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Thread: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

  1. #1

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    Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    I recently found some undeveloped 4x5 triX stored nicely. I keep telling myself it's probably not worth the trouble, that the latent image surely faded, but curiosity is getting the better of me.

    Before starting to "cook", what advice can others offer about specific developers and any additives that might help fog, etc. in this kind of situation ?
    Thanks in advance.
    Dennis

  2. #2

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    How old it the film? Latent image degradation is often less than you think. Even film that is years old often yields fine negatives when just "normally" developed. I would just develop a sheet or two normally (or whatever development you indicated for the film) and see what happens.

    Any fog can usually be just printed through. The addition of additional anti-foggants for older film will often cause more problems than it cures, especially in the area of film-speed!

    If there is a marked effect from latent image degradation, it will be a thinner negative with loss of shadow detail. This latter you won't get back anyway. Developing more to compensate for loss of contrast might be indicated, but not without a test. Often, it's just better to print on a higher paper grade. If you are scanning, then you can adjust contrast later more easily.

    Best,

    Doremus

  3. #3

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    I've had OK results processing old forgotten film in HC110. The negatives are not optimum, but its definitely worth the effort.
    Ron McElroy
    Memphis

  4. #4

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    some folk's version of long ago is two months, others make think two decades. can you provide less information?

  5. #5

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    Thanks, Doremus, Ron & Vinny
    I'll try a few sheets as per Doremus's suggestion. The film was probably exposed over 15 years ago !
    We'll see !
    thanks to you all.
    BTW beautiful websites Doremus and Vinny
    Regards,
    Dennis

  6. #6

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    15 years isn't too bad...you might find they respond well to just normal development. I've shot b&W film that was a lot older than that and it developed just fine.
    I also had a roll of film that was left in a 6x9 Super Ikonta that as far as I can tell was shot in 1948 (date on the film box that was packed with the camera and accessories). I developed it in divided D-23 for around 8 minutes in each bath IIRC. It was just a blind guess. The scanned negatives look pretty bad, but should print better (I don't have a film scanner). Check it out:






    Amazing that more than 60 years later, that latent image is still there just waiting to be released. Kind of eerie...these folks are long gone, as is the person who took the pictures (camera was an estate sale). Anyway, old found film is always worth developing I think just for the fun of discovery.

  7. #7

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    I've developed 15 year old tri-x that was "stored" for a couple years in a convertible with a black top, sitting with windows up in the California sun. Some fog, of course, but not bad at all.

  8. #8

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    My record for delayed development is 27 years, the images still turned out quite nice:
    http://www.largeformatphotography.in...d.php?p=731274

    Cheers,
    Andreas
    To infinity - and beyond...

  9. #9

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    Ive found film in 30+ year old cameras that I've developed and they came out fine.

  10. #10

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    Re: Advice Needed - Developing TRI-X 4x5 film exposed long ago !

    Thank you, thank you to all.

    I have not tried developing the film yet, but the last few responses are most encouraging, especially re film from 1948.
    I think there are some good images if I'm lucky enough to extract them !

    Best,
    Dennis

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