Developing expired P3200

[mau]

Hi all,

I have a roll of Tmax P3200 kept at room temperature in a wardrobe for some 10 years (it was purchased as normal, non-expired film).
I can only assume it's expired but I'm not sure about the exact expiration date.

I've shot it at ISO 800.
Given the uncertainty about its conditions, I thought about processing it in Rodinal, stand or semi-stand, something like 1+100 for 1 hour.

What do you think? Do you have a better suggestion?

Thanks

 

[Paul Howell]

At 10 years old, Max 3200 may have fog, I would not go for an extended developer time, if you generally use Rodinal then maybe 1:25. If you access to D76 or ID 11, stock, HC 110 dilution B. If you optailly print, then outside the box, stand development 24 hours in a refrigerator then print 00.

 

[koraks]

I'm with @Paul Howell - I'd try something other than Rodinal. Due to the inherently compensating nature of D3200, I personally would agitate normally instead of doin stand development.

 

[Agulliver]

I would third not trying stand or semi-stand development. It is not useful in such circumstances.

I think you're wise to have shot at 800, and are likely to get decent enough results. My personal choice would be ID-11 or D76 as mentioned above, stock solution, for whatever time Kodak recommend with the usual agitation every minute processing as normal.

 

[ant!]

My personal choice would be ID-11 or D76 as mentioned above, stock solution, for whatever time Kodak recommend with the usual agitation every minute processing as normal.

As I had something similar a while ago, expired Delta 3200 (maybe 5 yrs only and frozen), also shot at ISO 800-1000: I had it developed in HC 110 dilution B, I think I used the times for ISO 1600 but was not sure about that. Which times should be taken ideally in these situations, something like the original ISO, right? Which I heard for Delta 3200 is 1600, not 3200 (not sure how Tmax 3200 differs in this case).
Now I have some DD-X around and probably use this the next time, still have a few which I should use soon.

This was 120 format, but I have to say I didn't like my results too much. Not sure if this was my process or my taste... Was not so much about the grain but the high contrast/tonality (that's the best I can describe it... maybe it was the grain as well, even in 120).

And then I have still a 35mm Tmax 3200 expired in 2003. Even though frozen, I am not expecting much from this one anymore...

 

[mau]

Thank you all for your replies.
I ordered some HC 110 because it's just a more convenient format than powder.

I'll post the results when I have them

 

[mau]

Update for those who might be interested.

I developed in HC-110 for 8.5 minutes at 20C (as per Kodak times for p3200@800ISO).

The negative was extremely fogged, but overall I think it would have been usable if not for a small detail: it turns out I had already exposed the negative 10 years ago, and then I exposed it again recently.
Hilarious

 

[loccdor]

Thanks for the update. This is one reason why I've never elected to do the "leader-out" method when finishing a roll.

 

[ant!]

Thanks for the update. This is one reason why I've never elected to do the "leader-out" method when finishing a roll.

I am still a bit undecided on my method (mostly completely in), but when I use leader-out, I immediately after removing the film from the camera kink the leader as a marker...

 

[koraks]

it turns out I had already exposed the negative 10 years ago, and then I exposed it again recently.

Two sets of images for the price of one!

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I wind the film back into the cassette (well the camera's motor does that of its own volition). I pull the leader out with a retriever to load the developing reel.

 

[Ben Hutcherson]

I prefer leader out(to the point that I usually hand-rewind my F4 and F5 to get it, and have my F6 set to do it), but my habit for a while has been to tear the leader off so that I know it's been exposed. This may be unecessary paranoia, but I still mostly have color film lab processed and the labs I use largely use minilab type machines that use a leader card to pull the film out of the cassette. With as difficult as a lot of cans are to open now(especially in a changing bag, which is what I'm using now), I've found that I largely prefer pulling out the trap to opening the can where possible. I have been told that leaving the leader out is less likely to get dirt and crud in the light trap that pulling the film in. Of course that's irrelevant if you pop the can and pull the film that way, but using a leader pick(as minilab machines will generally have to do) is yet another chance to get crud in the trap that's then there to scratch your film as it's pulled out. Maybe all that's a fairy tale or an exaggeration, but it's how I've been doing it for a while so I doubt my habits will change.

Granted with Kodak now moving a LOT of films to Estar, this has become quite a bit more difficult. The first roll of Ultramax I shot this caught me off guard, especially as I hadn't realized Kodak was moving so many films here(and my pocket knife came to the rescue). Most of the 35mm B&W films out there still seem to be on acetate(I know there are some exceptions, like a few of the Rollei offerings, and almost all 70mm film color and B&W is on polyester) so it's not a big deal. Even if I don't have a way to cut/tear the leader, just pulling on polyester will "distress" it enough that it's pretty obvious to me that I at least attempted to pull the leader off.

To the thread-I have a dozen mixed rolls of P3200 and Delta 3200 that I bought in 2018 or so out in the freezer, and after they inadvertently spent about a year stored out of the freezer I've just let them be because I wasn't sure if they would be useable. This thread makes me want to load one up and try it, albeit probably at ISO speed and not the box EI.