Old film deterioration.

[markbau]

Put a 120 roll of FP4+ through the camera. It was 2 years past its expiry date but had been kept in the fridge, not the freezer.
I rated it at EI 100. I gave it what I consider very full development. D76 1:1 20C, 12 minutes, 1 minute agitation intervals.

The negs are a mess. First of all I must plead guilty to underexposing the film. EI 100 resulted in very little shadow detail but what surprised me most is the overall lack of contrast, even at grade 3 there is no snap in the midtones and of course printing at grade 3 makes the shadow situation even worse.

CORRECTION: The film was 6 years past the date on the box. Also, a zone VIII placement read 1.02 above fb+f

Should I just put this done to old film? I'm a bit surprised that film would deteriorate so quickly or could there be something else going on?

 

[koraks]

6 years past date isn't all that much for a slow film like fp4+. I think you probably just had some flat light. Or maybe your developer was on the cold side or something.

 

[otto.f]

? The nominal ASA is 125. Underexposing would be rather 200 than 100. Furthermore, I never had problems with 125. And six years is not so much, I agree.

underexposing the film.

 

[markbau]

? The nominal ASA is 125. Underexposing would be rather 200 than 100. Furthermore, I never had problems with 125. And six years is not so much, I agree.

I hadn’t used FP4 for quite a while, last time I did I’m pretty sure I rated it at EI64. The negs I got this time are definitely underexposed, there is hardly anything in the shadows. There is a possibility that I messed up the dilution, also I usually agitate every 30 seconds but on this one I did 60 seconds. The zone VII density also points to underdevelopment so if it isn’t the films age I’m guessing that I messed up the dilution. Something I haven’t done for many a year!

 

[Truzi]

FP4+ is pretty robust. I'd not think 6 years would make that much of a difference. Do you have more you can test with and compare to a fresh roll? I also don't think your agitation would make this much of a difference either. I'd suspect the developer.

It's possible this is a situation where each problem contributed just a little bit to make the overall result.

 

[BrianShaw]

As others have said or suggested.... your problem wasn't with the film.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Instead of using a lower than ISO box speed, why not use it at box speed and develop 15% to 20% [25%?] longer. That give one the advantage of shooting at a higher speed and balancing out the contrast lost due to aging?

 

[markbau]

As others have said or suggested.... your problem wasn't with the film.

Well you can't definitively know that, but yes, that is certainly one possibility.
I have another roll, same batch, same date. I'm going to put it through the camera and develop with a new batch of D76 and see what happens. All will be revealed!