Here's a toughie for you darkroom birds. Can thin XP-2 (chromogenic) negatives be intensified to increase density for better printing?

-- Dave Jenkins (djphoto@vol.com), June 16, 1999

Answers

Good question! If there is any silver left in the emulsion, then concentrated selenium toner, or Kodak IN-5 intensifier, should increase the density. If there is only dye left in the emulsion, you will be out of luck. I would try one negative with Kodak selenium toner diluted 1:2 with water for about 10 minutes with occasional gentle agitation and see what happens. If that works, but you need greater intensification, try the IN-5.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@earthlink.net), June 16, 1999.

You can always try printing them on color paper. They are set up to give a sepia tone (part of the filtration comes from the base color) I have gotten some very nice prints from the newer color films that I thought were too this to do anything with. Maybe this stuff works the same way.

-- Tony Brent (ajbrent@mich.com), June 16, 1999.

If your film was processed in C-41 it will not have any silver left to intensify. Maybe digital is the answer for this one.

-- Jeff White (zonie@computer-concepts.com), June 17, 1999.