Last Updated 00/01/27 0900 PST
Processing Plus-X and Tri-X reversal film
by Martin W. Baumgarten
---> PLUS-X 7276 and TRI-X 7278 Super 8mm films are Black & White REVERSAL films. This means that you
have to use a reversal step process versus the conventional negative processing (unless you want to process
them to a negative, as some have done for the intention of transfer to video only). You will need a processing
rack, tank, reel or similar processing equipment. Failing that, you can build your own simple-to-make
processing rack and use 11 x 14 inch print developing trays. Unless you have a dedicated darkroom to
use.....most home bathrooms can become short-term makeshift labs. Wipe down the bathroom well with a
damp towel and vacuum and dust gobs away. Set up a sturdy folding card table and anything else you will
need for work surfaces. Then set about blocking out the windows and door frame/jam to make the room truly
light-tight. Often if doing this isn't possible....you can choose to work at night (provided no stray light enters
your bathroom window(s) or from the other side of the door).
---> The B&W Reversal Process consists of the following steps: (1). Pre-wash/rinse (if desired...necessary
with some equipment methods) (2). FIRST DEVELOPER - Kodak D-19 for 6-7 minutes at 68°F or similar
(technically you would want to add some Sodium Thiocyanate to the developer as a silver
solvent...but....depending on your work methods, water quality etc....it will/may work fine as is as most users
use it that way). Other developers can be substituted which will affect filmspeed, grain, and tonality.
(3). First Wash - Water only....2- 5 minutes at 68°F to 72°F
(4). BLEACH - Caustic solution, so be very careful.....usually has to be scratch mixed, using 12ml 5N Sulfuric
Acid and 9.5 grams Potassium Dichromate and water to make 1 Liter. Add Acid to water and slowly....never
water to acid! Use for 1 minute at 68°F
(4.b.)---> Optional wash step (will minimize wear on the next solution if used) (5). CLEARING BATH - Simple to
mix....just 90 grams of Sodium Sulfite and water to make 1 Liter. Use for 2 minutes at 68°F.
(7). Wash -optional but recommended, at least 1 minute at 68°F
(8). REVERSAL EXPOSURE to white light, use 150 watt lamp at 4-5ft or 60 watt lamp at 12-15 inches, and
move light or film around to ensure complete and even reversal exposure.
(9). RE-DEVELOPER (2nd Developer) - Kodak D-19 or similar used as mixed. Can use other developers for
tonal, contrast and grain variations. Use for 6 minutes minimum for TXR and for 8 minutes for PXR, both at
68°F. Actually depending on developer strength etc....5-6 minutes will usually suffice, but use recommended
times unless you can afford to experiment.
[NOTE: If unable to use Step #8 with Reversal Exposure...and you don't mind or desire a sepia tone to the
film...you can use a simple developer solution T-19 using 20 grams of Sodium Sulfide and water to make 1
Liter of solution....use for 2 minutes at 68°F.]
(10). SECOND WASH or STOP BATH - for 1-2 minutes at 68°F
(11). RAPID FIXER with Hardener - for 5 minutes or as instructions dictate at 68°F
(12). FINAL WASH - 20 to 30 minutes at 68°F to 72°F in running water....or use 12 to 15 complete water
changes, rinsing film for 1 full minute in each water change. Or rinse film for 2 minutes in running water, then
use Hypo Clearing agent for 2 minutes or per directions, and wash film for 5 minutes. (13). WETTING/DRYING
AGENT - Use Photo Flo or similar drying agent to minimize water spots. Film can be g e n t l y squeegied
using a clean damp film chamois while loading film onto your film drying rack.
(14). DRYING - Air dry at room temperature of 65°F to 75°F at 50% relative humidty. If the air is dryer than 35%
RH you may get excessive film curling. Remove film from rack immediately after the film is dry to prevent
unevenness from settling in (most important if room air is very dry). Use a film drying rack, as this is the
easiest and best method to dry your film. Some loop film over and over a vinyl type line strung across a
room....but this is tedious to hang and remove. Some use hooks or hangers attached to the ceiling or walls
and string the film along. I personally and professionally recommend using a film drying rack only....not these
other methods (since dust and unwanted physical contact can occur on the film causing damage).
