8mm Forum: Developing question

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Posted by Gabriel Bly (Member # 6819) on May 31, 2019, 08:40 AM:

Hey guys! I just tried my first caffenol process for getting b&w negatives yesterday and failed miserably. I am shooting on expired super 8, mostly kodachrome 40 and ektachrome 160. My cartridges have varying expiration dates from 1978-2005. My film was completely black and slightly see-through when held up to the light.

I have been planning my developing for so long that I've had so many different incarnations of what my process would be, each plan would get thwarted by some logistical information and I would have to move to something else, which is what led me to caffenol. After all my research and trial and error, I cant remember why I landed on using caffenol.

My question is: can I just use normal B&W developer (like Kodak D-76) for developing expired super 8? Let me know! Thanks!

Posted by Leonard Goss (Member # 3172) on May 31, 2019, 08:45 AM:

I've read that Kodachrome 40 has a black coating (ramjet is it called?) that needs to be removed by scrubbing or something, it's not that is it?

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on May 31, 2019, 08:47 AM:

The normal first developer for colour film is a B&W one so it should work. It would need some experiment to get the right time for it.

Completely black film sounds like it was fogged some where along the line though, if you were trying for a negative. If it wasn't developed it would be clear. Also what fixer were you using?

Posted by Gabriel Bly (Member # 6819) on May 31, 2019, 09:04 AM:

Leonard: The was remjet on the film but I cleaned it off.

Brian: I used Ilford rapid fixer for about 5 min. I think its possible either my dark room or developing tank has a leak that let some light in, because the film still came out as negative film, even though it was blank. I haven't given up on the caffenol yet, just wondering if there's a more reliable B&W chemical I could use.

My first step will be to check the tank for light creeping in, then the dark room. I'll probably try caffenol one more time after fixing the light situation (if it needs fixed).

Posted by Gabriel Bly (Member # 6819) on May 31, 2019, 12:28 PM:

What do you guys think of this: https://www.dagiebrundert.de/EK40.html

Adonal seems like a good way to go. I'm wondering if I should experiment with this person's "7 minute" rule depending on the decade of the film stock.

Any opinions?

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