Developing ancient rolls of ORWO NP 20 exposed in an ancient camera

bonk

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I have found two ancient rolls of ORWO NP 20 (ASA 80), probably from the 80ies, and exposed them using an Agfa Clack, wich has only two exposure setting, cloudy and sunny. So everything is probably very incorrectly exposed.

The only developer I currently have at hand is X-Tol. What would be a safe and good way to develop them?

Stand development? Extreme push processing? Got some recipes for me?

Thanks!
 

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hello bonk
great to see you here !
I would not use x tol, if you have PRINT developer
you might think about using that ! I know I didn't answer your question
but xtol ( at least for me ) is a low contrast developer, and with old film that is 35-40 year old
it will be foggy and lacking contrast to start so with x tol the cards are stacked against you
I am not sure where you are, but I would look for PRINT developer like DEKTOL or something similar
all purpose plain vanilla print developer .. I would dilute it 1:5 and process your film in it for about 7 or 8 minutes
but that's me, I am sure there are others here who will be happy you use x tol and suggest insanity like stand developing
I look forward to the images you are able to rescue !
John
 
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Nicholas Lindan

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Well, I think you are about to become the world's expert on developing 40 year old Orwo.

I'd use the Xtol times for Plus-X, given as 8:15 for Xtol 1:1 in the usual Massive Development Chart (as finding Kodak data sheets is becoming increasingly difficult). If it were me I would also add 50% and try 12 minutes for the first roll and then adjust for the second. Agitate as usual, 1 inversion/second for 30 seconds and then for 5 seconds every 30 seconds. I've never fathomed the idea that Kodak didn't know what they were talking about when they came up with their agitation instructions...
 

MattKing

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Nicholas Lindan said:
I've never fathomed the idea that Kodak didn't know what they were talking about when they came up with their agitation instructions...
Click to expand...

LOL. their extreme dilutions when Xtol came out were one of the things that caused "sudden death". they suggested people dilute the developer 1:10
I think the expression is "mistakes were made" ...
==

good luck BONK with your xtol !
 
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bonk

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Interesting, why print developer? I’ve never headed about that approach.
 

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print developer will be more active so you will develop it for less time
D72 ( DEKTOL ) and ansco 130 have additives in them so they restrain fog a little
I have been using ansco130 or something like it ( gaf universal ) or dektol / d72 with film, all kinds, for years
between 20-25 .. nice contrast low fog .. perfect for old expired film ( I use expired film exclusively ) ..
vit c developers ( like x tol and caffenol ( I've been using caffenol since 2006 ) tend to be weak, foggy/stainy and low contrast.
but if you add some print developer in there it helps ( that's what I do .. you can find me in https://www.caffenol-cookbook.com too. )

have fun!
John
 
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