C22 in Rodinal - Result!

For anyone interested this is from a 127 C22 Kodakolor-X film expired 1974 developed Rodinal 1:25 10mins at 20 degrees. normal stop and 5 minute fix. I have pulled the contrast up a bit in editor.

The old film came from a recently deceased relative's house, and is my wifes grandparents.

Also, the film had actually got slightly damp because the backing paper stuck to the film a bit when I was loading into the tank, and I had to feel to rip the stuck bits off. Thought it was a goner then, and surprised anything came out!

I don't know about what you were trying to get, but I think the end result is what many folks would love to get. Well, if you are older at least. I'm pushing 70 and when I see this shot it reminds me of being 11 or 12 again and seeing one of my long deceased aunt's and uncle's in the same chairs, wearing the same clothes, shot with the same Kodak Instamatic and the b&w film process by me when I was 10 or 11 yrs. old. To me it has the look ("Americana 60's) that I can relate to. All in all, I'd say well done.

Very nice job!

Amazingly good result from a film exposed 40+ years ago. And probably much safer to try to get a good B&W result than attempting colour development with the "wrong" chemicals now that C22 has been unavailable for so long.

As a "P.S.", does anyone know whether an old Tetenal "Neofin Color" kit would be for C22 or the old Agfacolor pre-C41 process ? I have such a kit from the 1970's which appears in very good condition, and I'd rather like to try-it-out. The instructions are with it, but don't seem to state the films it works with !

This was the only image on the roll that had any interest. The rest were fairly poor snaps of a parade of carnival floats and not really interesting. As I say, surprised I got anything as the reel was rusting, and dragged the edges of the backing when unrolling, and the backing stuck to the film and ripped, and I had to feel for the end and pull it away. It was stuck to the non-emulsion side fortunately.

Just goes to show how resilient that latent image is.

Any color negative film can be developed in a STRONG B&W developer. I do mine in paper developer (Dektol) and get great results. The trick is to develop for about 10 minutes (if 75F) at about 1+5 dilution. You might have to adjust this, higher or lower dilution, or more or less time. Do clip tests to get what you want. After fixation you will have a very dark base. Simply run it through Farmer's Reducer until the base turns bright orange, and you will have a very usable negative.

I usually end up with a more contrasty negative because the orange base acts as a low contrast filter with VC paper. Again, do your own tests. - David Lyga