Is it possible for latent images to completely disappear while the emulsion still kept most of its sensitivity?
Here is some context to this question. I bought an Icarette 551/2 camera with a partially exposed Ilford Selochrome film in it. I shot the remaining two frames and developed the film. The first test frame that I shot was heavily overexposed (shutter misfunction) but the second was fine. Unfortunately, the rest of the film was blank as if it was never exposed. There were fog and signs of light fungal/bacterial damage to the emulsion but no images. Frame 6 at which the photographer stopped was fogged which is common for film left in a camera for decades.
Of course, it is possible that the photographer made a mistake and massively underexposed the film. But assuming that was not the case, is it possible for the latent images to disappear during several decades of storage? Could the exposed film revert to its unexposed condition? What are the mechanisms involved? Are there any studies on the longevity of the latent images that I could read?
For reference, this is the test image. Nothing special, just a random shot of the neighbour's house. Exposed at about EI 40 (or whatever 1/100 s at f5.6 is now on this camera). Developed for 4.5 + 4.5 minutes in Barry Thornton's two-bath developer with 20 g/L of Sodium Metaborate for part B to increase contrast.
Here is some context to this question. I bought an Icarette 551/2 camera with a partially exposed Ilford Selochrome film in it. I shot the remaining two frames and developed the film. The first test frame that I shot was heavily overexposed (shutter misfunction) but the second was fine. Unfortunately, the rest of the film was blank as if it was never exposed. There were fog and signs of light fungal/bacterial damage to the emulsion but no images. Frame 6 at which the photographer stopped was fogged which is common for film left in a camera for decades.
Of course, it is possible that the photographer made a mistake and massively underexposed the film. But assuming that was not the case, is it possible for the latent images to disappear during several decades of storage? Could the exposed film revert to its unexposed condition? What are the mechanisms involved? Are there any studies on the longevity of the latent images that I could read?
For reference, this is the test image. Nothing special, just a random shot of the neighbour's house. Exposed at about EI 40 (or whatever 1/100 s at f5.6 is now on this camera). Developed for 4.5 + 4.5 minutes in Barry Thornton's two-bath developer with 20 g/L of Sodium Metaborate for part B to increase contrast.