Below I'll outline some various processing methods:
~~~> HOME MOVIE FILM PROCESSING METHODS & TECHNIQUES <~~~ by Martin W.
Baumgarten (C) 2000
E-mail: Super8mm@aol.com
---> Conventional home movie film processing...this has been going on since the very first days of cinema;
back when the director was also the cameraperson, film duplicator, labperson etc etc. Superior Bulk Film
Company in Chicago (went out of business in 1984) began 'home processing headquarters' back in 1938 and
sold tanks, reels, racks, rewind processors etc....everything conceiveable for the home processing enthusiast.
There were several other places and companies that made various equipment over the years: * Superior Bulk
Film Company [Chicago, IL]
* ESO-S Pictures [Kansas City, Missouri]
* Micro-Record Corporation [New Jersey]
* Morse Control Instruments [Ohio]
* Arkay (Doran) [Wisconsin]
* Honeywell Nikkor Equipment [New York City]
* Jobo Fototechnic [Germany and Wisconsin]
* Lomo Corp [Russia]
and others.
---> The basic different manual film processing methods employed by amateurs and professionals are:
(1). Rack and tray method: This uses a stationary rack upon which the film is wound upon and then
immersed into a tray or deep tank. The rack also acts as the film drying rack and usually had a special stand
to hold it for loading and later film drying.
(2). Rewind Tank method: This has been around for well over 50 years and the G-3 Rewind Processor is still
being made and sold by Arkay-Doran (via Regal Photo Products) in Wisconsin. Film is attached to a reel and
fully would onto it emulsion outward, then end is attached to the other reel in the tank. Water and chemistry is
added via a top flanged port and drained via bottom drain with a rubber stopper. Film is wound continuously
from one reel to the other, at a rate of one full transfer of film to the other side per minute.....stopping only for
chemical changes, water washes etc.
(3). Separator Strip method: This method employed an acetate length of filmbase that was dimpled by a
dimpling machine. Film was wound with this strip around a clear take up reel and was then processed by
immersing it into a print tray or via deep tanks. The dimples kept the film's emulsion from touching anything
(dimples were along the very edges of the film), and allowing the chemicals to work on the film.
(4). Reel & Trough: This method used a large reel, about 18inches or so in diameter upon which the film was
wound emulsion outward. The reel fit into a trough holding about a gallon of chemistry and generally having a
drain for ease of changing chemicals. The reel had to be continously rotated to allow for even processing.
(5). Motorized Rewind Processor: This was a fully automatic motorized rewind processor which allowed one
to process up to 200ft of movie film from 16mm to 70mm in width. The top motor unit also held the reels and
was then fitted atop a special developing tank...once fitted the unit combo was light tight and room lights could
be turned on until the next chemical change step. Also extra tanks came with this...so you just had to lift the
motor unit and then fit in atop the next chemical tank.
(6). Spiral Reel Processing Tank: This method uses a spiral reel(s) upon which the movie film is loaded and
then immersed in chemistry for processing via trays, a special tank made for that given reel, or deep tanks.
This is perhaps the method ensuring the most professional results.
(7). Tube or Hose Processing: Back some years....when many folks wanted to process their own personal
home movies for various personal reasons.....this method came into being. A 25ft length of vinyl or rubber
hose was used that was just slightly larger in diameter than the gauge of the film. A stopper was used on
either end, and these were referred to as 'snakes' by the 'beat' generation of the 50's. The hose was coiled in
a large pan to control it.....chemistry was removed by pulling off the stoppers and letting it drain, and then
adding the next chemical or wash water to the hose and stoppering it up again. A bit clumsy to work with but
can be quite effective.
