Slides from b&w prints

I need to make slides (35mm) from a large number of exhibition black

and white photographs. In the past I have used color reversal film

but was never completely satisfied with the results due to a lack of

true blacks and whites. Is there currently a process available using

black and white reversal film? Thanks for suggestions.

There is Agfa Scala, which produces a B&W positive image. Some people like it, some don't. In the US, you can get it mail order or from some shops, and it comes with a processing mailer.

 

I haven't tried this, but ran across a reference in Roger Hicks' "Black and White Handbook."

He says "(Ilford) XP2 can also be cross processed in E6 (reveral) chemicals, to give a rather romantic-looking monochrome transparency. It will not harm the E6 line."

 

Haven't done this myself, don't know anyone who has, and haven't seen any published examples but it might be worth checking out.

Agfa Scala should be your first choice, in terms of quality as well as convenience and cost.

 

Another option that is also very good (particularly in terms of quality, not so much in terms of cost) is the "DR5" process. More info can be found on www.dr5.com

 

DR5 basically allows you to shoot the conventional B&W film of your choice. You then send it to DR5 and they make stunning B&W slides for you, in your choice of neutral or sepia tone. Their web site has descriptions and pictures of how each individual B&W film looks/comes out when processed by DR5. Should you choose to go that route, the DR5 web site would be very helpful in choosing which film to use.

I'm ignorant on this as well, however, the xp2 and cn400t when crossed give a blue cast, kinda neat. This is a tough one. Tmax 100 (?) film(s) offer a reversal kit, I haven't done it, can't help you on accuracy with this route. I do like the scalia recommendation. You are able to make slides from digital files too, so, I'm not sure of your resources, but if you could capture in digital, adjust in photoshop, and out put as a slide, you'd be off to the races. this may be very expensive.

DR5...it will be great for what you describe. I've used it with tri-x processed normal, and pushed to 800 in both sepia and normal. I love it for slide projection and scanning. Sorry I dont have any files small enough to put on this page with the tri-x.

 

The following is a TECH PAN slide shot directly into the sun. Not a good picture (I am just documenting the construction of our house), but it does show some ability of the DR5 process to tame tech pans inherent contrast and take advantage of its fine grain.

 

I just have a cheap scanner, so my apologies in advance for the crappy d-max in this scan...it just doesn't do the slide justice. In the slide there is actually detail in the foliage on the right, just adjacent to the sun.

 

I like sepia, but tech pan, tri-x, and HP5 all come out quite nice in the neutral.<div></div>

I have only ever seen one place that could make good color copy slides of B&W prints.

Repro images in Vienna Va. came up with a pretty good process when Graphis needed

a bunch of their B&W prints turned into 70mm and 35mm slides for stock purposes. It

involved very tight control of the e-6 line, custom color correction filters for the

strobes, and preflashing to control contrast. Contrast will be your biggest problem if

you are making 35mm copies of prints. Scala can be used to get a real B&W image,

but the contrast will be problematic. The chances of getting really great copies when

you shoot and have someone else do the processing for you are about zero. I would

either take complete control (maybe the tmax reversal kit?) or send your stuff to

Repro images...

 

http://www.reproimages.com/

 

Isaac