What to do with Vericolor III?

Doc W · Apr 22, 2016

I am just cleaning up and re-arranging my darkroom, and I came across three very old boxes of 8x10 Vericolor III (1984-85). I can't remember where I got it but it may have been from someone who kept it frozen for a very long time. Let's assume it wasn't.

I am going to shoot with it just to see what happens, so what is a good place to start with film that old, in terms of exposure? Do I need to alert the lab that it is ancient? What chemistry would I need to process the negatives myself (I have a Jobo that can handle 8x10 film).

MartinP · Apr 22, 2016

It is still a C41 film, despite 1985 seeming a long time ago, so having one sheet processed from the middle of a box could give you an idea of the fog level and a simple exposure of something repeatable and having primary colours (a testcard!) will be the best thing to ascertain the state of the film. C41 chemicals are still easily available in small kits here in Europe, but I have no idea about Canada.

Wasn't that old Vericolor rated at 160asa when new? A stop per decade sounds a big reduction, and an EI20 exposure sounds extreme. Try it and see I suppose. Good luck

mtjade2007 · Apr 24, 2016

I have quite some Vericolor III films in my fridge. It is not that old. Mine has an expiration date on 09/2000. I think it will need old stabilizer at the end of the C-41 process. It is no longer available though. You will have to formulate it yourself. The final rinse available today is not for this film. I shot a few rolls of it last year. I shot at the designated speed. There was no problem. It has the colors of Kodak style. I love them.

Fixcinater · Apr 25, 2016

I just shot a roll of Vericolor III that I found inside a recent Rolleiflex purchase that I souped semi-stand in HC110. Basically pure fog, can barely make out any image at all. By contrast, fresh C41 gives a slightly dark but still very visible image in same process.

Worth taking a chance on it, though.

flavio81 · Apr 25, 2016

I had a 1997 Vericolor film (ISO 160) that i had to rate at ISO 50 to get an appropiately dense image. Which then had rather lowish saturation but still usable.

removed account4 · Apr 25, 2016

i shot a whole bunch of vericolor III a few months ago

all 4x5, all room stored, all expired in the 80s, and all dip and dunked in dektol+caffenol.
turned out great.
perfect for contact printing on RC paper with a 300W light bulb!

Doc W · Apr 26, 2016

jnanian said:
i shot a whole bunch of vericolor III a few months ago

all 4x5, all room stored, all expired in the 80s, and all dip and dunked in dektol+caffenol.
turned out great.
perfect for contact printing on RC paper with a 300W light bulb!

Developed in Dektol? I don't understand. Can you explain a little?

flavio81 · May 2, 2016

Doc W said:
Developed in Dektol? I don't understand. Can you explain a little?

He means it was treated as a B/W film, and thus it did not went through the C41 process but the B/W process.

You can develop in black and white using different developers, D-76, ID-11, Microphen, etcetera. Dektol is also another possibility, of course more known as a paper developer than like a film developer.

What to do with Vericolor III?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency