Exposure for ancient Kodak Verichrome Pan VP451 4x5 & reciprocity

jmarsh

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
15
Location
Rydultowy, Poland
Format
Medium Format
I have a 9x12 film pack of Kodak Verichrome Pan VP541 that I'd like to shoot in my 4x5 pinhole --pinhole = .2mm / fstop 250 / focal length =50mm

The film's use-by date is November 1958 (!!!). It's ASA is said to be 125 (its replacement was apparently Plus-X). My understanding with respect to old film is to increase by one full stop for every ten years, which would bring this film's speed down to 1, or less (?). Is my assumption correct?

Furthermore, how would one address reciprocity failure with this film, using the pinhole in question?

Thanks in advance...

joe
 

Arklatexian

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Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,777
Location
Shreveport,
Format
Multi Format

PlusX film was already being made when Verichrome Pan came on the market. It replaced Verichrome, an orthochromatic film. Verichrome Pan was, of course, a panchromatic film....I have no answers about using your film in a pinhole.......Regards!
 

Thorpelyon

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Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Messages
162
Format
Multi Format
I've used a lot of expired film (stocks from as early as the 1940's), for pinhole as well as "normal" photography. I use your formula of 1 stop for every ten years of expiration, and then I add another 1 stop for every thirty years of expiration to account for reciprocity failure. This has worked very well so far. I've been amazed at the pictures I've been able to coax off these heavily expired stocks...

Some examples (pinhole and otherwise):

https://flic.kr/s/aHsktnR6Dc

Have fun shooting with your expired film. It's the next best thing to time travel.

Cheers,
James
 
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