(8). Bucket and Tank Type Methods: Film is sort of carefully scrunched up into a bucket or still film processing
tank.......which already has a pre-wash with a wetting agent in it....so that as the film is immersed it is all evenly
made wet, which will allow for more even processing. Drawbacks are insufficient processing agitation,
scratch and damage marks etc. The bucket method works best...but requires more chemistry.
(9). Roller-transport Film Processor: Machines such as the MicroFilm Processors for 16mm (and other
gauges), Kodak Versamat 5AN and others that employed hard machine rollers in which the film was initially
pulled thru by a 'bullet', and then taken up gently by a take up reel on a slip-clutch driven unit. Various versions
of these were made.
(10). Standard Motion Picture Film Processors: Small versions of professional type motion picture
processors were avaiable, made by Kodak(SMA 7244 Supermatic 8 film processor for table top use), Cramer
Company of Sarasota, FL, and Jamieson Film Company of Dallas, TX, and others. These required
processing machine leader like their full size industrial counterparts...but these machines are tabletop sized,
or floor models that are only about 4ft long and 2ft wide. By far one of the best film processing
methods....although due to their smaller size.....only small quantities of film could be processed within an 8
hour day....especially color reversal films which required agonizingly slow running speeds. Average daily film
output was about 6 - 10 rolls of color reversal, and about 10 to 20 rolls of color (based on Super 8's cartridge
length of 50ft per cartridge).
Next follows some do-it-yourself instructions on building a processing rack and other processing information:
DETAILED OVERVIEW OF BUILDING YOUR OWN SUPER 8mm FILM PROCESSING RACK, AND HOW TO
USE IT
by Martin W. Baumgarten (C) 2000
---> If you want to process just small amounts of film..why not build my simple rack design?! You can make
the darn thing in about two hours or less. You build it from a single sheet of plexiglass, use a drill, a sharp
knife, some fine sandpaper and some SuperGlue or epoxy. To process you use 11 x 14 inch print trays.
---> Really simple...you mainly design it yourself to suit your needs....but you go to the hardward shop and buy
a piece of plexiglass that's 13" x 14 inches. You then have then cut off two 1 inch strips for you that are 14
inches long....so you end up with 1 piece that's 11 x 14 inches, and two 1" x 14" strips. You center those two
strips on the sides of the main piece and superglue/epoxy them into position. These act as rails to keep the
film from touching the bottom of the trays. You then drill a hole in the upper left hand corner of the unit...and
one in the lower right hand corner and one in the upper right hand corner. This is where you will attach your
film. Place a rubberband thru this hole and loop it thru itself.
---> Then to finish the unit....take a 50ft roll of scrap film or leader...or good film and be careful. Now loop an
inch thru the rubberband on the upper Left hand corner and then staple the loop. Now carefully wrap the film
around the unit over and over with the emulsion up until you come to the end...and then adjust the end of the
film to a loop and place it thru the rubberband on the last hole in the upper right hand corner or lower right
hand corner. Now.....carefully space the film apart from itself with your fingers and you'll see that the film is
about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart from itself. Make some pencil or china marker markers on either side of each film
where it crosses the two ends of the 11 x 14 main piece on the top and bottom as you're looking at it. Then
remove the film. Now using a knife or other sharp cutting implement...cut or whittle out small 1/4 inch long
curved notches where you made all the china marks. Then use the fine sandpaper to sand the curve smooth
and rounded
---> Clean it up...and you're ready to process film!
---> Practice loading film with scrap first...until you get the hang of it. If you want to get fancy....make a stand to
hold it. Epoxy a small stainless steel bolt on either side of the frame dead center. Or, just drill a hole on either
side dead center and tap it for a small bolt that you can screw in and remove as you need to. Make a holding
stand using piping strap, bend it as in my drying rack design notes.....and attach the two stands onto a an 11 x
14 inch piece of plywood.
---> NOW, you can rotate the unit as you're loading it...quite easily...or for ease of drying the film...or for ease of
removing the film to a takeup reel after it's dry. Actually...the processor will stand on a table top when you set it
down and keep the film from touching..just as when in the processing trays...so that is all you do to dry the
film....final soak in Photo Flo or other wetting agent...shake it out well, and let it sit undisturbed to dry.
