• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

MCB's microfilm thread

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
I have way too much of this stuff now, lol. Thought I’d make myself a place to share, and I guess other folks can chip in too.

Today I got in the mail some Imagelink HQ film, with perfs! Rolled up a spool and am planning on playing around with it tomorrow.

I also have a roll of 2465 in the wings ready development. I also have to cut a whole bunch of it to 4x5 and 120, so tomorrow is probably gonna be kinda busy…

Anyway, enjoy the ultra-purple of Imagelink HQ!
 
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
Hmmmmm, so I was doing some poking around, and what do you know, this stuff has the exact same spectral sensitivity as CMS 20 II, or at least it’s super close. That should actually give me a nice comparison, which is really nice to have considering some films I’ve bought have zero images posted online lol.
 

Attachments

  • image0.jpeg
    130 KB · Views: 26
  • image1.jpeg
    57.9 KB · Views: 30

Patrick Robert James

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
3,419
Format
35mm RF
I have a ton of 16mm microfilm. Something like 3000 feet. Most of it is Fuji but I have some Agfa too. And Kodak. I also have a roll of 5" Fuji in the freezer. One of these days...

I've had decent success using the 16mm in 110 cameras for fun during the pandemic. Haven't used any in a while though. It is kind of a pain to reload 110 cartridges and use them.

Where did you find the perforated rolls?
 
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
Patrick Robert James said:
I have a ton of 16mm microfilm. Something like 3000 feet. Most of it is Fuji but I have some Agfa too. And Kodak.
Click to expand...
Yeah, most I see is 16mm.

Patrick Robert James said:
I also have a roll of 5" Fuji in the freezer. One of these days...
Click to expand...
Ooo what kind of 105mm Fuji? Sounds fun!

Patrick Robert James said:
Where did you find the perforated rolls?
Click to expand...
mshchem said:
Where did you find the perforated rolls?
Click to expand...
Happened to find someone online that has a bunch, if this stuff gives me good results I plan on buying a bunch of them and selling bulk rolls and 36 exposure rolls.
 

Cholentpot

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
7,022
Format
35mm
I used microfilm in 16mm and 110 cameras. I also put some through a Crown Graphic for ultra pano. It needed some oddball development in rodinal but it looked pretty good. Scratched really easily. I think it was HQ link.

This is HQ link put through a MTL3, for a nice little pano. I found the Prak one of the cameras that allows this kind of thing.
 

Alan Johnson

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
3,379
How old is your imagelink film? I found with 33 year old type 1461 there were tiny white specks evenly distributed over the whole 35 mm negatives at high magnification. I do not see these with Adox CMS20 II or FPP high-con = Eastman 2369 or with the King Mono 50 from Fotoimpex or AliExpess.

CD4-LC low contrast developer for scanning

Eterna RDS 4791 was a bit foggy for reasons unknown so I turned to Kodak. I found two Eastman films which from the MTF chart have a notably high resolution. 2234- available in cassettes in UK but not ? in US. 2369- available as Film Photography Project High-Con 2369 in cassettes. 2234 was tried...
www.photrio.com
 
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
The Imagelink HQ is from 2004-2007, so relatively late date stuff
 

WD4AON

Member
Joined
May 8, 2020
Messages
69
Location
Florida/NY
Format
Sub 35mm

That's an admirable photo on microfilm. How did you expose and process it? 73, Terry
 

thinkbrown

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2025
Messages
332
Location
Boston MA
Format
Multi Format
I've got like 19 rolls of Fuji HR-38 microfilm which is coated on a thinner base so you get 215ft/roll. Nearly a mile of the stuff sitting in the freezer, think I paid like $100 for the box a few years back
 

WD4AON

Member
Joined
May 8, 2020
Messages
69
Location
Florida/NY
Format
Sub 35mm
thinkbrown said:
I've got like 19 rolls of Fuji HR-38 microfilm which is coated on a thinner base so you get 215ft/roll. Nearly a mile of the stuff sitting in the freezer, think I paid like $100 for the box a few years back
Click to expand...

Do you want to share some of it?
 

