Kodacolor II from 1975

[Hell-on-a-stick]

I am currently in possession of some 616 and 127 Kodacolor II film, probably from the mid seventies, if all information is correct. Anyone have any idea about start times and temps for developing these films? I understand that regular C41 processing is out of the question, so how long should I push films that are this old in regular black and white developers? I currently use Caffinol-C-L, Tmax and Acufine Developers.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

Can't help with the developers you have, but I've developed Kodacolor II in Diafine and was able to pull images from it. There's an inky dye that will still be on the film after processing, but it rubs off easily with slight finger pressure while rinsing.

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

Thanks, Reid.
Any idea what time/temp you used for that Diafine? i can always order some. I've kind of been leaning towards diafine for 120mm dev anyway....

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

*bump

 

[pgomena]

I agree that a divided developer like Diafine might do good things for you here. I accidentally processed a roll of color film in divided Pyrocat-HD last summer, and it produced a surprisingly strong image. I used an (unmentionable in this forum) form of imagemaking to reproduce it, but it made a pretty darned good print.

Peter Gomena

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

I think i use that unmentionable form of image-making as well...it comes from not owning an enlarger. Thanks peter, i'll keep this in mind as i continue data mining.

 

[John Shriver]

Kodacolor II was the very first C-41 film. Any mini-lab that is willing/able to process 120 film can process 127 film. They can't scan it, but they can process it.

For the 616 film, you will need to find a lab with a dip & dunk C-41 line, and they will probably need to cut the strip of film once because of the length.

Note that the modern process with no Formaldehyde in the stabilizer will result in the color dyes not being stable in the long term. (That's the case with any C-41 film from before 2000.)

Either one could do a 1 stop push, but if you're going to scan it yourself, it's not essential.

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

Thanks for that last bit of info...I'll try to find some starting times for acufine...im having a rough go of it. I was hoping that since acufine was used extensively in the Seventies, that there might be a wealth of information...guess i'll stick it in for 10 min at 22c and pray.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

Sorry for the slow reply. I think that when I developed mine in Diafine, I did five or six minutes in each bath. It doesn't really matter since it develops to completion anyway, but I figured a few extra minutes wouldn't hurt.

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

Thanks for the info, Reid. I've got a batch of Diafine on the way. Gonna give it a go.

 

[Removed Account2]

I have recently developed a roll or two of Kodacolor II. Since my rolls had been in storage for a loooong time, in an exsposed but not developed state, I decided not to try Caffenol C-L. I have had less than fortunate luck with that brew.

Instead I went with Caffenol C-M, following Reinhold's recipes EXACTLY. I added 1 gram KBr per litre so technically we are speaking of Caffenol C-H according to reinhold.

My development time was bog standard, 15 minutes @ 20 degrees centigrade. The negatives came out, but a little weak&flat, not surprizing since the film been in storage exposed for more than 20 years...

I have rescued several old films like that recently, the latest was a Gevaert Gevapan, probably exposed before the Agfa - Gevaert merger in 1964. Each picture is a time-machine.....

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

Thanks, thats what i was going for. Something to work off of. There are several rolls of this film flying around me, now, so I will have to research. Diafine, Caffenol-c-M....now, I wonder if theres something for Tmax out there? Thanks for the info, i'll definitely put it to use!

 

[hpulley]

Is there no chance this stuff would process to color in C-41 with formeldahyde stabilizer? Too faded/shifted to be worth it I suppose.

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

I recently read a topic that stated, one could always 'bleach-bypass' the film, check to see if there are any dyes present and then Bleach, re-fix and stabilize in order to get what color image remains. It seems like a fool-proof method in order to make certain you dont bleach away your silver image before you know whether there are any dye-couplers left.

 

[hpulley]

Very interesting, hadn't heard of that but sounds good. It would be a shame either way, to convert to monochrome when there were in fact dyes there or to convert to color when there were no dyes left.

 

[wblynch]

I recently read of a person who develops old Kodacolor-X (c-22) in c-41 but at a colder temperature and for a longer time. They even got (sort-of) color pictures out of it.

Since it works for Kodacolor-X I am thinking to try it with an old (1978) Kodacolor-II roll I've got laying around. If it works, I'll report back here.

 

[Hell-on-a-stick]

Well, problem is, that c-41 in high temps will often cause the emulsion to fall off c-22 film. From what I've read, it's not recommended.
The kodacolor II should work, but you can always bleach it later, if you want to be certain to retain an image.

 

[hpulley]

Well, problem is, that c-41 in high temps will often cause the emulsion to fall off c-22 film. From what I've read, it's not recommended.
The kodacolor II should work, but you can always bleach it later, if you want to be certain to retain an image.

What about 17:30 dev and 8:00 blix at 24C? What temp is too high for the old emulsions like C-22 and E-3? Those would be eternity for machine processors but for hand tankers it wouldn't be a big deal.