Mystery 110 cartridge - how to develop? - save cartridge?

[jay moussy]

I seem to have a mystery exposed 110 cartridge "CVS" 200, found in a trashed Instamatic.

How do I physically load it on something to develop?
all I have is a Paterson tank and reels, trays, and a very vintage Kodak apron system.

Is there a way to save the cartridge for future use?

 

[Donald Qualls]

The 110 cartridge can sometimes be salvaged, though whether you can open it in a reusable manner in the dark and save the film is questionable.

One classic method to do one-off 16mm processing is to tape the 16mm film (in the dark, obviously) to a long enough fixed-out 35mm strip and load it into your regular 35mm reel. If you're going to shoot 16mm routinely, you'll probably want to either modify a plastic reel to the correct width, or get a stainless 16mm reel and learn to load it (does not work the same as 35mm/120 stainless reels -- I have one, somewhere and have never gotten the film to go into it, even in the light). What I did, since I shoot Minolta/Kiev 16 format, was to build an ABS drain pipe tank with pour-through light trap and a sealed core (to reduce liquid requirements -- takes less than 80ml for a 120-length roll of 16mm). Film is taped to the core, core loaded into the pipe, fill cap installed in the dark, then it's just like any daylight tank -- except it takes far less liquid.

(Pentax Spotmatic SP, Super Takumar 50 f/1.4, Tri-X, Caffenol

(Same as above)

As I recall, I later made a longer tank section and core to accommodate longer film than the standard Minolta 16 size of about 20 inches. I have not, however, located this tank since getting my darkroom built.

 

[AgX]

If you would regularly process type 110 film, you might consider to acquire the Jobo reel 1001a (16mm). This is a version modified by Jobo themselves of their 1001 (35&60mm) standard reel. Both are the older type of reel with spirals made from clear plastic. Both are made for the 1000 tank system. I once started a tread on the differences of the old versus the new reels (system 1000 vs. system 1500).

 

[bsdunek]

I would think CVS 200, would mean CVS Drug Store labeld film. Speed 200 would probably be color - C41 process. Kodak 200 was a popular film in the 110 days.
I would send it to The Darkroom: https://thedarkroom.com. I have had them develop and print many oddball film cartridges with excellent results.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I would think CVS 200, would mean CVS Drug Store labeld film. Speed 200 would probably be color - C41 process. Kodak 200 was a popular film in the 110 days.
I would send it to The Darkroom: https://thedarkroom.com. I have had them develop and print many oddball film cartridges with excellent results.

My only disagreement with this is that if you send your film to The Darkroom, you surely won't get your cassette back. I think there are 3D printed cassettes available now that work in most (if not all) 110 cameras, but if you process C-41 at home, there's no reason to send this off. And if you don't, but have the equipment for B&W, you can get a C-41 kit for not much more than twice what it'll cost you to get a single roll processed by The Darkroom.

 

[foc]

If you wish to save the cassette and develop the film yourself, then you can try the following.

• Check that you can see the backing paper. This can be done by viewing the film cassette from the label side and you should see X X X in the number window. (if you see arrows then the film is not used/exposed).
• Now turn the film cassette around so the non label side is facing you and using a ball point pen, push the tip of the pen into the backing paper where it covers the number window.
• Use the pen tip to gently lever the backing paper out of the cassette. The tail end of the backing paper should come out of the cassette and if you gently and slowly pull the backing paper, the end of the film should appear from the take up part of the cassette.
• Just leave the film end, the length of the cassette opening and you won't spoil any shots on the film.
• Load onto your 110 developing spool in the bark bag (or however you normally do it) and off you go.

If you try to break or crack the film cassette, you won't be able to reuse it. In all my years opening 110 cassettes I could never get them to crack open like a 126 cassette and so be able to stick back together.

 

[removed account4]

sometimes there is a seam on the 110 cartridge and sometimes you can use an exacto / utility knife blade and separate the 2 halves.. be careful smooth plastic is slippery and getting stabbed is no fun. blue moon also processes and prints (with an enlarger! ). 110 film ( minox too ). they are a mom and pop store maybe you can ask and they will return your cassette. if it was me? I'd break the cassette pull the film out and crumple it into a ball and stick it in a empty reel tank. I had never heard of this method but if you do that and shake the can with your developer ( I'd use Dektol 68ºF 1:4 for 4 mins ). and shake it .. not everything will come out but you don't have to deal ... and since it is found film of questionable origin .. it will come out b+w

 

[AgX]

... pull the film out and crumple it into a ball and stick it in a empty reel tank. I had never heard of this method ...

Neither did I. Neverteless an interesting method and the today being so en vogue scratches will be there for sure.

 

[Truzi]

Pull the film out as described above, and deal with the cassette later when you have time.

I've found the Kodak cassettes are usually sealed quite well and are difficult to open without breaking - use the razor-blade knife suggestion. I've found cartridges not made by Kodak to be easier to open (sometimes without a knife), so you may get lucky depending on who made the cartridges for CVS.

 

[Donald Qualls]

CVS film used to be Ferrania (before their bankruptcy, when they were the third source of color film left on Earth after Kodak and Fuji). No easy way to tell prior to processing (the box probably said, but the cassette label might not), but they were the last company, as far as I'm aware, making 126 and 110 film (and the cartridges). They were still making them a decade after Kodak dropped all 110 offerings.

 

[jay moussy]

CVS film used to be Ferrania (before their bankruptcy, when they were the third source of color film left on Earth after Kodak and Fuji). No easy way to tell prior to processing (the box probably said, but the cassette label might not), but they were the last company, as far as I'm aware, making 126 and 110 film (and the cartridges).

On closer look, in addition to CVS PicturePlace (a trademark), there is a "CL3160' and made in Japan.

And yes, I was thinking along @jnantz 's idea, just throw it in the soup and see what comes out!

 

[Donald Qualls]

"Made in Japan" pretty well means Fuji. Ferrania was always made in Italy. That film is probably from 2000 or before; Fuji made 110 for a while after Kodak dropped it, but only for a couple years.

 

[fabulousrice]

I seem to have a mystery exposed 110 cartridge "CVS" 200, found in a trashed Instamatic.

How do I physically load it on something to develop?
all I have is a Paterson tank and reels, trays, and a very vintage Kodak apron system.

Is there a way to save the cartridge for future use?

Whatever happened to this project? Did something ever came out?

 

[jay moussy]

Whatever happened to this project? Did something ever came out?

OP here. I did not develop, uncertain on how to proceed.
As this is a found film cassette, nothing of value, I may try developing in open tray method in 1:25 Rodinal, maybe, then rinse and fix and wash, loose in a tank?

 

[fabulousrice]

OP here. I did not develop, uncertain on how to proceed.
As this is a found film cassette, nothing of value, I may try developing in open tray method in 1:25 Rodinal, maybe, then rinse and fix and wash, loose in a tank?

Do it!