Help with shooting and processing old film?

[Gene McCluney]

have several boxes of 8x10 tri-x and plus-x 50 sheet sealed boxes expiration dates from 1981 to 1988. This film would still be in the sealed foil pouches inside. I would like to use it, if possible. The film has been stored since new at comfortable room temperature in a cabinet in my studio.

I am guessing I will get some age fog..maybe a lot. I would welcome any suggestions to help maximize my success in using this film.

I will be developing in a tray, have done this many times before. My developer of choice, if no one says different, will be D-76 straight up. I have this already mixed up. Any suggestions welcome, or additives that might help reduce potential age fog. I have a fairly elaborate inventory of component chemicals, so I can mix up custom developers, or add things to commercial developers. I know a lot of people use HC-110 for things like this, but I don't have any and would have to mail order it, so I would prefer to use what I have, or can make from scratch from components I have. The developing agents I have are: Metol, Hydroquinone, Glycin, Amidol, Pyro. Oh, I also have quite a few packs of Kodak X-tol developer, if that would be better in this application than D-76.

[Ted Harris]

Making any decision on developer modifications is, IMO, premature until you know what you are up against. Shoot a couple of sheets of each, one sheet normal expoure and one with your normal film speed halved to compensate for the almost certain degradation for film of that age. Then process them as you normall would and you will ahve a much better idea of 1) the appropriate spped and 2) weather or ot base fog has increased to the point where the film is no longer usable.

You are pushing it with both batches .... the 1981 for sure ... but try it and see.

[Gene McCluney]

Yeah I know I am pushing it. But....I got it..it's paid for...so might as well try to salvage it if possible. I guess I was thinking that there might be a recommendation for a film developer that has the best ability to control fog.

[Adam Kavalunas]

Can't attest to fog issues, but earlier this year i shot some 4x5 Velvia from 1993. The film was fine except for a slight magenta cast, but that was easily rectified in PS. A friend gave me the film, so i'm not sure how it was stored, but I let it sit on the shelf for about a year until I used it.

Adam

[Gene McCluney]

I bit the bulllet and cracked open a sealed 50 sheet box of 8x10 Plus-x today, and loaded a couple of sheets and went outside and shot them, then tray processed for standard Plus-X times in straight D-76 I had on hand. Did a 2 minute water soak, then the developer. Looks pretty good. I can work with it. There seems to be a tiny bit more density at the edges, nothing that can't be burned down, the film base (where the film holder obscured it from the light on the edges) is not fogged. This film expired in 1981. Part of its life it lived in my refrigerator, but for the last seven years for sure at room temperature. I expect the Tri-X I have will be more problematic. We'll see.

[Glenn Thoreson]

I use a lot of old film. I'm glad to hear the Plus-X is OK. It's a great film. If the Tri-x is a little foggy, you could try adding a little potassium bromide to the developer, or better yet, a drop or two of benzotriazole, which is also available from Edwal and Kodak as Anti Fog agent. Bromide will slow development a little, so needs compensation for that. Good luck

[Gene McCluney]

I just exposed and processed a few more sheets of Plux-x from my expired in 1981 stash of 8x10. This time I did a 4 minute water presoak, then I used HC-110 dilution B and I am even more happy. Very even densities, and zero age fog. I think HC=110 may be a bit better than D-76 for this application.

[Capocheny]

Gene,

Did you modify the ASA or EI of the film at all?

Cheers

[Gene McCluney]

Gene,

Did you modify the ASA or EI of the film at all?

Cheers

Well I can't really say...as I shot exposures that just felt right to me. I didn't use exposure meter. I did process the film normally...that is...for the recommended time for normal ISO. After 40 years I find I do not depend on exposure meters much, rather I expose from experience.

[Capocheny]

Well I can't really say...as I shot exposures that just felt right to me. I didn't use exposure meter. I did process the film normally...that is...for the recommended time for normal ISO. After 40 years I find I do not depend on exposure meters much, rather I expose from experience.

Hi Gene,

IIRC, old films need a change in film speeds. But, if you don't use a meter... I guess this is a bit irrelevant to you.

Good luck. :)

Cheers

[Gene McCluney]

Here is a sample shot Saturday with this 25 year old expired Plus-X developed in HC-110 dilution B.

[nelsonfotodotcom]

Gene - I'm headed to VB in the morning, sometime before noon. I want to visit Martin, shoot the shit, rummage through his bins, and shoot a few frames past my C330. I may knock on your studio door. It's been nearly a year since I was last down.

Hope yer well.

Craig

[BrianShaw]

Here is a sample shot Saturday with this 25 year old expired Plus-X developed in HC-110 dilution B.

Gosh, I'm jealous. I LOVED Plus-X sheet film. You are very lucky!

[picker77]

Hi Gene,
IIRC, old films need a change in film speeds. But, if you don't use a meter... I guess this is a bit irrelevant to you.
Good luck. :)
Cheers

Just curious--how old is old? I just grabbed four unopened 25-sheet boxes of 1999 4x5 Plus-x for what seemed to be a reasonable price of $12/box. Supposedly always room-temp stored (but not refrigerated). Would this film be considered really "old" in this context? Should I worry about derating the speed? I just do the simple DD-X/Beseler roller/Jobo rotary tank thing, nothing fancy.