Introduction
Reversal (or slide) development is a process that turns black & white film into positive images—slides—rather than the usual negatives. It’s a magical transformation: you end up holding a sheet of film that directly shows your image in glowing tones.
With Adox Scala films and chemistry, reversal becomes especially rewarding: incredible sharpness, fine grain, and deep contrasts make these slides a joy to project, scan, or simply hold up to the light.
At Jagglé, we’ve made it even easier to enjoy this process. Our kit combines the Adox Scala Reversal Kit with the Jagglé Daylight Developing Cassette for large format film. Together, they bring the wonder of reversal to your hands without the need for a full darkroom.
Find the Adox Scala datasheet here
What is Reversal Development
Reversal development is the art of turning a negative into a positive—literally.
- Conventional development produces negatives, which then need printing or scanning to be viewed correctly.
- Reversal development skips that step: you process the film so that the final image is directly viewable as a positive transparency.
The process is fascinating to watch unfold. After the first developer and bleach, the film looks almost blank. Then comes the re-exposure and second developer, and suddenly your positive images emerge—like magic.
Process Steps
Here’s how the Scala kit works, in broad strokes:
- First Developer – reveals the image.
- Rinse & Bleach – clears away the developed silver.
- Clear Bath – stabilises the film base.
- Re-Exposure – film is exposed to light.
- Second Developer – brings out the positive image.
- Final Wash – leaves your slide clean and archival.
It’s structured and repeatable, but still has a sense of theatre. Every step takes you closer to that luminous final result.
Specific Times for Other Films
Using the Scala Kit, users and Adox themselves have tested reversal on non-Scala films. The following table offers practical first developer times (and in some cases adjustments to bleach) as starting points. If you try these, bracket: for example test +/- 1-2 mins on first developer, watch the bleach / second developer effect.
| Film | First Developer Time & Temp | Notes on Bleach / Other Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Adox CMS 20 II | ~ 12 min @ 24 °C | Bleach tends to require full standard time (~4 min) or slightly more if film density is high. Second developer often standard (~6 min). |
| Rollei Superpan 200 (120) | ~ 10 min @ ~22–24 °C | Bleach: users report clean bleach in ~4-5 min; if you see residual silver, increase by ~30-60 s. Final wash might need a bit longer. |
| Kodak / Ilford TMX / TMax 100 | ~ 10 min @ ~22 °C | Because of high contrast in some Tmax emulsions, be cautious with bleach over-exposure; aim for exact bleach time; re-exposure needs to be controlled. |
| Ilford FP4 / Fomapan 100 / Pan F | ~ 9–11 min @ ~22 °C | FP4 tends to come out more contrasty; bleach time often closer to the lower end but if you push first dev, bleach may need bumping. |
Bleach note: The bleach step is often one of the more sensitive ones. If the bleach is under-done, residual silver remains and lowers your contrast; over-done bleach or overheated bleach can thin shadow areas. Different films with high silver content or dense coating may need slightly longer bleach times—so look at test strips after bleach (before re-exposure) to see if image is fully cleared in highlight areas (just the latent image remaining), then proceed.
Why Jagglé Cassettes Make It Even Better
The Jagglé Daylight Developing Cassette is designed for large format film and adds a unique dimension to Scala reversal:
- Load in a darkbag – once the sheet is inside the cassette, you don’t need a darkroom at all.
- Develop in daylight – after exposing your film, place the cassette on the developing tray, which doubles as a tank. All steps can then be done in normal light.
- Easy re-exposure – one of the Scala process steps is shining light onto your film. With a Jagglé cassette, you simply take it off the tray, open the tank, re-expose, and continue.
- Perfect for location work – whether you’re shooting landscapes, architecture, or portraits in the field, you can carry everything you need to process positives on the spot.
This makes Scala reversal not only practical, but adventurous. Imagine shooting a scene on 4×5, running it through the Scala kit in the cassette, and holding a luminous positive up to the sky—all within the same session.
Find the Jagglé - Scala bundle here
Conclusion
Reversal development isn’t just a process—it’s an experience. With Adox Scala chemistry, you get the technical excellence: stunning detail, rich blacks, and brilliant highlights. With Jagglé cassettes, you get freedom: no darkroom needed, smooth re-exposure steps, and the joy of developing anywhere.
The combination makes large format reversal fun, engaging, and deeply rewarding. Every sheet becomes a piece of glowing artwork you can appreciate instantly.
So if you’ve never tried reversal before, Scala is a perfect place to start. With the Jagglé kit, it’s never been easier to enjoy the magic of seeing your photography turn into slides before your eyes.