Ten year old Agfa MCC111, still good?

Uncle Bill · May 29, 2008

I am being gifted a 90% full box of Agfa MCC111 that is estimated to be 10 years old. This particular box of paper has been refridgerated since new with only the odd poweratage and the black out of 2003. Is it still Good?

I have used 30 year old Grade Two Ilford Matt FB with no fogging and had a ten year old box of Kodak Polymax go bad on me. Both were freebies at the time.

Andrew Moxom · May 29, 2008

Try it and see. It will likely have some very slight fog, but should be usable.

fschifano · May 30, 2008

It's hard to say. Rumor has it, and I say rumor because I've not seen any first hand evidence of this, that Agfa papers don't hold up well as they age. Storage conditions have a lot to do with how any sensitized materials age, so you never know. If it was stored in a cool, dry place, it might very well be good. Try it and see. If it works, then you've gotten yourself a bargain. If not, then nothing is lost anyway.

I have seen Polymax go bad. It developed the most unusual mottled fog I'd ever seen. Old papers that have gone bad are still useable if you fix them out, then wash and dry them. Coat them with your own emulsion for cyanotypes or other alternate processes.

argus · May 30, 2008

I had some and tried to use it but basically it had very bad (but uniform) fogging.

G

Steve Sherman · May 30, 2008

The majority of Agfa papers have some amount of chloride in the emulsion. Chloride historically stores much better than pure bromide emulsions.

If the box has indeed been refrigerated for 10 years I would be surprised if it was fogged beyond use. I have a large supply of Agfa Portiriga Rapid from the 70's and it still prints beautifully.

If you do experience any fogging use Pot. Bromide (Kbr) rather than Benzotriazole to help reduce fogging. Kbr is much more friendly to chloro-bromide emulsions.

Cheers

Uncle Bill · May 31, 2008

I am in the darkroom tonight so I will keep you guys posted. The person who gave me the paper said it was in the fridge since it's purchase I guess since 1998-99 give or take. fingers crossed.

Bill

Uncle Bill · May 31, 2008

Well, the print session is complete and the prints are drying, I think there might be a tiny bit of fogging, not much because I am still getting usable prints out of the paper with some decent contrast. I'll throw something up tomorrow after a good night's sleep.

fschifano · Jun 1, 2008

A pretty sure way to tell if there is any fog at all is simple. Start with two small pieces of unexposed paper. Run one through the normal process. Run another trough the fix only. After washing and drying, the piece that had been run through the developer will be darker than the piece that had been run only through the fix if there is any considerable fog. This does not account for very low levels of fog which may only present after having had some exposure to light. You may want to test again after giving another small piece a "flash" exposure of say 1 or 2 seconds with the enlarger's lens stopped way down and the head raised up to the top.

Uncle Bill · Jun 1, 2008

Can I rescue the paper with future printings with Edwal Orthazite or Photographers Formulary TAF-1 print developer improver?

Ian Grant · Jun 1, 2008

My 20+ year old Agfa paper is still fine, it hasn't been stored anywhere special just in my darkroom, I used some a month ago.

Ian

maxbloom · Jun 1, 2008

Dunno. Goes both ways? I recently tested some Portriga Rapid about that old that was fogged to hell. My repackaged 111, on the other hand, is perfectly fine.

Uncle Bill · Jun 1, 2008

Hmmmm. I might try and print some more next weekend. Sill want the Orhanzite as insurance though.

Ten year old Agfa MCC111, still good?

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