Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Monochrome Work > Monochrome Film

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 17th March 2021, 12:48 AM
Coastman Coastman is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Essex coast
Posts: 74
Default XP2 developing

Hi
I have found an out of date roll of 35mm XP2 super that I had forgotten about, and being a fan of its smooth look I am keen to us it up sometime soon but only have B &W chemicals, and as Speedibrews Celer Stella developer that developed just about anything seems to have vanished of the face of the Earth ,can anyone recommend a B&W developer to try out on this film instead of the C41 process ?
Thanks
TG
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 17th March 2021, 07:09 AM
GoodOldNorm's Avatar
GoodOldNorm GoodOldNorm is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Posts: 1,227
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coastman View Post
Hi
I have found an out of date roll of 35mm XP2 super that I had forgotten about, and being a fan of its smooth look I am keen to us it up sometime soon but only have B &W chemicals, and as Speedibrews Celer Stella developer that developed just about anything seems to have vanished of the face of the Earth ,can anyone recommend a B&W developer to try out on this film instead of the C41 process ?
Thanks
TG
I would post it to AG Photographic and have it proccessed.
__________________
"Tea is surely the king of all drinks. It helps against the cold, it helps against the heat,against discomfort and sickness, against weariness and weakness". Heinrich Harrer.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 17th March 2021, 08:57 AM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,663
Default

There was a thread on the Photrio forum about developing this film in Kodak HC110, using various film speeds. It was quite an extensive thread, and I think was simply titled ‘XP2 in HC110’. The author appeared to be getting good results. I tried it, but wasn’t happy with my results. The negatives were quite thin. That could, however, have been down to poor exposure by me, or the use of conventional B&W filters such as yellow, green and orange. I’ve never seen any guidance about that, but looking back, I think this film perhaps doesn’t work well with B&W filtration. Under exposure is best avoided as the shadow detail disappears. When the film was first released, I am sure that Ilford stated that it could be processed in C41, or B&W chemicals, but I don’t recall if they identified a suitable developer from their own range.
Alex.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 17th March 2021, 09:00 AM
photomi7ch's Avatar
photomi7ch photomi7ch is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: East Midlands
Posts: 2,516
Default

I have developed a number of rolls of XP2s in black and white chemicals. It is straight forward.

You can read how I got on with this blog post
__________________
Mitch

http://photomi7ch.blogspot.com/

If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 17th March 2021, 10:04 AM
Michael Michael is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Ballinderry Lower, Co. Antrim
Posts: 1,345
Default

Here is a FADU thread on just this topic. In it, Marty posts a useful link to an interesting article on Ilford's website.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 17th March 2021, 10:13 AM
Coastman Coastman is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Essex coast
Posts: 74
Thumbs up Xp2

Hi, and thanks.
B&W chems it is, I'm all for a bit of experimenting, and I'll brace myself for a complete disaster, but it will be interesting to see how the negs turn out.
Unlike our previous houses , I'm not in a position to have a Darkroom where I live now, so I dev my films by using a changing bag to load, and the rest is done leaning over the bath , and then I scan any decent looking negs onto the computer so I can then do some basic editing etc, before printing on my printer, A bit of old and new technology, I know this goes against the grain a bit, but its a good way for me to continue to use film although scanning certain B&W negs can open up another can of worms regarding scan quality etc, as some films scan better than others , but once I've used this roll i'll give it a go .
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 17th March 2021, 10:58 AM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow, Scotland.
Posts: 2,663
Default XP2 developing

As an afterthought to my post above, the filter issue may simply be that the factors used for conventional B&as film are not appropriate for this film.
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 17th March 2021, 01:13 PM
Coastman Coastman is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Essex coast
Posts: 74
Default Xp2

I've just looked on the Digital truth developing chart and it shows various times / dilutions etc for XP2 super and D76 , which surprised me, although this is handy as I have some already, so maybe I'll go down that road and see what happens, unless in the meantime someone says its a definite No No.

Tim
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 17th March 2021, 02:07 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,775
Default

Although I've never tried it, I have read many forum posts about people developing XP2 in a variety of b/w film chemicals, with good results.

I think that I have only ever used XP2 twice and both times I had it developed at my local Snappy Snaps.

I then took the film into the darkroom and as mentioned else where, it was a sod to get in focus due to the total lack of grain that my eyes are used to.

One print that I printed (at grade 3 I think) was sent out in Print Exchange Round 47. It was taken under room lighting only with a 35mm camera and kit lens, opened right up to f4.5 and it gave me a lovely range of tones and contrast and produced a print I really liked. I did a couple of prints for the lady in the picture, including a 12" x 16" (which had very smooth tones) and she was extremely happy with the pictures, which is always good.

I keep meaning to try the film again and develop it myself this time, in b/w chemistry. I think what put me off doing this previously was the films price at the time, which was a bit more than a standard roll of b/w film, and I was a bit more cautious at trying it then - but no more! .

Terry S
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	PE R47 Ann (at The Cliffs meeting XP2 at ISO400.jpg
Views:	258
Size:	124.9 KB
ID:	4099  
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 17th March 2021, 03:01 PM
Coastman Coastman is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Essex coast
Posts: 74
Default Xp2

Nice image, I used XP2 super on numerous occasions many years ago, when I had a Darkroom, and I quite liked the tones and smooth look , I used to use Speedibrews Celer Stellar developer which I also liked and bought direct from Speedibrew, but they seem to have vanished, although Silverprint sold it for a while many moons ago.
Not sure how the Pinkish negs will scan, assuming I can develop it correctly,and the old film itself is workable, a bit of a learning curve but all part of the fun

Last edited by Coastman; 17th March 2021 at 03:03 PM. Reason: Add on
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
5x4 developing John King Equipment miscellaneous 1 27th March 2018 07:42 PM
Developing old TMY Crimbo Monochrome Film 6 19th December 2017 05:44 PM
C41 developing Bill Sell Photography in general 2 4th July 2017 03:37 PM
HP5+ developing petemcarthur Monochrome Film 4 12th November 2012 08:45 PM
C41 developing Richard L Colour film 4 24th August 2010 12:09 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 04:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.