Reversal processing black and white film

[Wilwahabri]

I am trying to make black and white transparencies - Ilford document the process, Kodak used to make a chemical kit but no longer supply.

I need to purchase the following chemicals:-

Sodium Thiosulphate
Potassium Permagnate
Sulphuric Acid
Sodium or Potassium Metabisulphate

These are required in small quantities

Anybody know where I can get these items in Sigapore?

Anybody tried this before and have any advice?

This would be a similar process to that formerly used to process Agfa Scala.

Working in 120 for Formora R is not a solution.

Thanks

Bill

 

[Achim Reh]

I used Agfa Scala before, long time ago. Even then, I remember , developing , or lets put " finding the correct chemicals" was an extremely painful process.
Not sure if there is anything around now, but let me ask some of my old buddies

 

[kgston]

I've done it before.. check out my old thread for more details:http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/traditional-darkroom/743723-bw-slide-developement-using-ilford-method.html

The chemicals you need can be bought in the following form:
Sodium Thiosulphate: From the gardening or hydroponics supply shops as a type of fertilizer.
Potassium Permagnate: From unity pharmacy, for washing wounds (get the crystal type not the solution form)
Sulphuric Acid: You need to pour this out from a lead-acid battery and filter the lead particles out. Alternatively, dry acid/soduim bisulfate is a alternative, it is used to lower pH in swimming pools. wootsk has some, I believe..
Sodium or Potassium Metabisulphate: Get this from a local beer brewing supply shop. There are only 2 shops in Singapore.. check google

So far the only people I know doing this is me and wootsk.. haha.. but personally.. it is a very tedious and time consuming process. You will face many many setbacks... I have seen the silver emulsion drip off the film base and weird spots forming on the film.. you'll need a heart of stone and a will of steel to do this We'll be happy to give you advise should you need any.

 

[raytoei]

brudders,

if you can lower your expectations to only tmax 400, then here is the solution:

Photographers' Formulary Inc.

or even from here:

Formulary TMAX Reversal Process Kit .75 Liter Develops 4 Rolls of Film | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

a bit ex to self-develop for only 4 rolls but worthy of a try, don't you think ?

i bought my tanning developer prescysol ef from them with no issues.

one thing interesting about photoformulary is that you can buy raw chemicals from them.

raytoei

 

[kgston]

brudders,

if you can lower your expectations to only tmax 400, then here is the solution:

Photographers' Formulary Inc.

or even from here:

Formulary TMAX Reversal Process Kit .75 Liter Develops 4 Rolls of Film | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

a bit ex to self-develop for only 4 rolls but worthy of a try, don't you think ?

i bought my tanning developer prescysol ef from them with no issues.

one thing interesting about photoformulary is that you can buy raw chemicals from them.

raytoei

Great link! I didn't know they made a kit out of it.. I was hoping it was a kit with a re-exposing second developer.. but sadly when I read through the instructions, it still required manual re-exposure to light.. which is an issue.. The re-exposure will cause lots of dust to stick to the wet emulsion and heat up the emulsion from the initial 20 deg C.. which may cause the emulsion to weaken considerably.. but still it is a great kit to start off with..

 

[Achim Reh]

What I could find out , the last commercially available B&W Reversal developer kit is this here from foma

Foma S/W Diakit für 8 Filme

 

[raytoei]

---from the pdf:

USING THE REVERSAL PROCESS
Summary of Steps:
IN THE DARKROOM - DO NOT USE STAINLESS STEEL REELS
1- FIRST DEVELOPER - undiluted, 500 ml, 10 minutes 68° F.
Agitate each minute.

2- Water rinse at room temperature for one minute.

3- Permanganate Bleach: Mix one part solution A to one part solution B.

Bleach for 5 minutes using freshly mixed
solution for each roll of film.

REMAINING STEPS DONE IN ROOM LIGHT -

4- Rinse in water for two minutes.

5- Metabisulfite Clearing Bath for 3 minutes with at least 15 seconds of
agitation per minute.

6- Rinse in Forma-Flo solution for one minute with agitation, then rinse in
water for 5 minutes.