Cholentpot

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
7,022
Format
35mm
WD4AON said:
That's an admirable photo on microfilm. How did you expose and process it? 73, Terry
Click to expand...

Exposed at I think ISO 25 and developed in Rodinal. It was a while ago, I don't remember the exacts at this point.
 

loccdor

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2024
Messages
2,657
Location
USA
Format
Multi Format

Cholentpot

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
7,022
Format
35mm
loccdor said:
@Cholentpot Great image!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I have to go root around and see exactly how I developed the stuff.

Yep, MTL3 developed in Rodinal 1:200. I think it was stand developed or semi stand. Shot at ISO25




Film needs gentle handling I've learned. Scratches easily.
 

WD4AON

Member
Joined
May 8, 2020
Messages
69
Location
Florida/NY
Format
Sub 35mm
Cholentpot said:
Thanks! I have to go root around and see exactly how I developed the stuff.

Yep, MTL3 developed in Rodinal 1:200. I think it was stand developed or semi stand. Shot at ISO25




Film needs gentle handling I've learned. Scratches easily.
Click to expand...

Nice image from microfilm!
 

Cholentpot

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
7,022
Format
35mm
WD4AON said:
Nice image from microfilm!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I didn't know there were microfilm fans out there.

Instamatic 60 with some micro. Taped a dark piece of film over the sensor to trick it to shoot slower.

 
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
Things I have learned:
  • this version of H&W works. It works extremely well. And it works extremely well with this film.
  • this film looks to be about 25 ISO in H&W. Maybe a little lower, maybe 20. But, that makes sense, ya know, considering what film this is…
  • this film is **NOT** orthochromatic!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4491.jpeg
    338.3 KB · Views: 36
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
so, I’ve done a couple of more test rolls with HQ in H&W control, and I have learned a couple of things.

EI 12 seems to work best, 15 minutes at 20° gives you very nice negatives with both shadow and highlight detail.

EI 25 also seems to work alright. 11 minutes at 25° will give you decent negatives, still has detail in both highlights and shadows, but the base gets slightly fogged.

I have a feeling that if I added a pinch of KBr, I could probably get rid of the base fog, but I don’t have any on hand, and I don’t know if it’s worth chasing. Perfect is the enemy of done type situation.

Overall, I definitely think that this is a nice combination. I think I’m going to shoot a roll at EI 12 and scan it, and I might scan the EI 25 shots as well.

I attached a picture showing the base fog increase, curious to hear your thoughts. Is it worth pursuing? Or should I just not worry about it?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4545.jpeg
    243.8 KB · Views: 29
Last edited:
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
I bought some KBr, I’ll try it and see if it improves things.
 
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
OK, well, I have my answer. Adding a small amount of potassium bromide (approx. 0.13g/l if working solution) did in fact restrain the developer. There is a little to no base fog, but the film still developed as expected. I just used a very short 8 exposures roll for that test, but I’ll make a couple more test rolls and see about developing them and getting them scanned.

This also might be something I look into using for 2465 now that I know why that film seemed to have issues with it (developer exhaustion is not an adequate restraining method for some films).
 
OP
OP

MCB18

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
1,384
Location
Colorado
Format
Medium Format
Well, the test roll that I previously shot at EI 12 looks absolutely stunning, aside from the few that are very obviously underexposed lol. I developed it at 23° for 10 minutes. I’m basically using the Adox CMS20 ii developing table, and it’s working very well, so that’s actually rather convenient.

I’ll see if I can scan these at some point.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4634.jpeg
    262.3 KB · Views: 29

WD4AON

Member
Joined
May 8, 2020
Messages
69
Location
Florida/NY
Format
Sub 35mm
Patrick Robert James said:
Terry (isn't it?) I think you gave me some Kodak Recording film a few years ago so if you want any of the Fuji HR-21 I have you are welcome to it.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the delay in responding. I'd like a roll or two of the Fuji Super HR-21 if you can spare some. I can send Paypal $$ to cover your costs and shipping. Please reply to: wd4aon@arrl.net. 73, Terry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register