Old Boots fim dev.

[fidget]

Hi I wondered if anyone could make a best guess for the development of an old 120 film found in a recent purchase. It's a "Boots" film, labelled "Panchromatic Black and White". I have no idea of it's speed or age. I will try to develop it when I next dev some other film in 1:1 ID11 (and re-use the developer). It's not worth clip tests etc, there's probably nothing on it any way.
What guess would anyone have for a development time?

Regards, Dave.....

 

[bob100684]

agfa probably

 

[Brac]

The Boots Panchromatic films were not made by Agfa but by Ilford and the marked speed was 125 ASA (now ISO). They were the equivalent of the Ilford medium speed film of the time FP4 (not the current FP4 plus). I still have an ancient roll of 620 FP4 and the leaflet with that gives times at 20 degree C/68 degrees F as 6 mins in IDII. You may need to add on a minute or two because of its age which is probably 20 years plus. But FP4 keeps remarkably well so you will probably get useable results.

 

[PhotoPete]

Given that Diafine has one dev time for all films (3 min in A, 3 min in B), it is my first choice when confronted with a "mystery roll" of uncertain manufacture.

 

[kb244]

Given that Diafine has one dev time for all films (3 min in A, 3 min in B), it is my first choice when confronted with a "mystery roll" of uncertain manufacture.

problem is diafine develops at a specific ISO for each film, for example (if I remember this right) Tri-X may have been shot at 400, but diafine will develop it as roughly 1600 or so, so you'd end up getting overexposure if not completely blown out.

 

[Brac]

I can understand what is being said about Diafine but in this case this isn't a mystery roll, it is Ilford FP4 repackaged for the Boots the Chemist chain. I used several rolls of it, both in 120 & 35mm. It was on sale for a good many years and it was always made by Ilford which is why the boxes said Made in England. It was sold as Boots Panchromatic and the 35mm is edge marked with that. The roll-film (it was in 120, 620 & 127) was not edge marked.

 

[thebanana]

The really cool thing about APUG is that you can actually get an answer to a question about an obscure issue like this one

 

[fidget]

Thanks for your suggestions with this. I should have said that the camera is an Ilford Envoy bakelite 6x9 model, from the 50's. It seems to have a simple meniscus lens and a curved film plane. I bought it on Fee-bay and found this film inside. I have just developed some roll film and did this film in ID11 1:1 at 20'c for 15m. A prewash in water ran dark yellow when emptied out. I was very surprised to find images on it. As has been mentioned here, the film has no marks in the border, all 4 images are very thin and quite soft.
For interest I have attached a scan here. The mini in the picture has a registration number which is pre 1963 (ish), possibly even very late in the 50's, so this picture probably could have been taken in the early to mid 60's. Mini's didn't keep their looks for long, therefore I would doubt that this picture was taken in the 70's, making this 35 to 45 years old?

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Fidget,

Very interesting.....we had an enquiry from a guy who bought some stuff from E.Bay from New Zealand, he developed an ILFORD film that came with it and he had some very good images of a late 40's early 50's NZ campsite...as always try and process, we always suggest 10mins in ID11..

The mini ( with proud son of owner ) looks not dissimilar to my first car...which was a 1970 mini, blue and brown ( rust ) which sadly became detached from its subframe and went to mini heaven...but I had some fun in that car.....

Simon : ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited

 

[Matt5791]

I love stories like this - those photos lying dormant for all those years!

If the reg and "A"? if so that puts the car at August 1962 onwards, I think.

I think the mini came out in 1959? and the modfel shown does look like an early model - Also, so does the hairstyle.

 

[Curt]

My first car was a Simca. One color about a Zone IV in gray of course. Or was that grey? Oh and Simon I printed a photo of Hoover Dam that I shot on Ilford Pan F ISO 40 Rodinal 1:75 and it is outstanding. Used the JandC Nuance and LPD developer. I shot it with my 645 and I think I will use some with my Calumet roll holder and some in my Grafic 23 roll holders for even larger negatives.

The story here is really terrific and I hope we can see more old lost film development stories. What if someone found some glass plates? Wouln't that be one to tell?

 

[fidget]

Thanks for the comments. Simon, would that be a recommendation for development in ID11 at 10 mins at stock strength?
Matt, the reg number is a little unclear isn't it. The last letter looks like an "A" but the format of the whole number is not correct for an A reg car, I think. but as you have said, either way it would be early sixties.
I have had a small stash of SFX in my freezer since it's expiry date 1 year ago. Maybe I shouldn't worry too much if my film runs past it's "best-by" date by a few years.
Dave....