Kodak B&W Reversal processing formulae

[Ian Grant]

Kodak D168
B&W Reversal First Developer

Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 90g
Hydroquinone 8g
Sodium Carbonate (anhyd) 44.5g
Potassium Thiocyanate 2g
Water to 1 litre

Kodak D67
(Kodak D19 + Thiocyanate)
B&W Reversal First Developer
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 90g
Hydroquinone 8g
Sodium Carbonate (anhyd) 45g
Potassium Thiocyanate 2g
Potassium Bromide 5g
Water to 1 litre


Kodak R21a Bleach Bath

Water 750ml
Potassium Dichromate 50g
Sulphuric acid (conc) 50ml
Water to 1 litre

Use 1:9

ADD THE SULPHURIC ACID TO THE 750ml SLOWLY, DROP BY DROP.

Kodak R21b Clearing Bath

Sodium Sulphite 50g
Sodium Hydroxide 1g
Water to 1 litre


2nd Developer
Kodak D158

Metol 3.2g
Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 50g
Hydroquinone 13.3g
Sodium Carbonate (anhyd) 69g
Potassium Bromide 0.9g
Water to 1 litre

Use 1:1

2nd Developer
Kodak D8

Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 90g
Hydroquinone 45g
Sodium Hydroxide 37.5g
Potassium Bromide 30g
Water to 1 litre

Use Full Strength


REVERSAL PROCESSING

First Developer

D168 - Use Undiluted or 1:1 - 5-10 minutes at 20°C
Recommended for all Kodak continuous tone films.

Or D67 (D19 + Thiocyanate) - Use Undiluted -6 minutes at 20°C
Suitable for Panatomic-X

Wash 5 mins

Bleach R21a 3-5 mins

Wash 2 mins

Clear R21b 2 mins

Wash 30 seconds

Re-expose - 2½ mins, light source not specified, but 500w bulb at 1½ metres would be normal.

Second Developer
D158 1+1 2-5 mins at 20°C
or D8 FS 4 mins at 20°C

Wash 30 secs

Fix in normal acid hardening fixer.

Wash 15-30 minutes

While no specific time is listed for D168 6 minutes, undiluted at 20°C would be a good staring point. The formulae for D168 and D67 (D19 with Thiocyanate) are very similar. D19 is available commercially and can be adapted to make D67.

[dr5chrome]

This formula will produce less than satisfactory positives.

I wish I could enlighten.

There will be published reversal tips in the upcoming new edition of the Darkroom Cookbook / Anchel

[Ian Grant]

Your logic amazes me. These are well tried and tested Kodak Formulae, the fact that you might not be able to get good results using them is another issue entirely.

The first developer is fairly standard for use with B&W Reversal of stills and Cine film, as are the bleach and clearing bath.

So lets look forward to any revelations or insights there may be in the new Anchell book.

One thing you seem to forget is that B&W reversal processing has been around a long time, plenty of very good reliable information is available from a very wide variety of sources. There are still labs around capable of extremely high quality B&W reversal processing of Cine film, and in the past there were an awful lot more. Some of these labs would typically have been processing as much film per day as you probably process in a month or even possibly year. So what makes you think you or your dr5 process is any better than others.

[AutumnJazz]

Ian, I can't wait for the rest of your found formulas. (Yes, I remember your post.)

[Photo Engineer]

I have to agree with Ian. This process has given results that have even been used in Hollywood production, albeit years ago.

PE

[Ian Grant]

AutumnJazz, I'm slowly going through what I have with me, soon I'll post a number of alternative first developers some with and some without silver solvents (thiosulphate/thiocyanate), along with alternative bleaches (that's alternatives to permanganate/bichromate).

For instance one first developer system is rather like using Dr Beers Variable Contrast print developer, the balance of Hydroquinone/metol is varied to increase or decrease the contrast of the final positive.

Plus a variety of Second developers & alternatives to enable users to produce a whole range of different tones and colours in the final positives. This will enable skilled users to have far more control over their output than could ever be possible using a commercial laboratory.

Also ways to improve or modify commercially processed positives. Before dr5 takes offence at that I'm talking about how to improve under or over exposed positives or change image tone & colour on Black & White home processed, Scala, dr5 or any other commercial B&W positives.

Ian