---> Processing is done in total darkness.....right after loading. I recommend having a large size film changing
bag or light tight box to hold your rack(s). So you can turn on the light..to check temperature of your
solutions...go eat...use the restroom etc.
---> When you're ready to process....you fill the first tray up with water at the same temp as your chemicals...this
is your prewash. Then transfer it to your developing tray.....develop the film in the First Developer for 6-7
minutes at 68°F, then rinse or stop bath for 2 minutes, then into the Bleach bath.....which after 30
seconds...you can turn on the room lights, then rinse in water for a minute or two, then into the Clearing Bath
for 2 minutes, then rinse in water for 30 seconds to a minute...
---> Then reversal exposure using a 60-150 watt light....if using only a 60 watt lamp...use it in a desk lamp with
a reflector...and at about 6-8 inches from the film...expose each side for at least 30 seconds. Then process
film in your Re-Developer for 6-8 minutes (depending on which film type it is...PXR or TXR), rinse or Stop Bath
for one minute...then Fix for 5-6 minutes in a rapid hardening Fixer.....wash for 15-20 minutes at 68°F-75°F,
Photo Flo and dry...and you're done!
OTHER NOTES:
---> Processing is done in total darkness.....right after loading. I recommend having a large size film changing
bag or light tight box to hold your rack(s). So you can turn on the light..to check temperature of your
solutions...go eat...use the restroom etc.
---> You REMOVE the film from the film changing bag or box OF COURSE! You have all your trays set up for
the entire process and move from one to the next....or just setup the first three or four trays.....and then when
you're in the rinse after the Bleach for example or any other inbetween step....you can change your chemical
setup...pour those you're done with into their bottles and move on again.
Good luck!
Martin W. Baumgarten
P.S. To use this design for Double 8mm or Double Super 8mm film or 16mm film in lengths up to 30ft, just
change the size of the curved notches you cut out....to accommodate the 16mm film width, all else is the same.
~~> SUPER 8mm Cartridge Opening Instructions <~~
by Martin W. Baumgarten (C) 2000
E-mail: Super8mm@aol.com
---> There's several ways......one way you don't even have to open the cartridge.....the way the machine labs do
it.....you can turn the core counter-clockwise which will bend or break the internal core ratchet, and then
withdraw the film out of the cartridge aperture....by holding down the pressure plate with a finger, pulling some
of the film out...attaching it to a rewind, then holding the cartridge with one hand at a slight angle to allow the
film to come out easy and at the same time depressing the aperture plate....let the film ride over your index
finger that is holding the pressure plate down....the film will glide out easily. Then once on a take up reel...you
put that reel onto the shaft of one of the tank reels.....attach your film to the other reel (as per my previous
instructions) put the cover on...go light...wind it on, go dark, remove cover....staple your second film to (if you
have one), fasten film to second reel, place in tank, replace cover, go light and you're ready to process.
---> I prefer to open the cartridge...of which you only have to open the core side where the film is.
First.....depress the film pressure plate slightly and wind the core clockwise to take up all the film onto it. Then
using a bottle opener.....in the dark of course...or in a film changing bag......pop open the two little plastic tabs
molded on the back part of the cartridge on the core side. They're near each corner....the just lift the edge a bit
more with the bottle opener if necessary...just so you can grab the cartridge wall edge and lift it up or peel it
back....the core will remove easily.
---> Another method is to make a simple but machined cartridge cracker.....three pieces of metal...fastened
together...with the top piece having cutouts to fit the corners of the cartridge....then you just pop the cartridge
wall open by using the cracker as a bottle opener in a way. It's far neater of course...but you'd have to get your
own made at a machine shop somewhere.
