Our first home brew super8 developing

[milesandjules]

So we did our first home processing today.
Following the guidelines on the great 16mm adventures video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCaxCeUkHYA
only we used an 1980's expired roll of ektrachome 160 and processed it as b&w neg.

So didn't know if those ektachrome reversal films have a rem jet coating so didn't know if we needed the prewash…. but did these steps
50g borax (prewash) mixed with 1.5 liters warm water for 2mins
then rinse
25g dektol developer in 1.5l warm water
then rinse
70g sodium thiosulphate in 1.5l warm water….(customs checked that mysterious crystalline parcel when I ordered it online)
then rinse

Used a lomo spiral tank

then hung it to dry for 2hours

then transferred it on the retro 8

so this is how it looks…haven't done any post processing or anything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0PwERw ... Rtqc-3jHHA

So are the chunks of white the left over rem jet that i should have cleaned off with more agitation in the prewash?
Also I know the film is old. So do I need to develop for longer to get more contrast in the shadows?

new to all this but we had some serious fun. Hope you guys have some answers for us
cheers miles

[woods01]

I've no experience with this particular film but I can offer some general advice. Its been my experience that all old film stock needs to be overexposed at least a full stop, sometimes up 3 stops. This can be done with a combination of in camera and push processing, but since pushing increases grain you're better off doing it in camera (but light and lens limitations may make this choice for you).

You lose contrast with age and the film develops a base fog that you can overcome with overexposure. I'd also advise that you shoot a colour or grey scale chart or some other object with clear colours that you can use to help improve the image in digital post and to help see how well you are exposing it. Since you are processing colour as B&W and its also very old you should consider using a high contrast developer like D-19 (google to find endless discussions on high con developers).

Also I find in digital post that is a good idea to use the 'desaturate' filter on all your B&W film. I've noticed that different amateur transfer machines I've used leave a bit of tint of colour and desaturating just give the film better blacks and improves contrast.

[aj]

It would all be easier for a first attempt to use fresh Tri-X (or other true black and white).
Results will be far more rewarding.

It would also be better to expose clips with variably exposed parts and process these separately with variable timings.
I.e. expose a clip of some 50 centimer, take out the cartridge, cut the film across, in the dark yank/pull out the exposed film (from below),
put the clip in the tank. Process the clip. Refix the film ends wiht a clean splice, forward the film a few centimeters and expose the rest in clips or whatever.

If that all works experimental material can be used with more confidence.

Remjet removal requires vigorous washing. Or waterjets and possibly brushing/wipers.

[milesandjules]

Hi guys
Thanks for the tips. Yes we will have a go with some tri x….I like your idea of cutting off bits and re-splicing and testing that way….genius.

One good thing with having lots of old film is that we aren't afraid to experiment with several rolls to get a work flow. We Just pulled a roll out of the tank now and it looks really promising. 8)

What we did today was develop with cold water for 5mins -then rinsed it for a few mins- than fixed it for 5mins then opened it up and with rubber gloves squeegeed the entire roll getting all the (i guess its emulsion) loose black stuff off the film…as we pulled it out of the fixer..it comes off really easy ….then….into a bucket of water with a dash of fotoflow…..and it all looks even. I can't wait to see it scanned.

So your right the trick with this 1988 ektachrome is over expose by 3 stops and we get a decent image. We did another 3 rolls with hotter temps but they seem to just stay black…plus we also had a few tank malfunctions with film adhering to itself ...So think we will stick with room temp for now, and make sure the film is sitting correctly in the tank. Will see how this latest one goes.
cheers miles

[milesandjules]

heres todays exposure test ektachrome and kodachrome home processed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umbuuin ... Rtqc-3jHHA

[phildil]

I like the look of the Kodachrome in BW - was this processed to neg or as reversal? I have been experimenting with this myself. The Remjet is quite easy to remove with a sponge, providing you soften it up with a presoak (borax or washing soda solution) ... but you MUST NOT get any remjet on the emulsion side of the film.

Here is a homebrew example of my own which I shot on Eastman 7363 Hi-Con (double 8) and processed in a Lomo tank, then DIY telecine:
http://vimeo.com/92463339

later
phil

[salman123]

l be far more rewarding.

It would also be better to expose clips with variably exposed parts and process these separately with variable timings.
I.e. expose a clip of some 50 centimer, take out the cartridge, cut the film across, in the dark yank/pull out the exposed film (from below),
put the clip in the tank. Process the clip. Refix the film ends wiht a clean splice, forward the film a few centimeters and expose the rest in clips or whatever.

If that all works experimental material can be used with more confidence.

[milesandjules]

Hi Phill …I love your films!

Thanks for the feedback

Both the ektachrome and Kodachrome were processed as neg. i used a borax prewash(only on the kodachrome) then 5min daktol then 4min thiosulphate for fixer. Real simple.

We ended up rubbing off any leftover black stuff(is it remjet?) off the film as it came out of the fixer ..then it dropped into a water bucket with a dash of fotoflow .

Have to do some more.