Re: Eclair Cameras: film processing b&w reversal

[Mark <super16acl@aol.com>]

Eric

Last I knew, a first developer was still used for B&W reversal. I don't think 
B&W has really changed in the last 50 years, except that the small home B&W 
Reversal Kits for still photography are now called "T-MAX REVERSAL DEVELOPING 
KIT" rather than the old name "DIRECT POSITIVE FILM DEVELOPING KIT."  Certainly 
the B&W 16mm films have not been reformulated since the late 1950s, so what 
worked when I used to do my own processing in the 70s should still be valid 
today.

The 1st Developer is essentially D-19 with a pinch of Sodium Thiocyanate to 
help reduce grain size. With this additive, I think Kodak dubs it D-67. (this 
is from memory, so double check me). If you wanted slightly larger grain, you 
could try straight D-19.

And yes, there is probably no one left at Kodak that knows anything about B&
W. Sad but true. Kodak used to publish little bookets on B&W reversal 
processing for motion picture film, which they'd send out for free. It even contained 
the formulas for creating the baths from raw chemicals. 

Now perhaps Kodak has modified the process in some way; maybe to make it more 
environmentally friendly, but the old process as I recall:

(Prehardener recommened)
1st Developer D-67 (or straight D-19 might work fine for your taste)
Wash
Bleach R-9  (a mix of Potassium Dichromate and Sodium Bisulfate)
Clearing Bath  (Sodium Sufite)  ---- Don't leave film in this bath any longer 
than called for! It will eat silver.
Wash
EITHER:    a) Fogging Redeveloper   or:

               b) Reversal Exposure
                   Second Developer: D-19
Stop Bath (regular acetic acid stop bath)
Fix (standard B&W fixer is ok)
Wash
Hypo Clear for archival
Wash
Dry

The important thing is 100% consistency in processor speed, chemistry 
temperature, and mixing of chemicals. Reversal processing is not nearly as forgiving 
as negative.  Hope this helps. Regards, Mark. PS - I hope you are using a 
continous processor and not one of those 100' processing tanks. I never had good 
results with those things, though some people have told me that they got 
perfectly ok film from them.  GOOD LUCK.

--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: elroro@propagandaindustries.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84xYK.bdbHPA.ZWxyb3Jv
Or send an email to: EclairACL-unsubscribe@topica.com

TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html
--^----------------------------------------------------------------