Kodak Tri-X Pan 1975 Vintage

wjlapier · Nov 4, 2022

What do you think. How would you shoot this film?

All I have is Rodinal for a developer.

I’ve got maybe 4 rolls left.

Anon Ymous · Nov 4, 2022

Eh, no, I wouldn't. I'd just keep it, or perhaps sell a couple on eBay.

Don_ih · Nov 4, 2022

Try iso25. Add benzo to the dev. Shoot your last frame twice and cut the last couple of inches off the film to test develop. Expect poor results and you may be pleased.
In Rodinal alone, I'd use 1:25 dilution to get the shortest dev time, with a slightly lower temperature. You can add a pinch of iodized table salt to your developing test to see if that helps cut the fog.

ic-racer · Nov 4, 2022

I have some Hp5 from around 1985 in my freezer. I bought the film new. I checked a clip of it about 15 years ago and base was almost 0.70.
Expect very long printing times if you like to stop down one or two stops.

gone · Nov 4, 2022

I would test half a roll and see. Shoot it at 25, 50, 100....that may be as far as you need to go, actually. FWIW, I once shot a new roll of TriX at 100, 200 and 400, then developed the roll normally w/ D76. Even the 100 looked good. Shadows were a little blocked up, but certainly printable.

takilmaboxer · Nov 4, 2022

Keep it. Display it. There are perfectly usable films available right now. The idea that old films are better...doesn't wash.

ags2mikon · Nov 4, 2022

Higher speed films age faster than slow films. Use it for display.

AZD · Nov 4, 2022

Go for it. You can still display the box AND a print from it… maybe. Old film definitely isn’t better than newer, but funner, if you’re into that.

I’d choose simple subjects which don’t depend on fine detail. The film may be anywhere from good with some fog to infected with fungus.

I agree with Don on exposure and development. Lots of exposure to get above the inevitable base fog. Strong developer to kick the densest highlights into action before the fog catches up. Agitate every 30 seconds. Do not be tempted to stand develop. Not that anyone mentioned it, but just don’t.

A few years back I got three 120 rolls of ancient Ansco film for $3. It had all kinds of problems but still made images. A couple months back I bought a roll of early 1980s Agfa Superpan 200 just for the neat box and reusable 35mm cassette, figured I’d use the film, and it’s mostly fine. Go figure.

Have fun and don’t take it too seriously, everything will turn out fine.

nosmok · Nov 5, 2022

Rate it at 100 or 200, shoot it, develop as you do, with maybe some benzo as anti-fog agent. It'll be all right, maybe not the best dynamic range you've ever seen, but worth the effort.

wblynch · Nov 6, 2022

AZD said:
… A couple months back I bought a roll of early 1980s Agfa Superpan 200 just for the neat box and reusable 35mm cassette, figured I’d use the film, and it’s mostly fine …

I have 5 or 6 rolls of the same. What would you advise for processing?

Trask · Nov 6, 2022

wblynch said:
I have 5 or 6 rolls of the same. What would you advise for processing?

I've developed several rolls of 1986 SuperPan -- really like that film! Here are my development notes from 2014 -- note I rated the film at ISO 100. And I'm attaching a photo of this film developed as stated; scanned image (Paris XVII).

2 October 2014
Develop about 15 exposures of 20 yr old Agfa Superpan 200 at ISO100 w/ Leica IIIa w/ 5cm f/2 Topcor lens and metered with Polaris incident meter. Reflections in doorway, violinists, etc.

Develop in 200ml Ilford ID-11 1:1 with 200ml H2O Temp 70F. Pre-soak 2 minutes 70F water, some agitation; no color in water when poured out. Develop 14 minutes total, agitate every minute, usually with toss back and forth technique.

Water stop bath 2X

Fix for 5 minutes in chilled Kodak Tmax fixer (fourth use) at 70f, drain, water rinse and stand in water to remove coloration, then hypo clear (fourth use) 70F for 2-3 minutes, rinse several times and stand again in water.

PhotoFlo several minutes, hang.

Results: Base fog is visible. This combination of ID-11 with SuperPan appears preferable to 510-Pyro, which seemed reluctant to push up the higher values. I like how the Topcor images.

wblynch · Nov 6, 2022

Very nice. I did one about 10 years ago in D-76 1+3 for 8.5 minutes. Came out sharp but low contrast. I will try your technique in the next one.

sorry to hijack the thread.

Bill Burk · Nov 6, 2022

I tested some 1974 Tri-X 120 and it rated 64. Mostly due to fog. Nothing special in development, just D-76 1:1

Christiaan Phleger · Nov 6, 2022

I would think one roll in D-76 1:1, with a couple of brackets, rate it at 200 although it's probably only 2/3 a stop off. You'll be able to figure out what to do with the rest of it. I would be more than careful with the loading and unloading sequence and be frugal with peeking at the red window, I'm not sure if that folder has that "feature', you don't need any more potential for fog.

AZD · Nov 7, 2022

wblynch said:
I have 5 or 6 rolls of the same. What would you advise for processing?

I seem to remember exposing a 5-6 frame test strip at 100 and developing in Rodinal 1+50 for 10 minutes. That combination is usually a good guess and works with most films, then you can adjust from there. It worked well enough that I’ll finish the roll that way. Since the film aged so well I’d expect almost any normal developer to work.

wblynch · Nov 7, 2022

Thanks AZD

Kodak Tri-X Pan 1975 Vintage

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