Shooting long expired Tri-x?

[Jim17x]

I have a box of 4x5 Tri-x that expired in 1992 and was wondering what speed should i shoot it at? A year ago i bought some misc darkroom supplies from a retired photographer and included was the box of Tri-x and a box of fiber paper that also was from 1992.. The paper had zero fog so im hoping that the tri-x will be fine also but if it isnt what should i do about the speed? The only developer i have at the moment is Rodinal... Thanks..

 

[Gerald C Koch]

High speed films like Tri-X do not keep well particulary if they have not been refridgerated or better frozen. This film is twenty years old. Before you do anything else develop one unexposed sheet for the normal time and see if the fog is bearable. If not toss it.

 

[removed account4]

i sometimes shoot trix that old, that was shelf stored ..
what i do is expose it wide open at about 1/15S
and stand develop in coffee developer spiked with print developer
for about 25-35mins
i never have any trouble ..
but
YMMV
john

 

[jcoldslabs]

I just finished shooting a box of T-Max 400 that expired in 1994 and was stored at room temp. I shot it at EI 200 and processed it normally in HC-110. The results were fine. Below is one example.

Jonathan

 

[summicron1]

i had some rolls of tri-x 35mm that were expired in 1978 and stored in some guy's garage. I exposed them at asa 400 and developed as normal in D-76 and they came out just fine -- there was a very heavy base fog but it printed through as if it were a neutral density filter, so I'd say shoot it at asa 400 and develop away -- let your first shots be your guide.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Six years ago I went through a hundred sheets of Tri-X 4x5 that expired in 1983. Developed in Pyrocat-HD and/or Xtol I got fine 16x20 prints from it. I exposed it at 160. Compared to fresh 4x5 film, however, it wasn't as good from a base fog, speed, and grain standpoint, but 16x20 is only a 4x enlargement from 4x5 negatives, so all of those problems could easily be printed through.
Then I went through 25 sheets of TMax 400 4x5 that expired in 2002 and it was completely botched with loads of base fog that was impossible to print through, and something had caused it to display uneven tones in even density areas (I know it was the film because fresh sheets came out fine in this regard).

And five years ago I went through a batch of about 40 rolls of 35mm Tri-X that expired in 1998, and it was WAY grainier than any other Tri-X film I have photographed with. The prints from it look very good if you like grain, but it's way different from fresh Tri-X from that time.

It MAY well be fine, but it MAY also be garbage. It's a crap shoot, and that's why many people either love using it, while others detest it. Pick your poison, but know what you're doing.