return to film - out of date black and white stock

[rob_deas]

I've basically been away from photography for about a decade, I got distracted by having a proper job and then a proper baby. Now I'm going through the cupboards and getting all the old lenses out with some excitement

I have found all kinds of things I'd forgotten. For a start there is a lot of film between 4 and 10 years out of date. I know colour film can drift interestingly as the dyes change with time, but does anything happen to out of date black and white film? I found an informative thread here suggesting that mostly it's likely to be OK, unless it's fast in which case it's likely to be useless. Can anyone tell me more about the effects of age on black and white stock? I gather it slowly gets fogged, particularly fast film - is there anything more interesting than that, or is that it? Does contrast alter? if anyone has any advice or experience with specific films, this is what I have found (all 120 format, and stored at room temperature in X-ray proof bags)

Kodak T-max 100 2003 x2
Kodak T-max 400 2004 x2
Kodak Technical Pan 25 2001 x4
Kodak T- Max P3200 2002 x2

Ilford XP2 Super ? x2

Ilford SFX 200 2002 x3

Ilford Delta 100 2002 x2

Ilford PAN F 2003 x3

Ilford FP4 2004/5 x14

Ilford Delta 3200 2002 x2



Thanks for any advice. It's nice to find this community alive and thriving.
Robert


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[M.A.Longmore]

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Welcome Home Robert !

Ron
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[paul_c5x4]

Hi & welcome Robert.

Can't comment about the Kodak films, but all bar the Ilford 3200 should be fine. There may be a bit more base fog, but nothing that can't be worked around. The best thing to do is to get out and shoot the stuff and have fun doing it.

 

[rob_deas]

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Welcome Home Robert !

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Thank you very much.

Since posting, I am delighted to have found an unmixed packet of ID11 which I am sure is fine, squeezy bottles to store it once made up, and half-full bottles of Hypam and Ilfostop. These will be of 2001-2 vintage, I would assume they are fine, but obviously it is important that they are in fact, so if anyone knows any reason why they wouldn't be do let me know.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Stop bath should be fine. Hypam can be tested. Dilute it to film strength and immerse a piece of unexposed film. Fresh fixer should clear it in about 30 seconds with agitation.

Welcome back to film! We are happy to have you aboard. Spread the word of how much fun it is too!

 

[paul_c5x4]

squeezy bottles to store it once made up

Those concertina squeezy bottles ?
They are a bugger to clean out, leak in air, and are horrible (in my opinion). Bin them and get some glass bottles from your local chemist.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

It's all junk. I'll take it all off your hands for a dime a sheet!!

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I've been shooting some frozen-since-new TMax 3200 that expired in 1998. OK, so the fog level is 1.0 OD, but it still close to its rated speed.

I wouldn't chuck the 3200 stuff until trying it. Shooting hand held at f11 1/4000th can be quite fun with a long or macro lens.

The Tech Pan will be good as new - Technidol keeps very well also.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Hello Robert, welcome to APUG.

Jeff

 

[newcan1]

To put things in perspective - and I have a thread on this that I will add to tonight - I just shot a test roll of Ilford "Type RX" pan film that had an expiry date of March 1964. I just developed it. I am blown away. I think the only defect it has is some speed loss, the best negs on the test look like maybe 25 - 50 ASA. Virtually no base fog. Now I did not have similar luck with some faster HP3 of similar age. I think that certainly at or below 100ASA, even severely outdated b&w film is worth a try. I'll report further on my other thread later tonight (including proper identification of the film, that many were speculating over). But I would not be surprised if you find most of the film you listed to be extremely useable.