Very Expired Film

Martin Singleton · Apr 2, 2019

Not sure if this is the right part of the forum but I picked up a couple of rolls of Kodak Verichrome Pan ASA125 in 620 with an expiry date of September 1974. First thing I thought was at the least I could use the rolls to load film to run through my Kodak Medallist. I'm going to shoot one of the films and develop just to see what happens. I was just wondering what is the most out of date film anyone has shot and what sort of results did they get.
Ta
Martin

David Lyga · Apr 2, 2019

About 20 years ago I went to a camera show and bought a 100 ft roll of Tri-X which had an expiry date of 1958. Surprosingly, it was only about three stops slow and the fog was only moderate. I would suggest you shoot the film at EI 25 and develop the film for about the same time as you would, otherwise.

I normally do clip tests rather than waste a roll, but with 120 size this is difficult to do. VP is quite forgiving with regard to age. - David Lyga

Andrew O'Neill · Apr 2, 2019

I have been shooting Kodak HIE that expired in '67 with great results. Slightly higher B+F, but we just print through that...When this stuff was fresh, I shot it with the number 25 red filter at an EI of 100. This old stuff needs an EI of 12 with same filter.

trendland · Apr 2, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
I have been shooting Kodak HIE that expired in '67 with great results. Slightly higher B+F, but we just print through that...When this stuff was fresh, I shot it with the number 25 red filter at an EI of 100. This old stuff needs an EI of 12 with same filter.

That nice play will find its end if you shot color from that expiration dates - Andrew....!

with regards

PS : But with bw film everything seams to be possible!I remember an article (can't find it again)...
from a crashed USAF "F4" ! From there - a damaged Nikon was found 20 years later in a desert !
The bw film inside was developed and has shown pictures!
What can we learn from this ?
1) no way with todays Ilford PanF (it was Kodak Pantomic x if I remember right)
2) F4 "Phantom" has got much speed but wasn't extreme reliable against desert dust
3) ALLWAYS keep a close eye on your instruments!!!!
4) don't shot film if you are flying high altitude with mach 2!

with regards

Truzi · Apr 2, 2019

About 5 years ago I used some Polaroid Type 47 that expired in 1965. Only about half the frames "worked." They were a bit foggy, and the contrast was off, but the images were usable (some of that was also probably me trying to figure out EV for the Polaroid The 800 camera - I'd never used EV before). The negatives came out much better than the prints, at least on scanning.

mshchem · Apr 2, 2019

Save the spools you can wind 120 onto the 620 spools. I tested some Plus-X sheets a couple days ago, 1983 exp. Lots of base fog , very crisp images. With a computer you could probably work wonders. As is it would make muddy looking prints. Kinda like overexposed under developed darkroom prints, ie 20 seconds in the Dektol.

Sirius Glass · Apr 2, 2019

David Lyga said:
About 20 years ago I went to a camera show and bought a 100 ft roll of Tri-X which had an expiry date of 1958. Surprosingly, it was only about three stops slow and the fog was only moderate. I would suggest you shoot the film at EI 25 and develop the film for about the same time as you would, otherwise.

I normally do clip tests rather than waste a roll, but with 120 size this is difficult to do. VP is quite forgiving with regard to age. - David Lyga

Exactly how would I do that with my Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera?

removed account4 · Apr 2, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
Exactly how would I do that with my Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera?

you develop in dektol 1:6 for 6 mins
and this works whether you are using a brownie, an ansco af or a mickymouse camera.

Sirius Glass · Apr 2, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
Exactly how would I do that with my Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera?

jnantz said:
you develop in dektol 1:6 for 6 mins
and this works whether you are using a brownie, an ansco af or a mickymouse camera.

My Brownie Hawkeye does not have an aperture setting but it does have a connector for a flash attachment.

removed account4 · Apr 2, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
My Brownie Hawkeye does not have an aperture setting but it does have a connector for a flash attachment.

you expose the film in your brownie hawkeye and develop it in dektol 1:6@6mins no camera controls are needed.

David Lyga · Apr 3, 2019

OK, simply shoot in full sunlight and see what happens. If there are some faint parts of an image visible, you can interpolate the correct exposure to a great degree.

Your Hawkeye was not designed for film that is slower than ISO 100, so you are either going to have to get another camera or another film. If your Hawkeye has a Bulb or Time setting, you can take correct exposures if the camera is on a tripod. The default shutter speed on your camera is about 1/30, so one full second would be five stops more exposure than the default. - David Lyga

Pentode · Apr 3, 2019

I’m slowly working my way through a 100’ roll of Ansco Finopan (military surplus, I think) that was packaged in June, 1945.

Originally ISO 32, I’m having good luck at ISO 3 (I’m bracketing a stop on either side) in HC-110 dilution B for a little over 5 minutes.

There’s some fog but it’s not outrageous. The grain is pretty obvious and the contrast is pretty low but the film still works and has an interesting look.

tezzasmall · Apr 4, 2019

Pentode said:
I’m slowly working my way through a 100’ roll of Ansco Finopan (military surplus, I think) that was packaged in June, 1945. ...film still works and has an interesting look.

Sounds interesting!

Any pics anywhere to look at?

Terry S

Pentode · Apr 4, 2019

tezzasmall said:
Any pics anywhere to look at?

Not at present. If I get a chance I’ll try to upload something but it could be a while. I’m working very long hours for the next few weeks.

Helios 1984 · Apr 4, 2019

I have a bulk of Eastman 5302 which rolled out of the factory in 1972. I'm getting good results at ASA 1.2 and processed in Rodinal 1:50 for 11 minutes.

John51 · Apr 4, 2019

I bought a Brownie Hawkeye because it came with 3 rolls of 620. Expired early 50s. Granddaughter claimed the Brownie. I was about to load it with fresh FP4 120 but she insisted on having it loaded with a roll of the old film. She hasn't finished the roll yet. When she has, I'll borrow her camera and test the other 2 rolls first before I process hers.

The Hawkeye will take 120 on the supply side. With later models, you'll need to remove a small tab. The flash models are for bulbs. You can play with the contacts and make it X synch.

Sirius, try reversing the lens on your Hawkeye. Puts a Hassy to shame.

Sirius Glass · Apr 4, 2019

John51 said:
I bought a Brownie Hawkeye because it came with 3 rolls of 620. Expired early 50s. Granddaughter claimed the Brownie. I was about to load it with fresh FP4 120 but she insisted on having it loaded with a roll of the old film. She hasn't finished the roll yet. When she has, I'll borrow her camera and test the other 2 rolls first before I process hers.

The Hawkeye will take 120 on the supply side. With later models, you'll need to remove a small tab. The flash models are for bulbs. You can play with the contacts and make it X synch.

Sirius, try reversing the lens on your Hawkeye. Puts a Hassy to shame.

Why would I want to screw up a perfectly good Hawkeye camera?

John51 · Apr 4, 2019

I've just loaded a roll of 620 Ektachrome-X onto a reel. Expired 1970. It's a frame spacing test, images not required, just dark negs.

It was a pain to load. The film seemed thicker than I'm used to. The end of the film had a really tight curl. 50 years of being wrapped around a thin spool. Couldn't get it onto the reel. Ended up unwinding the film and tearing it from the backing paper. Loaded it tape end first. When I'd finished winding, the outer end, sharp curl, was pushing onto the film in the next groove.

Very Expired Film

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