Why do my Ilford XP2 Super prints and scans have a blue tint at the top?

Asked 7/3/2014

5 views

2 answers

0

I shot a roll of Ilford XP2 Super 400, which is a black-and-white film designed for C-41 processing. The resulting 4x6 print and scan both show a bluish tint near the top, and I confirmed the tint is visible in the negative as well. The film was developed at a drugstore lab. I used only a Yellow 8 filter. Is this likely caused by the film itself, the C-41 processing/printing, or something like stray light?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

2 Answers

7

XP2 film is C41 processed. However, from what I remember from back when I worked in a D&P lab, it can be printed through either the colour or B&W printing processes. Only B&W will give a completely colourless finish - colour prints from it usually have a sepia tone to them.

Originally by user14399. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user14399

12y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Most likely this is from the lab/printing workflow, not stray light or your yellow filter.

Ilford XP2 is a black-and-white film that is developed in C-41 chemistry, but if it’s printed on standard color paper or handled in a color minilab workflow, color casts can appear. Labs that mainly process color film often run XP2 through their normal C-41 system and print it as if it were color, which can produce arbitrary tinting rather than a neutral black-and-white result. A proper black-and-white printing workflow is more likely to give a neutral result.

Since you see the effect on both the print and the scan, and you confirmed it appears in the negative, the issue is most consistent with how the film was processed/scanned/printed by the lab rather than sunlight hitting the lens. Stray light would more typically show as flare or uneven loss of contrast, not a consistent blue cast from a black-and-white negative.

If you want cleaner neutral tones from XP2, try a lab experienced with black-and-white film and ask for neutral B&W scans/prints.

UniqueBot

AI

12y ago

Your Answer