10 year old film usability

[xkaes]

Surely you recognize the fact that after a certain point, severe age-induced fog makes a film unusable.

I really hope you don't lose any sleep over ever encountering this improbability.

[Vaughn]

...
I find that D-23 1:1 produces much cleaner negatives than Pyrocat-HD when used side-by-side as semistand developers for very old film. The cost is that the grain will be more visible with the D-23. But in both cases, the long standing, low agitation methods sees to calm the visible fog down somewhat.
...

One can bleach a negative developed in a non-staining developer, then redevelop it in a staining developer if so desired, I suppose...

[Michael R]

I think the idea long development times with low agitation reduce fog would require objective testing/measurement as it would be surprising - it should have the opposite effect.

In any case, while there is not a whole lot one can do to reduce age-related fog, developers known to produce relatively low chemical fog are probably the best choice under these circumstances. Probably best would be Ilford PQ Universal but HC-110 and Rodinal are also good performers in this respect.

[Jim Andrada]

Send me the Efke 25. I know what to do with it.

I do too - just a small issue of not being quite physically up to the task these days. Some of my favorite 5 x 7 negs are on Efke 25.

[Rod Klukas]

Some notes to you. You should never freeze film unless you have an old 1950s freezer. The freezers with frost-free freezers since 1970s do a flash defrost/freeze agin cycle to eliminate the buildup of frost ice inside.
This is what causes freezer burn on meat, for instance.

Refrigeration will be sufficient for B&W film for many years.

Oh and Polaroid, is best kept about 50-60degrees F, as lower will dry out the chemistry and it is somewhat good to about 75 degrees. But eventually will dry out anyway. Freezing yields a very short life.

Freezing Fuji Velvia and the like, from them is also a killer. Fuji transparency films began to get a rusty, reddish veil, after about 6moths past date. The Kodak transparency films were much more stable.

Just some info.

Rod

[Rod Klukas]

I once salvaged some B&W infrared film for the local medical examiner here, July in Arizona, even though he carried it to me in his chest pocket. It was to get images in situ of evidence from a fire.

I added Bezotriazole, you can use Anti-fog #1, as well, to the developer and it cleaned it up a great deal. Not perfect but printable and useable.

These old films can perhaps be salvaged if that is all you have, By adding some these antifog chemistry to clear the fog a great deal.

Hope this is helpful.

Rod

[Tin Can]

Thank you Rod!