Magenta cast to developed Ilford XP2 film?

Hi Everyone,

 

I just picked up some B&W Chromira prints made from XP2 negatives from

my local pro lab ("Lab #2"), and the printing technician said that my

negatives have a magenta cast due to inadequate fixing in an exhausted

fix solution.

 

Previously, I had another lab ("Lab #1") make a first set of Chromira

prints which were disappointing looking and had a green cast. When

Lab #2 redid the work, they stated that the green cast of my first

prints was from the original magenta cast to the negatives.

 

Is a magenta cast normal for XP2, and if not, is an exhausted fixer a

possible/probable cause and/or are there other possible causes for a

magenta cast?

 

(BTW, the film was 220 size shot in a Rolleiflex 2.8E3 TLR with a deep

yellow filter at 80ASA in the Canadian Rockies in June, and Lab #1

made the scans with a Heidleberg drum scanner, and Lab #2 used an

Imacon 848 scanner. The film was stored in a refrigerator/ice chest

except during travel, and it was not x-rayed at any of the airports I

passed through).

 

I just want to be sure I am not going off half-cocked when I talk to

my developing lab (which is neither Lab #1 or Lab #2).

 

Thanks for the help!

 

--Randall

My XP2 negs usually have a slight purple tint to them. I believe this is normal (antihalation dye remnants?). My guess is the first lab just isn't doing a competent job printing them neutral. My biggest issue with machine prints from XP2 is getting decent contrast - oftentimes the prints look too grey and dull.

Sounds like the lab does not know how to print XP-2. In non technical terms, you can't just throw it in there like color negs and get good results.

 

My advise, find another Lab that knows how or cares enough to learn how to print XP-2 properly.

Randall wrote "B&W Chromira prints made from XP2 negatives"

 

Read that line again.

 

And again.

 

Now, tell me what is wrong with this sentence?

 

"Chromira print" and "XP2 negatives" are in the same sentence.

 

Look at that again: You have an XP2 (chromogenic C-41) negative that is being scanned as a color neg and printed on an RGB laser color photo printer: The, ahem, "operators" at both "Lab #1" and "Lab #2" both had a rectal <--> cranial inversion: They forgot to convert the file from RGB to monochrome!

 

I don't think even Wal-Mart could f**k up a job this badly!

Dan S is right. On the occasions that I've taken XP2 or BW400CN to Wal-Mart, they even ask me whether I want neutral B&W or sepia prints. And they've always been neutral or sepia, depending on what I asked for -- never magenta or green.

hmmm. Good points. Thanks!