How to ruin a C-41 film

[Ash]

Its been bugging me for ages.

Can you process a 'C-41 type' colour film, using traditional black and white universal developer?

even if you get little development or some funky effect, can it be done?

Has anyone tried it?

I'm sure the short answer will be 'no', but there must be hope!

 

[BJ Bignell]

You can process C-41 with traditional chemicals, but you may not like what you get. Here's a link with an example of XP-2 in Rodinal. I don't know what happens if you use something like Reala; maybe it's interesting.

 

[Ash]

That link made my head spin a little. It seems they couldn't keep on topic! I'm looking through their archives now.

But please, has anyone got more info?

Thanks!

 

[KoNickon]

I can tell you that a local photofinisher recently developed a roll of T400CN (C41 process) using regular black and white processing. (I don't know which chemicals they used.) The negatives looked almost opaque, but they were able to produce excellent prints.

 

[Ash]

it works!

I think only one photo was composed and in focus (it was a VERY rushed film).

Fujicolor-200 24exp.
Jessops econodev. 1:25 for 9 minutes. developer poured out purple.

some negs are evident. scans as soon as it dries.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Yep. I use Fuji films developed in B&W chemicals. The ISO 100 Fuji Superia can be found around here for around $.80 a roll...and when B&W gets too expensive I turn to using it. Can give funky color casts in some instances.

 

[jano]

I've done it. Used diafine because it's easy (just toss it into each bath for 5 minutes, no need to worry about agitation, temps, time, etc). Results were not bad using kodak's max 400 (I hated the color film, it was horrid, but I had a lot left here so began testing it).

One example here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=29487&cat=500&ppuser=2711

And a color scan of it here without an inversion:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=29490&cat=500&ppuser=2711

Jano

 

[nrb]

Yes, I've done it too 3 or 4 times. Agfa XRG200 in Rodinal some 10 min. I guess 1/25. Negatives are very dense and can be scanned as b&w or color. I wonder if warming up the soup can produce better results... Or using a solvent developer.

 

[Ash]

slightly photoshopped..

 

[kshapero]

Dumb question? Maybe not. What is the best way to store negs?

 

[nrb]

here is another example of cross processing color fim in b&w chemistry

 

[nrb]

or another one...

 

[nrb]

or this one too:

 

[rich815]

Looking at these examples I would say that it sure looks like you can do it, and get an image, but looking at the tonality one gets (the main reason I shoot for B&W) I gotta ask, why?

 

[nrb]

I do it for the experience only. In more than one thousand rolls I've shot less than 10 were cross processed. Fact is that in these few rolls I've learned enough to make me think it can be done, and some special effects can be derived. If it were not for the orange mask in color negatives much more would be attainable.
Here where I live a roll of Acros costs more than €5,00, but a color negative film can be had for 60 cents...