Advice wanted for processing an old roll of undeveloped film I found...

RobbieMnemonic · Apr 4, 2017

Hi all!

So I found this old roll of C-41 (Photoworks branded ISO400) film. I'm pretty sure it was shot because the film leader is rewound back into the roll. Not sure why it was never processed, but it was from the beginning of the digital era and I'm wondering how you think I might want to process it to get the best results I can out of it? Any advice you can give me is appreciated. I've no idea what is on it but would like to find out. Something my mom shot of our family I'm thinking.

Thanks!

Leigh B · Apr 4, 2017

I recommend Diafine for such situations.

It's a two-part developer.
Development is 5 minutes in each part regardless of what b&w film.
That's advantageous for unknown films.

It's also insensitive to temperature, working the same over a wide range.

- Leigh

bvy · Apr 4, 2017

Leigh B said:
I recommend Diafine for such situations.

It's a two-part developer.
Development is 5 minutes in each part regardless of what b&w film.
That's advantageous for unknown films.

It's also insensitive to temperature, working the same over a wide range.

- Leigh

This is color negative film.

I would recommend processing it normally, either yourself or at a lab. Film might be slightly fogged or low in contrast, but unless it was stored in extreme conditions, you should get workable images.

RobbieMnemonic · Apr 4, 2017

Leigh B said:
I recommend Diafine for such situations.

It's a two-part developer.
Development is 5 minutes in each part regardless of what b&w film.
That's advantageous for unknown films.

It's also insensitive to temperature, working the same over a wide range.

- Leigh

bvy said:
This is color negative film.

I would recommend processing it normally, either yourself or at a lab. Film might be slightly fogged or low in contrast, but unless it was stored in extreme conditions, you should get workable images.

Thanks for the replies! Yeah, its color negative. It was stored in a dresser drawer in normal indoor temps for the last 15 to 20 years. (lol) Should it be pushed at all do you think?

-Rob

Gerald C Koch · Apr 4, 2017

Even if you ignore that fact that this is color film, Diafine is not cheap. So unless you are already a Diafine user I would stick with C-41 processing.

Cholentpot · Apr 4, 2017

Regular ol' processing should do it. It might be a bit thin or have odd colors but you'll most definitely get usable images off it.

bvy · Apr 4, 2017

RobbieMnemonic said:
Thanks for the replies! Yeah, its color negative. It was stored in a dresser drawer in normal indoor temps for the last 15 to 20 years. (lol) Should it be pushed at all do you think?

I thought about that. You could. If it were me, I would -- maybe by a stop (+30 seconds). It's not going to mean the difference between getting something or nothing, but you might get improved density. Most labs will charge you extra to do that though.

You could send it to me if you like. I usually do several rolls of 35mm at once, and I could find a roll that I want to push...

Sirius Glass · Apr 4, 2017

C-41 processing yourself or by a photo finisher.

railwayman3 · Apr 4, 2017

I was given, last year, a cheap disposible camera, C-41 process, expired Sept 2005, found in a box in a self-storage unit. Out of curiosity I shot the film, had it processed and printed by the standard "D&P" service of a (good quality) lab. Result - 24 (technically) perfect prints, indistinguishable from fresh film. So my suggestion also would be to process as normal C-41.

(Your Photoworks film of that age might be from the pre-closure Ferrania factory.)

removed account4 · Apr 5, 2017

make sure it is actually c-41 film !

seatle filmworks changed their name to photoworks in 1999,
and seatle filmworks was famous for selling movie film ends that
you would send to them, and they would either process it as a chrome ( slide )
or make you negatives and prints. if it is their film it isn't processed in c-41 chemistry...

good luck !

RobbieMnemonic · Apr 5, 2017

Gerald C Koch said:
Even if you ignore that fact that this is color film, Diafine is not cheap. So unless you are already a Diafine user I would stick with C-41 processing.

Cholentpot said:
Regular ol' processing should do it. It might be a bit thin or have odd colors but you'll most definitely get usable images off it.

Thanks, you two!

bvy said:
I thought about that. You could. If it were me, I would -- maybe by a stop (+30 seconds). It's not going to mean the difference between getting something or nothing, but you might get improved density. Most labs will charge you extra to do that though.

You could send it to me if you like. I usually do several rolls of 35mm at once, and I could find a roll that I want to push...

Thanks for the offer! I actually have been sending my own rolls to NCPS in California and was going to include this one with them. I just don't have much experience with expired film. Thanks for the tips!

Sirius Glass said:
C-41 processing yourself or by a photo finisher.

railwayman3 said:
I was given, last year, a cheap disposible camera, C-41 process, expired Sept 2005, found in a box in a self-storage unit. Out of curiosity I shot the film, had it processed and printed by the standard "D&P" service of a (good quality) lab. Result - 24 (technically) perfect prints, indistinguishable from fresh film. So my suggestion also would be to process as normal C-41.

(Your Photoworks film of that age might be from the pre-closure Ferrania factory.)

Cool! That's interesting! I was trying to search online and see if it was just repackaged Kodak or Fuji. I wasn't sure what Photoworks used. Will be interesting to see how these turn out! lol!

jnanian said:
make sure it is actually c-41 film !

seatle filmworks changed their name to photoworks in 1999,
and seatle filmworks was famous for selling movie film ends that
you would send to them, and they would either process it as a chrome ( slide )
or make you negatives and prints. if it is their film it isn't processed in c-41 chemistry...

good luck !

Interesting! It actually does say on the canister "PROCESS C-41" so I guess it must be standard and not movie film.

Thanks for the help everyone!!

Advice wanted for processing an old roll of undeveloped film I found...

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