Ektachrome 160 x-processing

[slr135]

Hi everybody, first time poster here. I'm Mathew and I'm a student.

The other day I came across 3 unopened boxes of Ektachrome 160 Type G S8mm; with an expiry of August 1981 in my photography classroom. So I took them and decided to put them to good use in my S8 camera.

Now, I know that the EM-26 process these were made for is no longer around (except at some places overseas, which costs too much $$$ for me to send) and what I'm thinking of doing is developing these in the Caffenol C process, making a black and white Ektachrome reversal.

Ingredients as follows:
1 litre water
54 grams washing soda
16 grams ascorbic acid (vitamin c)
40 grams instant coffee

I'm thinking I'll use diluted sodium thiosulphate as the fixer; however, for the bleaching step I am unsure whether I should use a bleach or not, or I should perhaps just use E-6 bleach (or maybe experiment with diluted household bleach IN MINUTE AMOUNTS)

What are your opinions on this?

Cheers,
Mathew.

[71er]

I'd strongly recommend to search Martin Baumgarten's site on this subject. I have tried to develop according to his directions and it turned out great. I also tried to alter one step - substitute potassiumbichromate with potassiumpermanganate as a bleaching agent - and it did not come out any good. I experimented with standard 8 film, which is great as you can do any length and you don't lose a lot of material.
If it doesn't matter a lot just give it a try as you suggested, you might be lucky and get something interesting.
Don't forget about the clearing bath after bleaching (f.e. done with sodium sulfite)!

[richard p. t.]

Go for it.
Only, you can't use normal household bleach. This will take everything off the film - processed silver and unprocesses silver hailide. You only want to disolve the processed silver, leaving the unprocessed silver hailide for the second development stage.
Also, given this is such old film, don't give up trying experiments even if it turns out that these rolls were completely fogged.
Also know that this stock has a rem-jet backing which needs to be wiped off.
good luck,
richard

[slr135]

Thanks for the advice Alex and Richard!

I've written myself up a basic recipe at the moment for all of the chemicals, including a bleach containing Potassium Dichromate; although I'm unsure where I could find all of the required chemicals (sodium sulphite, Na Thiosulphate, K Dichromate, etc), we'll see what happens.

[richard p. t.]

Ah, you are in Australia (well Tasmania). Contact Vanbar Photographics in melbourne regarding the chemical components you need.
rt