Oops! Film is quite clear, is there a way to improve density?

Hi, I was doing a reversal and after re-development I saw that

the pictures looked visible enough, so I fixed them. Bad idea -

I wasn't aware that it was the film base/tint that made it

visible, and that of course got fixed out. Images are there but vague, is there some way to chemically replace the silver or

add to it and make it stronger? Thanks..!

<p>On thing I would consider trying is scanning the film on a quality scanner. I've been able to bring back negatives you could easily read a book through, but they've been B+W. Color will present some challenges, I'm sure, but there may be more image there than your eyes alone can register.</p>

<p>There are chemical intensifiers too; Fotospeed makes a chromium intensifier. I haven't used it. It bleaches the silver image back to a developable state, then you wash and re-develop the film, and it comes back stronger. Of course, you can't produce detail that wasn't there at all.</p>

<p>I will try scanning it with my V550. Good enough :p I'm glad you had success. did you make the same mistake as I?<br>

I <em>can </em>see the image, everything is there, but faint. Ah, intensifier? Is it called something like density intensifying?<br>

I wonder how it can come back stronger.. would sepia toning work, if possible?</p>

<p>I was just learning large format and I made a mistake calculating exposure. The image was so thin that at first I thought I had processed an unexposed negative. When I got it into the light I was able to see a very faint image.</p>

<p>Some intensifiers have silver nitrate, so you might expect that they increase the silver in the image.</p>

<p>There is mercury intensifier In-1, which has mercuric chloride, sodium cyanide, and silver nitrate. <br>

I think I would rather stay away from that one.</p>

<p>Chromium intensifier In-4 has potassium dichromate, which from:</p>

<p>https://books.google.com/books?id=0oLOAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT101&lpg=PT101&dq=chromium+intensifier&source=bl&ots=2Ptwcn8Unf&sig=HVqqV211bCaFg8lhqROY2zVHPws&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD7t7Aoe7KAhWDSyYKHVwHBU4Q6AEIWDAH#v=onepage&q=chromium%20intensifier&f=false</p>

<p>results in an image made from both silver and chromium. </p>

<p>But I suspect that the previous suggestions involving a scanner are probably best. If you can scan in 16 bit, there should be enough bits to extract the image. </p>

<p>Even in the pre-digital days, with the appropriate paper grade you can print weak negatives well enough. I suspect that the intensifiers and reducers go back many many years.</p>

<p>If it's B&W you can rehalogenate with say, CuSO4/NaCl 1 Tbs in a tank with a dash of sulphuric acid (or sod. bisulfAte) Give it 5 mins or a bit more. Wash well and redevelop more vigorously - all in broad daylight. Re-fix altho there shouldn't be much to fix out. Only did it once but it worked.</p>