A-2580 35mm film ?

[absalom1951]

I just picked up a 35 mmm film bulk loader. The only edge marking is a-2580. All an internet search brings up is an epson scanner. Anyone know what film this is? It is a auction find so who knows, the film could have been exposed to light.

 

[AgX]

And the perforation hole shape?

 

[absalom1951]

Rectangular , same size as my other 35mm film.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Is that edge marking engraved on the film, or exposed in the emulsion? I presume the former, since you say you don't know if the film is fogged. An engraved number, as I recall, is a batch number or date code, not a stock identifier.

 

[absalom1951]

Yes, it is exposed on the emulsion. It only took about 10 seconds for my rapid fixer to clear the film.

 

[Donald Qualls]

If you fixed without developing, it must be engraved -- normal edge markings are exposed on the halide and come up during development; they'd be invisible if you fixed undeveloped film.

Clearing that fast suggests a very slow film, possibly even a document type (or a release positive stock). Faster films normally take anywhere from 30-60 seconds to clear in fresh rapid fixer.

 

[absalom1951]

Thank you. I'll cut off a couple inches or maybe 6 in if that's enough. And develop it 4 10 minutes in d76 1-1 ?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Should be close enough to see the edge markings, anyway. Be sure to cut enough, in the dark, to get past the fogged end.

 

[absalom1951]

Film is very fogged. No other edge markings but a number 22 did appear before the A-2580.

 

[Donald Qualls]

So now the question is, is there enough of it to be worth fooling with, or should you just trash the rest? You can open the loader in the dark and feel how much film is left inside and then make a decision.

 

[absalom1951]

And hopefully when I open the loader the film doesn't end up on the floor in a tangled mess

 

[absalom1951]

I can make a mess

 

[Donald Qualls]

Open it with the lid up and you shouldn't have a problem with film all over the floor.

 

[cmacd123]

if it is marked in Ink of the back of the film, and if it has BH perforations, (rounded ends) it would be movie stock..

best bet is to get a couple of feet into a cassette and develop it. if it is not fogged you have a good chance of finding a brand name, the "A' likely is a code for the type of film, (that is the sort of clue many makers used) The inked markings were typically placed once a foot. often accompanied by a small Dash marking every 4 perfs. the number would incredemt by one every foot, which was a great help to the person matching the negative to the workprint in editing..

 

[cmacd123]

When we ask about "perfs" this is a screenshot form the Kodak MP film catalog. Most still film uses KS (kodak standard size) perfs which are straight sided on all corners. while Movie film often has BH (Bell and Howell) perfs which have rounded sides. that is one way to determine differences in 35mm film. (there are also other Perf styles like CS (smaller for Cinemascope AKA "Fox Holes") but those are the main ones. either style will work fine in 99.99% of all still cameras.

 

[absalom1951]

Thanks Donald Qualis and cmacd123 . I've got a cassette loaded . Will use it up tomorrow and try to get time for developing it.

 

[absalom1951]

First I need to retract my reply to AgX about the shape of edge perforations , they are not square as I said. Guess I looked at them to fast , but my eyes
aren't as good as they used to be. If I'd took my glasses off I most likely wouldv'e been okay. The perfs are movie perfs as in the file cmacd123 posted .
Must have 35mm movie film.

I developed it in d76 1-1 for 10 minutes plus I added 4 drops of benzo. I shot a series of 14 photos - 7 different scenes of 2 photos each - 1 shot at 50 iso
and 1shot 25 iso. The 25 iso shots came out better but still a lot of fog.

Edge markings were " Eastman 10 H1 " . followed by the word " safety ",. Seemed as though there is quite a bit of film , but as severely fogged as it is
I don't think I'll be playing with it much.

 

[craigclu]

This doesn't seem to directly address your id needs but I thought this was interesting and had never seen it before (attached). Perhaps an answer is there but a quick scan didn't see it.

 

[cmacd123]

the 10 would indicate which of the many strips the master roll was cut into your roll came from, and also which perforator put in the holes. the date is indicated by the triangles dots and squares you find. and of course, like all kodak film, S'afety would indicate US manufacture, SA'FETY made in Canada, SAF'ETY made in UK and SAFE'TY -- France. (I believe that SAF,ETY indicates Colorado, but have not seen a definitive statement.)

 

[absalom1951]

With everybody's help I have found out the film was produced in Rochester , the S'AFETY showed that. I got my trusty
magnifying glass and spotted that . With the help of my glass I also found a triangle followed by a square. From the
guide graigclu provided it showed thet film being manufacture in 24 or 44 or 64.

So, I'm thinking the film was manufactured in 64 at Rochester. ? Now, I am not sure what to do with said film , with it being so
fogged. I'll store it in my freezer and wait for the price of fogged film to sky rocket . I tried scanning the film but my scanner and
I do not have a working partnership.

Thanks for all the help. I learned a lot about 35mm movie film.

 

[cmacd123]

Most 35mm Movie camera negative film before WWII was on Nitrate base, with all production shifted to safety base by about 1952. so 1964 is a good bet. the fact that you get any image from film almost old enough to collect a pension is a tribute to folks in Rochester NY. Movies used Nitrate so long as early Safety film did not stand up to handling as well. WWII no doubt helped to speed up improvements. 16mm was always on Safety base.

 

[absalom1951]

Thanks for the info cmacd123. How would any of today's films perform in 50-60 years?

I believe I will offer the film & loader for the price of shipping to anyone who's interested . The loader is a Watson 66. Instead of storing the loader and film
it needs to go to someone who wants to play with it.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Use ice cubes to dilute your developer. That, along with the benzotriazole (experiment with the quantity) can save some pretty badly age fogged films.

Or just toss the old film, but with bulk rolls running from $50 to over $100 these days, I'd consider it worth a couple more short rolls to see if developing at 50F with BZT will make that film usable...

Edit: wait, cost of shipping? PM incoming...

 

[absalom1951]

film and loader might be spoken for.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Given the speed and age, this might be Double-X Negative with bad fog -- introduced 1959, still available as cine and reloaded by various suppliers for stills -- or one of the Plus-X cine films (one reversal, one negative, same speed -- not sure what the difference was, perhaps silver antihalation in the reversal stock).