Can you develop XP2 at home?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : B&W Photo - Film & Processing : One Thread

Can Ilford XP2 be developed at home in conventional B&W chemistry? If so what developer and what times?

-- Tim Reger (timothy.reger@eddept.wa.edu.au), March 26, 2000

Answers

XP2 is based on dye, not silver halide, technology. It is developed as a color negative film.

-- Long Huynh (huynh@jhu.edu), March 26, 2000.

While the above answer is true, you can still develop XP2 like a normal B&W film, it's just that you lose the advantages of a chromogenic film. The exposure latitude is much reduced and of course there's no dye to cover up the grain, unless you use Pyro.

Anyway, home C41 kits are quite simple to use, they're 2 bath these days, exactly like B&W at a higher temperature, and with XP2 you can be a bit sloppier with the timing.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), March 27, 2000.


You should use a C-41 kit. I used Ilford's and had good results, and it was kind of fun! :)

-- Jim MacKenzie (photojim@yahoo.com), March 28, 2000.

Someone sent me an e-mail as a follow up to this post, asking me to recommend a C41 kit:

Sincere apologies to whoever it was, but I hit the "delete" button instead of "reply". Doooooh!

Anyway, the kits made by Tetenal are good quality and reasonable value for money as well.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), March 29, 2000.


Cheapest and best here in the UK is Photocolor II. Ilford no longer make XP2 developing kits as C41 is so easy to get cheaper elsewhere. Photocolor II is kids play.

-- Anthony Brookes (gdz00@lineone.net), March 29, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