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Advice need on shooting expired Tri-x

J Rollinger

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Jan 31, 2009
Messages
468
Location
Chicago, IL
Format
Multi Format
I have 7 rolls of expired Tri-x (2005) that has base fog and was wonder how i should expose it? I never shoot film that was not new or expired/frozen until now and i don't want to toss it. What speed should i expose it at and how should i alter the development? I always use Rodinal 1+25 for 7 minutes. I have D-76 also. Any advice would be appreciated! THANKS!
 
What leads you to believe it's fogged?
Unless it was stored improperly it should be fine. I routinely shoot film from 06-07 but it most has been stored properly.

I usually rate it at 200-250. I'll use HC 110 if it's suspect but usually just use D76.
 


I shot a roll to test it and noticed the base was fogged. I have only shot a few rolls of Tri-x before so i got my old tri-x neg's out to compare
and noticed the fogging.
 
If there's fogging then there's probably not much to be done - nothing I know of anyhow. I wanted to mention, however, that I have shot with older Tri-x without issue and just want to agree with Bruce that if stored properly it should stay for a long, long time. I use Rodinal as well but at 1/50 for 12 minutes or so...though to be honest a lot of the black&white work I do has been sloppier and less precise than I would like...so I would say 'around' 1/50 for 12-ish minutes.

Do you have a scan you could provide of the issue at hand?

Best of luck.
 

Thanks for the info! I tossed the roll last week (snapshots) but hopefully i'll shoot another roll this weekend so i can post the negs. I received the Tri-x from someone else. How would i post the fogging of the base?
 
just enjoy it and don't worry about fog.
i have a handful of boxes of 5x7 tri x that
has been shelf stored since the 90s.
i still shoot it and don't worry about it

enjoy it while you have it !

john
 
I'm using up some Tri-X 4x5 that expired in 1989 and was stored at room temp.
I've been rating it at 200 and 25% less development. Some base fog but nothing that can't be printed through.
 
If you want to reduce fog, overexpose and pull. As fog has it's own level of exposure so to speak, so lessening the development will develop the fog to a lower level.
 
You can add 0,5-1 gr KBr / lit in developer to reduce fog
 
Developer choice makes a difference. The recommendation to use HC-110 is good, something like 1:25 would probably be really good. You get short development times, though, so be careful when you process to get even development.

I had some Tri-X 400 that expired in 2004 that I used up in 2008, and it had serious base fog in Pyrocat-MC/HD but in HC-110 it was actually pretty clear.
I shot it at EI 200 and held back development a little for some really nice negs.

Good luck!

- Thomas
 
If you suspect that you've a lot of base fog on this film, then just give it an extra stop of exposure and handle it as you would fresh Tri-X. HC-110 is good, but don't go crazy if you don't have it. D-76 or XTOL will be perfectly fine for the job. The over exposure will bump the shadows up higher than the base fog so you'll have some detail there. If the highlights get blown out, then you can think about reducing development a bit to keep them in check. Otherwise, don't worry about it.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone! I will over expose the Tri-x and cut the development. Thanks again!!
 
Martin,
I have used TMX that is a few years out of date. I would suggest a trial of normal exposure and normal processing. Tri-X (or any emulsion that uses cubic cristals) has a variety of different sized crystals and they can generally be over exposed more easily that the T-grain films.
Regards,
Dave
 
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