Different films in the same tank: is it safe?

[Joao]

Hello
If I have two B&W films (different brands, different speeds) with the same recommended development time for a specific developer, is it safe to develop both in the same tank at the same time (in different reels) ?? Could any by-products from one emulsion interfere with the other film development??
Thanks in advance for any information
Regards
Joao

 

[Tom A]

Hello
If I have two B&W films (different brands, different speeds) with the same recommended development time for a specific developer, is it safe to develop both in the same tank at the same time (in different reels) ?? Could any by-products from one emulsion interfere with the other film development??
Thanks in advance for any information
Regards
Joao

Should be no problem as long as both films are "true" black/whites - not C41's. There are really no by products coming off the film that could do any harm.

 

[calexg]

It'll work, yes. You shouldn't have any issues.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Go for it. On occasion I'll do a tank with films that are close but not the same time, overdeveloping one by half a minute, underdeveloping the other by half a minute.

 

[pesphoto]

i just processed a roll of Arista 400 and TriX in the same tank...... perfect results.

 

[calexg]

i just processed a roll of Arista 400 and TriX in the same tank...... perfect results.

Haha that's not saying much...they are the same film! 😛

 

[pesphoto]

Haha that's not saying much...they are the same film! 😛

you got me there........😉

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I've done different films together a lot. Works fine as long as both require the same developing time in the developer you're using.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I've even done C-41 film in the same soup with tri-x, no problem. Using HC-110.

Why do you develop C-41 film in black and white developers? I've seen a lot of people talking about it on RFF and I don't get it. Doing that takes away the three main benefits of C-41 films: Someone else can develop it, it can take crazy amounts of overexposure, and it can be scanned using Digital ICE dust/scratch removal (if it is developed in BW developers, you cannot use ICE because the film will have a silver rather than a dye image).

Plus, C-41 films cost more than traditional films so you're wasting money. If you want the silver-based image, use a regular BW film...it is cheaper and probably gives a better image than C41 film processed in a developer it wasn't designed for.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

All good points. I happened to get 5 rolls for almost free (a buck each?) at Walgreens. I wanted to splash around and develop it to see what would happen and I ended up doing all five. I guess I figure I've paid for all these chemicals, I ought to use them. I actually like how it's stiffer than that ever-curly Tri-X. This was BW CN400. I guess I'm not enough of a connoisseur to know that I may have been wasting time.

I live one block from a Walgreens. Yet I can't stand going there because of the harsh fluorescent light, stupid consumer products*, and people who will hold up a line for 17-1/2 minutes to get 45 cents off with a coupon. Still, I keep telling myself I'd like to have them do "develop only" on some rolls of color. Why not? Al Kaplan recently inspired me when he posted about going to an art gallery and getting a pack of prints an hour later from Walgreens... faster results than the digital photog who was along that night, and easy to leaf through and enjoy. I used to do that constantly at ProEx (but cheaper overnight, not 1-hour). Well, maybe my next roll will be C-41 color and I'll let friggin' Walgreens do it in a HOUR. 🙂

Long windedly, -ID.

* In Walgreens' defense concerning stupid consumer products, I was able to find a SELF-INFLATING whoopee cushion there recently. Now that's a brilliant technological advance!

LOL! Well I agree about Walgreens. I worked there years ago for a while and that was worse than being a customer there.

I didn't know you were just experimenting with the C41 film in the BW developer. I asked the questions I did aimed more at the guys here who say they do it all the time. I wonder what the advantages are? On the rolls you did, how was the quality?

 

[nikon_sam]

I was just thinking of doing that tonight...I have a roll of Tmax 400 and Neopan 400 (120 format) that I want to develop...The times are pretty close for Rodinal...😎 🙄 😱

 

[Merkin]

I hate to sound obvious, but be sure to check the temperature ranges as well. The two films might have the same time at, say, seventy degrees, but they might be different at, say, sixty eight or seventy two, and some film/developer combinations are more temperature sensitive than others.

With that being said, you can develop pretty much anything with pretty much anything else in diafine.

 

[Joao]

Thanks a lot for the (encouraging) answers.
Best regards
Joao