Developing Agfa Isopan Super Special Film

vltryl · Nov 20, 2020

Recently acquired my Grandpa’s Pontiac (MFAP) Bakelite , and found a tightly sealed exposed Agfa Isopan Super Special roll inside! Originally used with b1-6.

Anyone develop Agfa ISS before ? I would really appreciate a processing guide! I’m new to home developing , and am familiar with Ilford Chemistry.

Very interested in seeing what’s on the film , and feel like developing myself would be most gratifying.

Appreciate the help !!

AgX · Nov 20, 2020

Welcome to Apug (Photrio)

That B1-6 you refer to is nothing to be used with, but instead just the german standardized designation of this Rollfilm:

B1 means: equivalent to Kodak type 117 in reel size/shape
-6 means: 6x 6x9cm images at max., thus indicating the length of film on that reel (with 6x9cm just being the reference image-size)

Basicallly such film would not need any special developer, but just a standard one and respective processing time.
But yours is many decennia old, moreover the latent image likely that old too. This means a special developer that produces still an image anongst that fog that was created by the film ageing over all that time.

We got specialists here on this old film processing subject.

Tel · Nov 20, 2020

Some years ago I bought an old camera with an exposed roll of Isopan F in it. After researching the subject, I found a recommendation from a German photographer to develop in HC-110 dil. H for 13 minutes. The images I got were OK, and I guessed from the clothing that they were exposed in the late 1950s or early 1960s. I might have got better results with additional chemistry (or a different developer) but I was pretty happy with the images I got:

img637f by terry, on Flickr

vltryl · Nov 20, 2020

This is beautiful! I don’t mind imperfections , mostly looking for the content. Thank you!

Tel said:
Some years ago I bought an old camera with an exposed roll of Isopan F in it. After researching the subject, I found a recommendation from a German photographer to develop in HC-110 dil. H for 13 minutes. The images I got were OK, and I guessed from the clothing that they were exposed in the late 1950s or early 1960s. I might have got better results with additional chemistry (or a different developer) but I was pretty happy with the images I got:

img637f by terry, on Flickr

vltryl · Nov 20, 2020

Thank you for the information!!

AgX said:
Welcome to Apug (Photrio)

That B1-6 you refer to is nothing to be used with, but instead just the german standardized designation of this Rollfilm:

B1 means: equivalent to Kodak type 117 in reel size/shape
-6 means: 6x 6x9cm images at max., thus indicating the length of film on that reel (with 6x9cm just being the reference image-size)

Basicallly such film would not need any special developer, but just a standard one and respective processing time.
But yours is many decennia old, moreover the latent image likely that old too. This means a special developer that produces still an image anongst that fog that was created by the film ageing over all that time.

We got specialists here on this old film processing subject.

AgX · Nov 20, 2020

Yes, that example is remarkably good,. There is quite some "mottling" due to film-paper interaction, but no fogging as I expected.

JensH · Nov 20, 2020

vltryl said:
Recently acquired my Grandpa’s Pontiac (MFAP) Bakelite , and found a tightly sealed exposed Agfa Isopan Super Special roll inside! Originally used with b1-6.

Anyone develop Agfa ISS before ? I would really appreciate a processing guide! I’m new to home developing , and am familiar with Ilford Chemistry.

Very interested in seeing what’s on the film , and feel like developing myself would be most gratifying.

Appreciate the help !!

Hi,

I have exposed 70+ year-old ISS plates, developed them in Rodinal 1+50 for 5 min at 20°C in a tray.
But that were fresh exposes on old film.
You should get 6 images if it is 6x6 with BI-6 /117 film. The 6 in these old designations are a bit confusing, a BII-6 gives 9 6x6 images...
Source: Das Rolleiflex Buch by Walter Heering 1932

Best
Jens

AgX · Nov 20, 2020

To my understanding the figure refers to the number of 6X9 and not 6X6 images. As back then 6x9 was rather a standard size., and the figures always referring to the larger standard format. But I would have to dive deep into my archive to ne sure.
These designations are long forgotten. (Which proves that we are not as old as believed by some...)

Tel · Nov 20, 2020

AgX said:
Yes, that example is remarkably good,. There is quite some "mottling" due to film-paper interaction, but no fogging as I expected.

One of the frames that was closer to the spindle of the takeup spool (ie, less exposed to light/air/moisture) came out rather well

img638f by terry, on Flickr

Tel · Nov 20, 2020

I might suggest that you sacrifice a corner of the roll and do a test before developing the whole roll. You may find that the film has survived well; most black and white films will give you some sort of image even 50 years after they were exposed. I've shot and developed Tri-X from 1972 in 2012. Here's an image from a sheet of some Soviet film in a Fotokor camera I bought on ebay, stand developed in Rodinal 1+100. I've had a lot of fun with found films.

Found in a Fotokor 3 by terry, on Flickr

Developing Agfa Isopan Super Special Film

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