Possible to develop film then expose later?

BetterSense · May 16, 2010

I just got back from a trip and developed all my negatives. I KNOW I shot several sheets of film that did not turn up in the developed negatives. As to where the missing negatives are, the only conclusion I have is that I forgot to turn the darkslides to black after exposing them. Trouble is they are now mixed and shuffled with the rest of my loaded film holders. If I really want to recover them, I have to develop all 12 holders full of film just to find the 2 or 4 sheets that I exposed. Quite a waste of film, but if I don't, then I also run the risk of ruining a future exposure when I double-expose.

Can I dunk sheet film in developer for a couple minutes, and if nothing develops, rinse it in water and then later shoot it and develop it?

PhotoJim · May 16, 2010

No. You'll fog the film checking to see if there's an image.

msage · May 16, 2010

Hello, you need to bite the bullet and start processing the film. Do small batches until you find your exposed film, then tighten up on your technique. We all have made mistakes like that and the only thing to do is try to avoid mistakes in the future. To answer your question, no you can't start processing and expose later.

BetterSense · May 16, 2010

I forgot to mention that I have IR goggles.

smieglitz · May 16, 2010

Unless you are using ortho film or some sort of deep green panchro safelight or infrared imaging/night goggles sort of thing, how will you tell if the film has anything on it?

If you do have the appropriate safelight (#13 I think) try it with a sheet. It's an interesting idea but it sounds like more trouble than it might be worth. Do you have some place to dry the film in total darkness?

If it doesn't work for some reason I'd make my best guess as to which holders have the exposed film and then develop them one-by-one until all the images show up. Hopefully you'll still have a few holders loaded OK at that point.

I've done the same thing a couple times. Now I store sets of about 4 holders in ziploc bags. I don't repack them in the bags after they are exposed. That has helped prevent the mistake again.

Obtong · May 16, 2010

I don't shoot sheet film, so I don't know if this is possible, but could you cut 1/4-1/2'" strips from one edge of the sheet film and develop these one at at time? At least you could see if there is an image on the develped strip or not. You'd lose a thin strip of the image, but you might still be able to use the unexposed film. It will also have a new aspect ratio!

~Dom

Ian David · May 16, 2010

Support the analog industry and just waste a few sheets of film.
Ian

BetterSense · May 16, 2010

So I have IR goggles and a place to dry the film in the dark. Has anyone actually tried this?

I can't afford to waste 24 sheets of film. That's several months worth of shooting.

PhotoJim · May 16, 2010

Let's say you could do it.

So if there's no image... you stop development. You wash the film (in the dark). You dry the film (in the dark).

Potential problems:
- you get dust or marks on the film during processing, washing and drying.
- you fog the film during processing, washing or drying.
- you get water marks on the film during drying.

Athiril · May 16, 2010

It's possible to simply develop them (develop to full/normal time), then use a stop bath, do not fix, inspect to see if there is an image, if there is not, a ferricyanide/bromide bleach in the dark to turn any metallic silver and exposure from inspection back to silver halide, and dry and handle in the dark, you should be able to re-use the film.

Though of course I'd imagine the effective speed would be totally different. It'd need a test.

5stringdeath · May 17, 2010

I vote for shooting the film and having a few nice double exposures

nickandre · May 17, 2010

You could do that, but when finished you probably washed out restraining dyes and sensitizing agents so the characteristics of the film will change. If you can wash them and dry them in the dark and then reuse them, it's possible but you'd have to check the new exposure characteristics.

David William White · May 17, 2010

Yes. I'd recommend you take two sheets of fresh film from the same box -- develop, wash & dry one and load up both in a spare holder. Shoot the same scene with both, then process & analyse. That might give you an indication as to adjustments.

Good luck.

P.S. I put elastic bands around holders I've shot.

patrickjames · May 17, 2010

You only need to double expose an important image once to realize that there is no economy for lack of surety. Develop the film. If it is blank you are only out one sheet of film (or 24 in your case). If you double expose you are out two images. Big difference. If there is any doubt, I always develop the film.

DanielStone · May 17, 2010

to be somewhat blunt(sorry, I'm tired, long day moving)

just process the film, and get on with your day/week/month, whatever....

then buy some more film to shoot

-Dan

JBrunner · May 17, 2010

Even if you could figure it out, I think it will take more than 24 sheets to dial it in. Also, your film won't have an anti-halation layer. Search x-ray film for what that looks like.

Athiril · May 17, 2010

It should only take 2 or 3 sheets to figure it out.

IE: For example, then expose with the dark slide pulled out, then next exposure with the dark slide partially in a little, then a little more and so on.., if correct box speed exposure is 1/1000th then expose as follows:

1: 1/1000th
2: 1/1000th
3: 1/500th
4: 1/250th
5: 1/125th
6: 1/60th

etc, whole sheet gets exposed at 1/1000th, then one strip of that is covered, another 1/1000th to add 1 stop, then covered, then 1/500th to add 1 stop and covered, and so on. etc

Develop as normal, see which is the best, or if all too thin, move on to next sheet and start at the last exposure tested, then you can find a suitable speed for the film.

RalphLambrecht · May 17, 2010

BetterSense said:
...Can I dunk sheet film in developer for a couple minutes, and if nothing develops, rinse it in water and then later shoot it and develop it?

I find it hard to take this question seriously. Posted on April, 1st I would understand, but it ain't April, 1st.

Developed all suspect sheets and move on!

Next time, use a voice recorder to record exposure data for all your holders (don't forget to mention the holder number during the recording) and it won't happen again.

Steve Smith · May 17, 2010

BetterSense said:
I can't afford to waste 24 sheets of film.

Unfortunately, you already have.

Steve.

Marco B · May 17, 2010

Seems to me, the problem is far less dramatic than BetterSense suggests. If he at least had the sense to shoot one holder (both front and back!) at a time, and not randomly picked a holder each time to make a new shot, than the only thing he has to do is to develop one sheet from each holder to discover which holders he has used, leaving the other one ready for use. This should leave at least 14 shots perfect (including the ones he already made).

Krzys · May 17, 2010

Cut a thin strip of film off the side, enough that you meet the exposed (or unexposed) emulsion. Develop and find out....then shoot the 1cm shorter sheet later.

R gould · May 17, 2010

you will just have to count the film as lost,and buy new, then remember not to make the same mistake again,unless you have very deep pockets indeed,Richard

Rick A · May 17, 2010

I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but when I shoot LF, I move the exposed holders to a bag marked EXPOSED then take another holder out of the bag marked UNEXPOSED to shoot some more. I guess others have a better filing method.

bdial · May 17, 2010

You may well already have some double exposures.
I would do as Krzys suggests and do clip tests with one sheet from each holder one at a time.

RalphLambrecht · May 17, 2010

Marco B said:
Seems to me, the problem is far less dramatic than BetterSense suggests. If he at least had the sense to shoot one holder (both front and back!) at a time, and not randomly picked a holder each time to make a new shot, than the only thing he has to do is to develop one sheet from each holder to discover which holders he has used, leaving the other one ready for use. This should leave at least 14 shots perfect (including the ones he already made).

... and if he develops them one by one, he might find them before all are developed.

Possible to develop film then expose later?

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