Vericolor II Type L, exp 1991

[Ben Syverson]

Hi all,

I recently came into possession of some Kodak Vericolor II Type L, expiration date 01/1991. From what I gather, it is a C41, high contrast tungsten-balanced ISO 80 film designed for long exposures.

Before I expose a sheet as a test, does anyone have any suggestions about how to handle it? My initial thought is that it has probably lost some sensitivity. I was planning on rating it at ISO 25.

Anything else I should consider?

[Ben Syverson]

This film is fine! Exposed at ISO 25ish. Being sealed up probably helped it.

[Wade D]

I have some of that in the fridge that expired in 1989. It is 120 not 4x5 and I used to shoot lots of weddings with it. I pull out a roll every now and then and shoot and process it. Still looks good for being so old.

[domaz]

I have an unopened box of 5x7 in the fridge. I figured it wasn't worth using but maybe I'll give it a try now. The problem with using old color film that I've read about on APUG is that they changed the stabilizer formula back in the mid-90s so old film won't properly stabilize with new C-41/E-6 processes. That means you better scan your film quick or immerse it in a formalin bath. Yuck.

[tbeaman]

Pretty stunning results! This is one of the most extreme cases I've heard of, and yet one of the few to present any actual evidence. How were the colours in the raw scan? I don't see any apparent effects in the contrast or grain. Does the curve look like it was compressed any due to fogging? Also, do you know how this was stored?

In any case, it's very reassuring, as I've accumulated a nice stash of expired 4x5 not too unlike what you posted in the other thread!

The stabilizer/final rinse thing is definitely something to keep in mind. I wish I could find out for sure what films from what age fall on what side. I have at least one box that seems to straddle the transition period.

[Jerry Flynn]

If memory serves, this is the 8X10 film that Joel Meyerowitz used to produce Cape Light. He shot it in daylight and corrected the color in prining. There was also Vericolor II type S for portraits. I shot miles of 70mm rolls of this in my portrait studio days.

[Mark Sampson]

People who shot LF color neg before about 1995 commonly used VPL, because it was the only film that tolerated exposure times longer than 1/10 second. I generally used an 85B filter in daylight and rated it at EI 50; Joel Meyerowitz shot unfiltered and corrected in printing, as far as that was sometimes possible, just an artistic choice. VPS was designed to reproduce skin tone, lit by flash, and basically turned brown-looking when shot with long exposures in natural light. I, too, shot miles of 70mm VPS in my portrait days...