Extremely old film

FilmCurlCom · Jul 28, 2017

Hi all!

Just out of curiosity, since I came along this Ebay offer:
http://www.ebay.at/itm/KODAK-101-NC...066755?hash=item544ba09043:g:AlcAAOSwpONZOv99

I will not buy it for such a price, but am fascinated by it.
This seems to be an extremely old Kodak film, expired in 1913, I think I even saw some from that seller from 1907 or so, but 1913 is already over 100 years old!

Do any of you think that such a film would still give any sort of images? Any idea what its original ISO was (I know back then we didn't use ISO or ASA, but converting it to modern ISO, what would it be?)

I assume that because of age, this film would be completely fogged and useless today, but I find it fascinating to think that one could shoot on a >100 years old film now and develop it to see what happens.

Bernhard

JensH · Jul 28, 2017

Hi,

first, this is a (very expensive indeed) film for e.g. 9x9 cm, maybe type 122, no 120 - you would need camera to take that...

Old film or glass plates can be fun, I've been shooting a lot of these the last months:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums/72157686135321996
Typical iso is about 0, it is more important how well the film has been stored than age.

Best
Jens

railwayman3 · Jul 28, 2017

Jens Hallfeldt said:
Hi,

first, this is a (very expensive indeed) film for e.g. 9x9 cm, maybe type 122, no 120 - you would need camera to take that...

Old film or glass plates can be fun, I've been shooting a lot of these the last months:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136145166@N02/albums/72157686135321996
Typical iso is about 0, it is more important how well the film has been stored than age.

Best
Jens

Presumaby these microscopy plates would have been of a slow speed to start with (therefore better keeping properties than faster emulsions)? And perhaps glass is more stable for longer emulsion life than film base ?

Certainly you have excellent results there.

removed account4 · Jul 28, 2017

keep it out of the heat that stuff is flammable and gives off toxic gas when it burns.

FilmCurlCom · Jul 28, 2017

Does that film in the link I posted have a nitrate base?
I know that movie film did back then, but what about those still films, the very first safety base films were introduced 1910.

Nodda Duma · Jul 28, 2017

The emulsions from that era would have been a "normal" spectral sensitivity emulsion, with response in the UV and blue. Speed would have been ~ISO 1 or 2.

If you want to experiment with film/plates of that era, you're just as well off to coat your own plates with Liquid Light or mix your own emulsion (that's what I do) from a recipe of that era. You will have the exact same result either buying 100 year old plates or making your own, but with no guessing as to whether the old plates are still good.

Check out the emulsion-making forum here in APUG.

FilmCurlCom · Jul 28, 2017

But the film I have posted in the link is actually film. There are no plates, it's a roll of film on some sort of base, therefore my question if this is nitrate still?

pdeeh · Jul 28, 2017

Yes almost certainly

removed account4 · Jul 28, 2017

pdeeh said:
Yes almost certainly

yup

Kino · Jul 28, 2017

Yeah. It won't blow up in your hand, but don't go sticking a match to it or leaving it in direct sunlight.

JensH · Jul 28, 2017

railwayman3 said:
Presumaby these microscopy plates would have been of a slow speed to start with (therefore better keeping properties than faster emulsions)? And perhaps glass is more stable for longer emulsion life than film base ?

Certainly you have excellent results there.

Thank you.
Those days (If the film is really pre 1913) ortho plates were already sold. The film the OP linked shows a describtion "orthochromatic" so it is green sensitive.
Yes, the microscopy plates (Perutz Silbereosin) are slow speed, comparable with modern Ilford PanF about grain and contrast.
In my experiance slow speed/fine grain plates are not generally in better condition than faster ones (I had expected that, too). The faster ones tend to be very soft, missing the punch of the slower ones.

Glass seems to keep better than nitro base, I had some damaged anti halo back paint on pre 1945 sheed film.

Best
Jens

removed account4 · Jul 28, 2017

Kino said:
Yeah. It won't blow up in your hand, but don't go sticking a match to it or leaving it in direct sunlight.

i'd even be worried about putting it into an enlarger head ... the cleveland clinic fire was caused by xray film and a light bulb, and lets not forget
the expression " movie house fire "

FilmCurlCom · Jul 28, 2017

Yeah, agree. If this is really nitrate, I wouldn't touch it either.
Anyhow, it's way too expensive for experiments.

GRHazelton · Jul 28, 2017

Kino said:
Yeah. It won't blow up in your hand, but don't go sticking a match to it or leaving it in direct sunlight.

My Father found an ancient roll of film when I was in my teens. As a ChemEng and photographer he knew that it was nitrate based so he stretched it out on a board - outside of course - told us kids to step back and very carefully lit it with a long match. Very impressive! It was completely consumed in mere seconds.

Sirius Glass · Jul 28, 2017

You could use it as a hand warmer when it chooses to burst into flames. I would not buy it.

Kino · Jul 31, 2017

Extremely old film

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