XPro for old film

[Jonathan Brooke]

I just bought 10sh 5x4 Kodak Ektachrome E100S and 10sh E100SW dated '98 for £1, any idea if it'll be any good for xpro? I've never done it before and have found little advice on the net, especially for old film. Will I need to overexpose? Just try a sheet and see what happens before I do any more? I'm looking forward to trying it but don't want to waste more film than I have to in case I like what I get!

Thanks,

Jonathan.

 

[srs5694]

If by "xpro" you mean cross-processing, then you've got little to lose. Most sources do suggest overexposing film to be cross-processed by a stop or two, but some people don't do this and report good results. Generally speaking, cross-processing results seem to vary a lot from one film to another, so when trying a new film, some experimentation is necessary. I don't have any specific knowledge of Ektachrome E100S or E100SW with respect to cross-processing, but if I were to try it with 10-years-past-date film without any further input I'd overexpose by a couple of stops and give it a try.

 

[jd callow]

If by "xpro" you mean cross-processing, then you've got little to lose. Most sources do suggest overexposing film to be cross-processed by a stop or two, but some people don't do this and report good results. Generally speaking, cross-processing results seem to vary a lot from one film to another, so when trying a new film, some experimentation is necessary. I don't have any specific knowledge of Ektachrome E100S or E100SW with respect to cross-processing, but if I were to try it with 10-years-past-date film without any further input I'd overexpose by a couple of stops and give it a try.

With all due respect SRS if you don't know be careful what you suggest. Under normal circumstances *all* e100 films are best exposed at box speed when new and cross processed. Anyone who suggests overexposure of 'a stop or two' doesn't know what they are talking about or are propagating an internet myth. I don't mean to sound harsh, but the overexposure thing comes up every time someone asks what to do and invariably it is recommended by someone who hasn't done it, but read it some where. I have exposed many rolls and sheets of all the e100's and I can assure you that overexposure of a stop or two is not a good starting point and seldom an end point.

Jonathan,
OD chromes can often stand to be 'over exposed' as the film is hard pressed to block-up, but it is by no means a guarantee. If the film is 9 years old it may have lost a good deal of dmax and will probably have a heavy cast (most likely toward magenta). You can determine this by burning a sheet, soup in E6 chems, have your lab read the dmax and simply eyeball the cast. If it is still good rate it at 80 to 100 and cross-process. If it's lost dmax you can add exposure and use on camera filtration as indicated. Another approach would be to use the dark slide to expose one sheet at 100, 50, 25, 12 (or 80, 40, 20, 10) and cross-process that sheet. Realize that the film can capture about 3 stops of information so choose your scene and meter with care.

 

[Jonathan Brooke]

Thanks for the advice jd callow, I'd never thought of doing a 'test strip' like that and think that'll be what I do with it. It seems the most reliable way to maximise the use of the remaining sheets.

Jonathan

 

[srs5694]

With all due respect SRS if you don't know be careful what you suggest. Under normal circumstances *all* e100 films are best exposed at box speed when new and cross processed.

Sorry for being unclear: I've personally done it both ways, and the way that works best for me seems to vary with the film. Thus, I can disagree with you from personal experience, but with the big whopping caveat that I don't have experience with the specific film that Jonathan is using, much less that film ten years past date.

Given the wildly varying advice on this point (not just here, but on the Internet generally), I can only suppose that there are some subtle effects going on in terms of cross-processing details (film brand, chemistry brand, processing method, etc.) or simply what different people consider "good" cross-processing results.

The bottom line: Jonathan will have to experiment, at least unless he finds data on his specific films at ten years past date.

 

[jd callow]

SRS,
I've yet to find a chrome that need 2 stops to create a good crossed neg. I'd argue that the films limited latitude has forced some with suspect meters and or metering skills to 'overexpose' to get a usable neg.

I whole heartedly agree that experimentation is the way to go.

 

[srs5694]

My 2-stop comment was based both on the general overexposure issue and on the age of the film. As you suggest, film of that age is likely to need more exposure.