Ansco Supreme

[consumptive]

Received in an Ebay lot of random photo items a sealed tin of 35mm bulk film. Says: "Ansco Supreme negative film - perforated - gray base - nitrate - panchromatic." no dates on can.

I imagine its fogged some, but I'll roll up a few spools and see what happens.

Does anyone know any technical or historical info on this stuff? ASA? developer recommendations?

 

[jim appleyard]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't nitrate the stuff that would combust spontaniously? (sp?)

 

[fschifano]

You are correct Jim. See this pdf for some warnings. I sure hope the OP reads this before he opens the can.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cellulose.pdf

and this:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/technical/storage_nitrate.jhtml?id=0.1.4.11.12.12&lc=en

and this:

http://www.movieeditor.com/2005/nitrate.fire.html

Scroll down to the bottom of the last link and click on them. If that doesn't get your attention, you're beyond hope. In short, nitrate based films are not to be trifled with.

 

[consumptive]

Been doing a bit of googling on "nitrate" --- I knew it was flammable, had heard stories of old films going up in flames, archives burning to the ground, etc.

But man o man, *spontaneous combustion* is a whole other level.

Thanks Jim and Frank for the heads up. It would seem this isn't something anyone needs to mess with.

 

[jim appleyard]

I'd try to dispose of it properly. It's old (I don't know when they stopped making film with nitrate base; thus the name "safety film") and likely very fogged. Spend your time and money on new(er) film.

 

[consumptive]

Just now reading through the information Frank provided. I'll be calling local waste management Monday.

Again, thanks thanks.

 

[fschifano]

Nitrate film was last made around 1950- 51. By that time, though I guess most of the stuff in use was "safety" film. So whatever you have there must be at least 56-57 years old.

 

[cj8281]

Frank Schifano, I tried your link from above and the Kodak one did not take me all the way to the article that I believe you intended it to, I believe Kodak changed their website a bit and this is why. Here is the link as it is today. http://motion.kodak.com/US/en/motion/Support/Technical_Information/Storage/storage_nitrate.htm the third one to Movieeditor.com gives a 404 error.
The first one still works.

 

[mopar_guy]

To answer the OP's original question;

From Photo-Lab-Index 8th edition, 1946:

Section 8 - Film data
"Characteristics of Ansco Films
Supreme-A high speed, fine grain panchromatic film for photography by day or night, indoors or out. Supplied in rolls, packs and 35mm film."

Speeds for Weston meters:

50 daylight
32 tungsten