Some time ago I was talking about Agfa Process 41 in a post here. As you may read in the article, AP 41 is similar to ORWO C-9165 process (more about it here) and I made a few experiments with various films, most of them not exactly compatible with this mode of development.
Since then several people asked me if I have the exact recipes of AP 41. I haven’t had it, until recently, when Vova Matveev sent me some pages from a Russian recipes book (big Thank you, Vova!). And I decided to publish this information, in case brave photo maniacs decide to test this process.
But first of all,
Some notes
- AP 41 was designed to develop AGFA Chrome 50S/50L films and alike, or generally AGFA’s color reversal films from the ’70s. In this period the process has had several versions, as the film engineering was developing;
- Agfa Process 41 is said to be incompatible with color reversal films for E-6 process by Kodak. If you try E-6 films you shall adjust development times for the first and the color developers. AGFA’s equivalent of E-6 is Process 44;
- All development steps I published here and here (a leaflet from the set of chemicals I purchased earlier);
- Be prepared for the re-exposure step — I use 500W lamp, as described in C-9165 article;
- If you plan to mix your own baths from bulk chemicals — prepare precise scale and protecting equipment (gloves, breathing masks, protecting glasses).
Now, let’s see what is it in the recipes:
First (black and white) developer
Water …………………………………………….750 ml
Metol …………………………………………………3.0 g
Sodium sulfite, anh. ………………………40.0 g
Hydroquinone ………………………………….6.0 g
Sodium carbonate, anh. ……………….50.0 g
Sodium thyocianate ………………………..1.8 g
Potassium bromide …………………………2.0 g
Potassium iodide, 0.1% ……………………6 ml
6 – Nitrobenzimidazole nitrate ……0.04 g
Water to make …………………………..1,000 ml
pH = 10.1 – 10.3
You may notice that this recipe varies from the one I published here. This might be due to variations of the formula with the time. However, the one above is based on Russian photo recipes manual.
If you are using “hard” tap water you may add Sodium hexametaphosphate, also known as Calgon. Same is valid for the color developer.
Stop bath
You shall use this bath immediately after a very short rinse. Acetic acid is very smelly, so be prepared when you mix it.
Water …………………………………………….750 ml
Acetic acid, glacial ………………………..10 ml
Sodium acetate crist. ………………….40.0 g
Water to make …………………………1,000 ml
pH = 5.0 – 5.4
After stop bath rinse well.
Color developer
After the stop bath you may open the development tank and continue working in daylight or tungsten lamp.
Before color development the film shall be exposed to strong light. I use 500 W lamp from about 80 – 100 cm. from the film, 5 minutes for each side. Before that carefully clean all small water drops from the film — if left there, they will act like magnifying glass and form circles on the film.
Water ……………………………………………………………………………………750 ml
Sodium sulfite, anh. ………………………………………………………………2.0 g
Potassium carbonate ………………………………………………………….80.0 g
Hydroxylamine sulfate …………………………………………………………2.0 g
Ethylenediamine, anh. ………………………………………………………….8.0 g
Potassium bromide ………………………………………………………………2.0 g
Ethyl-oxy-ethyl-para-phenylenediamine sulfate …………….6.5 g
Water to make 1,000 ml
pH = 11.6 – 12.0
In another article I read that Ethyl-oxy-ethyl-para-phenylenediamine sulfate shall be added a few hours before using the color developer. However, I add it when I mix the solution.
After the color developer rinse very, very well. The washing water will have magenta tint after few minutes of washing — continue at least until the tint disappears.
Bleach
Potassium ferricyanide ……………………………….80.0 g
Potassium bromide ……………………………………..20.0 g
Disodium phosphate …………………………………..27.0 g
Sodium hydrogen sulfate …………………………..12.0 g
Water to make …………………………………………1,000 ml
pH = 5.2 – 5.6
Fixer
Sodium thiosulfate …………………………………….200.0 g
Sodium sulfite ……………………………………………….10.0 g
Water to make …………………………………………1,000 ml
pH = 7.0 – 7.8
Here is a link to a PDF document with all of the recipes above: AGFA Process 41 recipes
And here is a picture, taken on AGFA RS 100 Plus film and developed in Agfa Process 41.