~~> SUPER 8mm Film Core Holder and WorkBar <~~
---> I have a short piece of 2 x 4 wood(lightly sanded smooth) that is 2&1/2ft long, and have a small old Craig
rewind on each end. In the middle I have a cartridge cracker to the left (although you could mount an
old-fashioned bottle opener) and to the right I have a small plastic film core holder. It is just a 3" x 4" two
walled gizmo that has a cutout notch on the part facing me, so I can transfer the film from the core to a takeup
reel easily. This neat little portable gizmo is very handy....I attach it to tabletops with a C-clamp, and move it
around as I need to. It works great for film cleaning later, film inspection, all kinds of uses.
~~>[SUPER 8mm FILM CORE HOLDER Design]<~~
___________ ____________
| \ \ |
| \ \ O |
| \ \ |
| ( ) |
| \____\ | 3&1/2 to 4" High
| |
| O |
__A__|___________________________|__B__
<----------------4"------------------------->
<---------------------------6"----------------------------------->
(tabs at A & B for screws to mount to board).
[Small wood dowels about 10mm wide at points O to which each of the two plastic or cardboard walls are
glued to]. The walls are then glued to the base about 14mm wide or so, and about 6 inches long...to make
tabs on either side for the mounting screws.
~~~> FILM DRYING RACK INSTRUCTIONS/PLANS <~~~
by Martin W. Baumgarten (C) 2000
Email: Super8mm@aol.com
---> You will need to make your own Film Drying Rack, and/ora way to DRY your film, preferably a Film Drying
Rack. You can make one yourself by using quarter-round, inch diameter wood dowels, four of them screwed
into each end of two crossed wood slats. Secure the two slats for each end by drilling a small hole into the
center of each slat to allow for a long bolt with two nuts to secure the slats in a crossed position. The bolts will
protrude from each end of the drying rack so that you can rest it on some sort of stand that you can make.
Once the rack is on a stand it can be turned/rotated so to ease loading and unloading of the film. --- There are
some other ways to dry your film, but I prefer the drying rack method since it was used by professionals years
ago, and is much safer and secure for the film. [But, if not available, you can dry your film by looping it around a
vinyl rope or two ropes hung in a dust-free environment (perhaps the bathtub/showerstall area). Loop the film
around this by unraveling as you go from one of the reels from your rewind processor, making SURE that the
base side is down and the emulsion side is facing upwards so it doesn't come in contact with anything.]
-> Film Drying Rack Holding Stands<--
// \\
||____||
/ \
/ \
/ \
/ \
/ \
/ \
/ \
__A__/ \__B__
This shows one side of the two rack holders, bent piping strape to resemble this design and make it so the
holder wells for the bolts/dowels are 12" off the board surface so the rack will rotate. Points A & B are where
you screw the stands to your plywood board.
---> The film is secured by folding an inch of the film end over a rubber band and then stapling it. The
rubberband is inserted into a G-shaped large paper clip which will allow it to hang onto one of the Film Drying
Rack dowels; and then again at the end of the film. If drying two rolls, connect them together by stapling them
at their respective tail/head ends, if not done so already. Using the rewind tank, you've already done this to
attach them together while loading into the tank when you were in the dark.
---> Each slat is made with wood about 1/4inch Thick, 1/&1/2 inches Wide, and about 16 inches in Length.
The dowels are made eiher with circular 1 inch dowel wood or with quarter half sections (cost less and are
lighter) that are about 2ft in length. This will hold up to 100ft of 16mm, 100ft of Double Super 8mm, 100-200ft
of Super 8mm, 100ft of Double Regular 8mm, and about 100ft of 9.5mm films. One of the dowels can be
secured to the slats with the hole drilled off center at an eccentric. This will allow that one dowel to swivel
slightly thus tensioning or detensioning the film while hanging, and while drying, to adjust for film shrinkage as
it dries. The rubber bands help compensate for film shrinkage also.
---> Just be careful, squeege your film with a film chamois if possible, always use a film wetting/drying agent,
and always hang film on the drying rack with the emulsion facing outwards....so only the filmbase contacts the
wood dowels.
Happy filmmaking,
Martin W. Baumgarten