Old chemistry: any good after 35 years?

I've been gifted a few packages of B&W chemistry that probably dates back to the mid/late 1980s: large packets of D76, and Microdol-X, plus everal small packets of Kodak Fixer and Hypo Clearing Agent. Other than one of the packets of Hypo Clear, which has gone clumpy inside, the others appear to be sealed and have not taken on water vapor (no hardening or clumping evident)

Are any/all of these likely to be usable and "up to spec"? I know I can always mix the developers and fixer and test to see if they work, but the hypo clear is harder to evaluate.

PS: I have also been offered a few 120 roils of GAF Super Hypan dated 1968 (!!!!) and I've done the web search to guestimate its usability (IE: expect moderate to heavy fogging and significant loss of speed). Is this film even worth bothering to use, do you suppose? I gather it wasn't really regarded as a particularly stellar film in its time. Obviously, I will test one roll and look at the results before I waste a lot of time or energy on the remainder, but I wondered if anyone here has experience with that film. Thanks.

Paul

If it was Rodinal then I would have said yes, I have used that stuff older, but anything else I would proceed with extreme caution, they are certainly well past there use by date, the only way to tell would be to mix some and try it, but i wouldn't hold my breath

I'd guess that if the packages of powders are still sealed they should be good. Just mix some up and give it a try on non-critical film. The hypoclear is another matter, you wouldn't know of its goodness (without a residual hypo check kit) until loooong after the fact. Good luck!

I have Microdol-X that my Dad bought in the 1070's, and it still works well. I use it for developing the Adox 25 Minox film he bought at the same time. That has been kept in the freezer, and it is fog free and negatives look good.
As for the GAF film, yes, test it, especially if you don't know how it was stored. For something like this, I cut some film off the roll and just put it in fixer and wash. Then use the rest of the roll and develop normally. That way you can compare the fog.

R.Gould said:

If it was Rodinal then I would have said yes, I have used that stuff older, but anything else I would proceed with extreme caution, they are certainly well past there use by date, the only way to tell would be to mix some and try it, but i wouldn't hold my breath

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In fact, part of this package of old chemistry did include a full bottle of "vintage" Rodinal, but of course, we all know it still works! And yes - I've already used it ;-)

bsdunek said:

I have Microdol-X that my Dad bought in the 1070's, and it still works well. I use it for developing the Adox 25 Minox film he bought at the same time. That has been kept in the freezer, and it is fog free and negatives look good.
As for the GAF film, yes, test it, especially if you don't know how it was stored. For something like this, I cut some film off the roll and just put it in fixer and wash. Then use the rest of the roll and develop normally. That way you can compare the fog.

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Excellent suggestion, thanks.

I have recently developed some Tmax 100 from 4/93 that did not have any special storage. It did not appear to be fogged and the speed was as expected but the image quality was degraded. Low contrast and a lack of acuteness. The fresh film (FP4+)developed in the same manner is very acute and the contrast is as expected. I have a friend who thinks that cosmic rays degrade film over time; may be.

bsdunek said:

I have Microdol-X that my Dad bought in the 1070's, and it still works well.

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WOW, that must be some special stuff!! Did he buy it to develop pictures he took while on the crusades?

JPJackson said:

I have recently developed some Tmax 100 from 4/93 that did not have any special storage. It did not appear to be fogged and the speed was as expected but the image quality was degraded. Low contrast and a lack of acuteness. The fresh film (FP4+)developed in the same manner is very acute and the contrast is as expected. I have a friend who thinks that cosmic rays degrade film over time; may be.

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I had old tmax from the same time frame that gave the results you describe. I found a rule of thumb that said to halve the ISO for every decade it's expired when taking pictures, but then develop normally. The results came out pretty good. So shoot your Tmax 100 at ISO 25 but then develop normally (as ISO 100).

I've used Microdol nearly twice that age with no problems. Worked as expected. This would be Microdol without the X. On unexpired Fomapan 100 btw. It was in a can not packets.

Back when Kodak packed developers in Cans the literature gave the shelf life as "Infinite in sealed package" The envelope packs are reported to be not as good. if it has turned brown it would be bad, but if still white powder, it is worth testing.

As far as the Ansco FIlm, my own rule of thumb is that the higher the ISO the more likely for there to be fog. I recently shot a roll of 127 FP4 (not FP4 Plus) from the 1970 era and found it had good speed and low fog, although the emuslion had stuck to the paper at a few spots and flaked off. Some AGFA ISU (400 iso) from the same source had enough speed loss to be less sensitive that the FP4. expect more grain, first because it does seem to build up and second because we have been spoiled by the low grain of modern films.

Try it and see if it works. It either will or will not.

Sirius Glass said:

Try it and see if it works. It either will or will not.

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That's the next step!