15 Comments
Vova Matveev
Привет!!!
Очень рад что помог тебе написать очередную статью, в которой прочитал слова благодарности в мой адрес .
Благодарю и я тебя что упомянул обо мне)
🙂 Спосибо для твои слова, Вова!
I hope to do a test on Kodak and Fuji films
Vova is my old friend and he gave me this recipe a long time ago but I was unable to get that damn substance (Ethyl-oxy-ethyl-para-phenylenediamine sulfate) – so the experiment paused
hydroxylamine sulfate 0.1g
citric acid 18g
stannous chloride 1.6g
sodium acetate 10g
water to 1 L
adjust pH to 6.0 (NaOH)
And what is it, dear Mohmad?
This is a formula (Reversal) solution
The experiment succeeded using the (CD4) component.
I have some results and I want to show them here please.
Thank you very much to our respected colleague Vova Metiviv
Muhammad: Yes, please submit those I would like to see the combination of CD4 in the developer and this chemical reversal. Thank you!
Mike
Hello Sami,
In my opinion, you can replace Ethyl-oxy-ethyl-para-phenylenediamine sulfate.
I read another recipe, which tells a replacement ratio for it, or a totally simplified process.
Here is the Link:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ulhh1xw40wtx6lu/Patrick%20Dignan%20-%20How%20to%20Compound…%20Simplified%20Color%20Processing%20Formulas.pdf
It is from a German Site, but the book itself is in English. Here is the link to the post if the download does not work straight away:
https://www.filmkorn.org/simplified-color-processing-formulas/
BTW:
If you have agfachromes leftover to sell, let me know 🙂
I still have a set of Agfa Processing kit which I would like to use some time 🙂
Best regards,
Alex
Please send me your results and a short description how you did it, I would be very happy to publish them here!
Hello guys!
Hello Vesselin!
I’m so glad I found this recipe an process instructions! Praise you! 🙂
I have a lot of Agfachrome 50S and Ct18 films lying around and waiting to get shot 😉
I sourced all the ingredients, but still stuck with
“Ethyl-oxy-ethyl-para-phenylenediamine sulfate”
Is this CD4?
Where can I get this stuff?
Thanks a million for your help!
Hello Sami–
I am not sure if this is CD4, to me it looks different. CD4 is described as 4-(N-Ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine sulfate. I guess you will have to ask a chemist.
Check with the chemicals store that may be near you. In Bulgaria, where I live, you can get it from the store, but have to wait about a month to be delivered.
Best regards,
Vesselin
Hi Vesselin and thanks a lot for the fast reply!
I also saw that Mohammad was successfully using CD4 in your recipe…did you ever get any answer on this?
Can you maybe tell me how the recipe looks with CD4?
This is much easier to get here in Germany 😉
We don’t have a lot of local stores for chemicals and I don’t know any near me 🙁 Searching with Google didn’t bring any good results either…
I’m getting back my space for the laboratory these days and am really excited to get some of these good old Agfa things developed!
BTW: Is there any method of process AP-41 without the re-exposure to light?
Thanks a million again!
Sami
Hi again Vesselin,
sorry for bothering 🙂
I just can’t get any solutions how to use the CD4 in the recipe, just as Mohammad did…did you see my reply above?
Thanks a million again for your help!
Sami
Hi again Sami,
I read you come from Germany, like I do. So if you were willing to give some of your films away it would be easily possible.
The re-exposure is really not a big deal so I cannot find a reason not to do it.
If you have clear development reels,
like most are, simply leave it underwater in a big glass ( I have a 1L Beher glass) and expose it to a strong light source.
I have self-made c9165 kits and do this regularly, it is really not a big deal.
Anyways, check out the site I sent you in the comments above. It may simplify your problem most likely 😉
Regards,
Alex