Reversal processing of b/w film and paper

I have heard, but don't have any details, that it is possible to process

Ilford FP4 film to give a positive image. My question is this; does anyone

know if this can be done with b/w paper?

My reason for asking is that I have built a pinhole camera and would like to

load it with a sheet of paper and produce a positive image, without the need

for enlarging a negative.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Steve Graver

there is a very slow direct reversal film

dunk in paper developer wash and fix.

If you use paper with no lettering on the back, you can make a contact print from one sheet to another, emulsion to emulsion.

 

There are some reversal processing kits and formulas, but I don't know of any meant for paper.

www.dr5.com

If you develop b&w negative film in the reversal process or shoot b&w reversal film, does it give you better tonality and such, the way color reversal film gives you better color?

Any standard B&W film can be processed to produce a positive transparency. If you want to know the details, you can read about it here:

 

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20061291034093.pdf

 

Perhaps you can modify the process a bit and try it on some paper. See what happens. I would not try this on fiber based papers. Some of the chemistry is very harsh and would probably damage the support. It might work with resin coated papers, since these materials are virtually waterproof.

 

DR5 is no help here, they process B&W films into positive transparencies.

 

Kodak makes/made a few direct positive films. At least one is discontinued. All are very slow and not intended as camera films. Read about them here:

KODAK AEROGRAPHIC Direct Duplicating Film 2422 - http://www.kodak.com/eknec/documents/f8/0900688a802b09f8/ti0573.pdf

 

KODAK PROFESSIONAL B/W Duplicating Film SO-132 - http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f11/f11.pdf

 

There are also some direct positive, silver image, microfilms available which you can read about by poking around Kodak's website.

...or you could build a bigger pinhole camera that takes sheet film and make contact prints from the negatives. But you already knew that.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004KFB

JP, the tonality of reversal B&W is unlikely to be considered as good as the tonality of the regular developing.

I miss Brovira number 6.

 

I've had best results contact printing from a paper negative by using a fiber base "negative" soaking wet and squeegeeing it in contact with the printing paper. Use an overhead room lght for exposure, peel them apart, and develop the print. Jerry Uelsmann showed me the technique nearly 40 years ago.