Processing last year's film...

bvy · Oct 19, 2015

Please, no lectures. But my backlog of exposed film has grown to 18 months (time flies!) and I'm about to launch an "intensive campaign" to get caught up. Most of what I have is Acros 100 in 120, exposed between 64 and 100. My developer is HC-110, dilution E. I ordered a larger tank that will allow me to develop two 120 rolls at once. Are there any special considerations for developing film shot this far back? Should I add time and/or agitation? Or do something else? Thanks.

MattKing · Oct 19, 2015

You might want to add 5-10% time. Most importantly though, develop one or two of the oldest first, with a mind to "tweaking" your process.

What type of tank and reels? If they are Paterson or Paterson clone reels, I have success developing two rolls of 120 on the same reel.

Ian Grant · Oct 19, 2015

Just process as normal, the only film that suffers is Pan F and you've not used it.

Ian

Ricardo Miranda · Oct 19, 2015

Please, no lectures.

Sorry, but you are going to get one.

I know of someone who has around 100 rolls on backlog.
I have in excess of 200 rolls just in c41 stuffed in a drawer.
In B&W I only have a dozen.

Like Ian said, it is less than 2 years.
Don't worry that much.
Your 18 months of film, how many rolls are there?
18 months for me at a rate of 20-30 rolls of 35mm a month, it would be well over 360 rolls!
I wish you all the best and enjoy the results.

mooseontheloose · Oct 19, 2015

I've been in the same situation as you and really did not have any problems developing the film, although I would probably do what Matt suggests and start with the oldest films (develop normally) to see if there are any issues first. There probably won't be, but if there are, then you can start tweaking.

I currently have over 100 rolls (black and white) to develop from my travels this summer so I definitely feel your pain.

MattKing · Oct 19, 2015

bvy and mooseontheloose should probably each offer to develop the other's film.

It would probably go faster.

Sirius Glass · Oct 19, 2015

Process as normal.

Arctic amateur · Oct 19, 2015

Regarding two 120 films on one reel: do not force the second film onto the reel. Very important. If you need to force it, you risk having the films overlap. (Guess how I know.) If the second film won't go on easy, let the first one be alone on the reel. (And have an exit strategy for the second film if this happens.)

cliveh · Oct 19, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
Process as normal.

+1

railwayman3 · Oct 19, 2015

FWIW, I've recently processed an HP5+ film which I'd overlooked. The film was exposed in 2010 at box speed, stored since at room temp., then processed normally last month...the negs are fine, no probs.

bvy · Oct 19, 2015

Thanks everyone. Pan F -- been there, done that. Two films on one reel -- I've done this with 12 exposure 35mm -- pulled the leader from the cassettes, cut square edges and taped them together in room light. This worked well. With medium format, I don't know if it's a chance I want to take...

We're only talking a dozen or so rolls, and I did give some of them extra exposure when I shot them, so hopefully it will be fine.

Black Dog · Oct 19, 2015

Accentuate the positive

mooseontheloose said:
I've been in the same situation as you and really did not have any problems developing the film, although I would probably do what Matt suggests and start with the oldest films (develop normally) to see if there are any issues first. There probably won't be, but if there are, then you can start tweaking.

I currently have over 100 rolls (black and white) to develop from my travels this summer so I definitely feel your pain.

I'm feeling better about my backlog now!-glad I bought an 8 reel Paterson tank though. Good luck!

Sirius Glass · Oct 19, 2015

Black Dog said:
I'm feeling better about my backlog now!-glad I bought an 8 reel Paterson tank though. Good luck!

Now you can screw up processing four to eight times more in the same effort.

bvy · Oct 19, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
Now you can screw up processing four to eight times more in the same effort.

Said in jest (perhaps) but that's always been a fear of mine. Two to three rolls is my max in any one session.

Sirius Glass · Oct 19, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
Now you can screw up processing four to eight times more in the same effort.

bvy said:
Said in jest (perhaps) but that's always been a fear of mine. Two to three rolls is my max in any one session.

Jes' sed. [past tense of Jes' sayin']

Bill Burk · Oct 19, 2015

Just developed some old Tri-X and thought I was seeing some excess fog. I'll double-check though, might be just base gray.

Kevin Caulfield · Oct 19, 2015

Arctic amateur said:
Regarding two 120 films on one reel: do not force the second film onto the reel. Very important. If you need to force it, you risk having the films overlap. (Guess how I know.) If the second film won't go on easy, let the first one be alone on the reel. (And have an exit strategy for the second film if this happens.)

I think the OP was referring to two reels in one tank as opposed to two rolls on one reel.

Arctic amateur · Oct 20, 2015

Kevin Caulfield said:
I think the OP was referring to two reels in one tank as opposed to two rolls on one reel.

True, but somebody else suggested two on one reel.

Kevin Caulfield · Oct 20, 2015

Arctic amateur said:
True, but somebody else suggested two on one reel.

Sorry, I missed that.

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

Black Dog · Oct 20, 2015

bvy said:
Said in jest (perhaps) but that's always been a fear of mine. Two to three rolls is my max in any one session.

ISTR a thread on that a while back-I managed to put fixer in the tank instead of developer when I was 12 but that's been about it.

MartinP · Oct 22, 2015

Arctic amateur said:
True, but somebody else suggested two on one reel.

The Jobo reels have a plastic stopper that can be inserted into the track to prevent the second 120 film overlapping the first, after the first is pushed deep in to the tracks. Alternatively, one can carefully use the tape that holds the film to the backing paper to join it on to a second roll, then continue loading in the usual way. Allegedly, it is also possible to develop two rolls of 120 loaded back to back, but I have never dared to try that option.

Of these alternatives I have had success with the second. It is not something that I would want to do as routine, though I regularly do four rolls of 135 together in an extended jobo. One 'gotcha' is to remember that two rolls of 120 is two rolls worth of emulsion and so the amount of developer-per-roll has to be watched carefully. For example, with high dilutions such as 1:50 Rodinal it would need 600ml of solution to contain the 'safe' 6ml per roll, while the amount needed to cover the reel would be less than this (470ml in a Jobo, 500ml in Paterson). In this case, probably only becoming a significant problem with multiple double-loaded reels - depending on how much silver needs to be developed of course.

EdSawyer · Oct 22, 2015

I tape 120 end-to-end using the original tape and load 2 rolls on a single patterson reel. Works fine.

I have a backlog of C41 from 3 yrs ago that I have been developing and it's fine, no compensation necessary in development or otherwise.

-Ed

Alan Klein · Oct 22, 2015

How much does heat and cooling in a car trunk effect exposed as well as unexposed film? I tend to shoot some picture in a 120 roll and then don't get around to getting to shoot the rest for awhile, maybe a few months.

Alan Klein · Oct 22, 2015

Both Tmax 100 and Velvia 50.

Colonel Blimp · Oct 22, 2015

You are 18 months older too. So be careful with the agitation.

Processing last year's film...

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Ian Grant

Ricardo Miranda

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Sirius Glass

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bvy

Black Dog

Sirius Glass

bvy

Sirius Glass

Bill Burk

Kevin Caulfield

Arctic amateur

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Black Dog

MartinP

EdSawyer

Alan Klein

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Colonel Blimp

Processing last year's film...

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