7- Re-expose each side of the film for one minute, using a 150-watt light
bulb at a distance of one foot. Be careful not to splash water on the hot
bulb.

8- Second Developer diluted 1:2 for 3 minutes, 68° F.
Have dry reels ready for this step.

9- A short water rinse or acetic acid stop bath.

10 Fix, final wash, wetting agent, and dry as usual.
First Developer and Second Developer are both one-shot. Use in a daylightdeveloping tank. Do not use less than 500 ml per tank. There will be an excess of
the second developer left after the kit is used up.
You can fix in any black/white acid fix, but it should be a hardening fixer since the
slide will be subjected to rough handling. (4 minutes in Rapid Fix with hardener).
The above steps and times are only a starting point. Each individual must work out
his own times, temperatures, and agitation as to his method of doing dark room
work.
------------- end

 

[wootsk]

Reminder that if you are developing it, prepare to waste some film in understanding the chemical reaction to your film type and accurate knowledge of the chemical and film you are developing (When I mean accurate, I mean stuff like what happens when adding metol to developer with own eye. Alum hardener and how they works base on working with them) and not just some copy and paste knowledge from wiki, youtube or some other WWW source. It will help in stuff like troubleshooting softening of emulsion and correct developing timing. (Unless you are planning to use only the film with timing tested in the guidebook)

Anyway, some of the chemical, I got them in KG and still stored like white elephant. (I don't need that much for 1L, but some seller are only willing to be let go in KG.) If you do need them, PM me and what you are thinking of trying and I see if I can offer some help as well as selling you the chemical. I still newbie, so we can learn together.

 

[Wilwahabri]

Thank wootsk, you seem to be interested in a lot of the things that interest me!

That aside, I intend only to use FP4 prefereably in 120 size, but may start out on 35mm as the processing is a little easier in my 35mm tank I have PQ universal developer, Hypam fixer and pot permag already. I have a source for the Metabisulphate, I need to source the Thiosulphate and sulphuric acid.

If using fertiliser for thiosulphate, how to establish the correct strength / density? the Ilford info says x grams of 100% pure I take it the fertiliser is mixed with something else? Does that have any effect on the process?

 

[wootsk]

Thank wootsk, you seem to be interested in a lot of the things that interest me!

That aside, I intend only to use FP4 prefereably in 120 size, but may start out on 35mm as the processing is a little easier in my 35mm tank I have PQ universal developer, Hypam fixer and pot permag already. I have a source for the Metabisulphate, I need to source the Thiosulphate and sulphuric acid.

If using fertiliser for thiosulphate, how to establish the correct strength / density? the Ilford info says x grams of 100% pure I take it the fertiliser is mixed with something else? Does that have any effect on the process?

1 thing to note is that the bigger the difference between solid chemical to water ratio, the more accurate the chemical need to be. An example is to compare a 1L solution mixed from 50g and another from 2g, the 50g solution can have more allowance of 49 to 51 as compare to the 2g solution which can have only allowance from 1.8 to 2.2. I have a fine scale up till 0.5gram accuracy with a small beaker for such measurement. After measuring, i pour small amount of water to be mix into beaker and out to main container and repeat 3-4 time to ensure accurate transfer of chemical.

 

[kgston]

If using fertiliser for thiosulphate, how to establish the correct strength / density? the Ilford info says x grams of 100% pure I take it the fertiliser is mixed with something else? Does that have any effect on the process?

Fertilizer grade thiosulphate is 97% pure..don't get those that are mixed with other chemicals

 

[dr5chrome]

dr5.com

I am trying to make black and white transparencies - Ilford document the process, Kodak used to make a chemical kit but no longer supply.

I need to purchase the following chemicals:-

Sodium Thiosulphate
Potassium Permagnate
Sulphuric Acid
Sodium or Potassium Metabisulphate

These are required in small quantities

Anybody know where I can get these items in Sigapore?

Anybody tried this before and have any advice?

This would be a similar process to that formerly used to process Agfa Scala.

Working in 120 for Formora R is not a solution.

Thanks

Bill