to give it to a lab that doesn't return the negatives. Though designed for C41 process, XP2 gives excellent negatives when developed like a normal B&W film.

canongary · Oct 3, 2019

I am getting close to just going out and getting a tank and chemicals. But the end result will be not being able to see the finished product if I do it myself.right now I think I'll source them out to a lab to get my negatives back.it will work out eventually.

canongary · Oct 3, 2019

By the way.i did my own developing and printing back in my teens.i will eventually get back into it.

John51 · Oct 3, 2019

canongary said:
I am getting close to just going out and getting a tank and chemicals. But the end result will be not being able to see the finished product if I do it myself.right now I think I'll source them out to a lab to get my negatives back.it will work out eventually.

The cheapo 35mm scanners are good enough for images to post on the net. People buy them to digitise their family negs and then sell them on so bargains can be had.

If you are an infrequent film user like me, Kodak HC-110 will work out the cheapest in the long run as it lasts forever. It can soup 150+ rolls per litre.

foc · Oct 3, 2019

All C41 colour films have the process designation marked on the film cassette, including chromogenic B&W films.

jtk · Oct 3, 2019

koraks said:
Period. What's the use of a lab that doesn't return your film? What's the sense of shooting film if you end up with only digital files?

Yes. And XP2 is a goofy product/concept.

cowanw · Oct 3, 2019

canongary said:
ok.no you will not get negatives back.only prints and a disc.
cowanw_- regarding your comment to printing on paper for color prints ,wont the prints have a color cast to them being the automatic printers they have being set up for c-41 color film only as stated on the original post ( envelope )

Absolutely but my experience locally up here in Canada is that even automatic processors have a human to tweek the colour balance. Usually you are offered B+W or Sepia.

MattKing · Oct 3, 2019

jtk said:
Yes. And XP2 is a goofy product/concept.

XP2 prints well in a traditional darkroom, scans extremely well, and opens up the opportunity to make use of local development resources when a proper black and white lab isn't easily accessed.

foc · Oct 3, 2019

cowanw said:
Absolutely but my experience locally up here in Canada is that even automatic processors have a human to tweek the colour balance. Usually you are offered B+W or Sepia.

It depends on the printer scanner the lab use for chromogenic B&W films. If it is a Frontier or Pakon, the operator just selects B&W negative and it will print like "desaturated in Photo Shop". If the neg is fed in just like a colour neg then you will get tinted prints. XP2 because of it's clear base is usually regected by the scanner set in colour auto (Kodak CN400BW because it had the orange mask acted differently in scanners).

As was mentioned by the OP, the lab clerk just followed his instruction from head office. It is probably fear of litigation if they mess up a traditional type B&W film by processing it in C41 so it is just simpler to have a blanket NO to all B&W films. Chromogenic B&W film probably account for a tiny portion of the films they receive. (just my guess).

One of the first rules in my minilab for a new employee is to read the film cassette. I keep a selection of empty ones, XP2, Kodak CN400BW, Fuji 400CN as well as tradtional B&W cassettes and transparency films and of course C41. We have a guessing game and only after they are correct a few times, then they can start to learn C41 processing.

One last point (I don't want to hog this thread) but the biggest problem I have with teaching a new person (usually a young person) C41 processing is getting them to understand the concept that film is light sensative.The idea appears alien to them at first.

pentaxuser · Oct 3, 2019

In#21 the cat has landed amongst the pigeons. Matt. I am not convinced that the pigeons should fight back. The cat may not be hungry and really require genuine feeding. His hunger may be for the sport of the fight only

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