Old film - ingredient in dev to reduce base fog?

Akki14 · Aug 26, 2007

I swear I read it somewhere around here that there's something you can add to a developer that reduces base fog, being useful for developing old films.... However, I can't find it when I try searching the forums so I have to ask directly
Or is it something like just use a developer like rodinal that is low in sulphite in high dilution (1:50 and above)?

Random old films keep finding me and at the moment I'm looking to develop a roll of Agfa Isopan ISS (we think from the 1970s because the envelop it was in had prices in pence). I'm starting to feel like a semi-reluctant rescuer of film!

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 26, 2007

Benzotriazole is what you would add as a restrainer. Since you don't have much of this film to test, though, it might not be so easy to determine how much is enough and how much is too much.

Clueless · Aug 26, 2007

Could you use a staining developer and then bleach back? Check out SLIMT too. It sounds like the makings of a great mystery

Photo Engineer · Aug 26, 2007

Give it to the people at Torchwood. They are pretty good at solving oddball mysteries.

PE

George Collier · Aug 26, 2007

One thing about Benzotriazole that I noticed when using it with prints - the exposure time needs to increase, or maybe total development time (which might defeat the purpose). I 'm no expert with this stuff (I eventually stopped using it), but I do remember adding maybe 10-20% exposure time (if memory serves) to achieve the same shadow and midtones.

Photo Engineer · Aug 26, 2007

Yes, BTAZ reduces both speed and fog. Too much and contrast begins to go down as well. You have to be careful.

PE

Mark Antony · Aug 27, 2007

I'd just process it. I do lots of 'found' films.
In the last month or so I've done a 1941 Agfa Ultraspeed, a 1958 Adox R17, a 1963 Tri-x and Plus -X all easily printable just developed in plain stock D-76.
Link to photos and stories here:
http://photo-utopia.blogspot.com/
If you are worried send the film to me ;-)
Mark

Akki14 · Aug 27, 2007

I was just thinking that. The latent image manipulation stuff sounds cool and I have the potassium ferricynide for that but do I really want to be cutting back the latent image which is already weak there? I might try processing it as AGX100... actually I'm not totally sure what the film is now because the mailer envelope mentioned Isopan ISS and the film inside doesn't say anything on it, just the Exposed paper/seal. It's a 127 film and strangely no one in the family seem to remember owning a 127 camera.

Just finished processing a c-22 126 film last night in diafine for 4min+4min and got some really decent pictures out of it, at least from the scans which means they'll definitely print well. Turns out to be very late 70's/early 1980.

Old film - ingredient in dev to reduce base fog?

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