Neopan 400 5 years expired - how to rate it and develop?

[domagojs]

I got some rolls of Neopan 400 120 which expired 5 years ago. The film came from the supplier so it can be assumed that it was stored properly.

How would you rate it (@200, @320, @400) and how would you develop it? I intend to use XTOL for developing it.

Of course, I'm after Neopan tones, not "look mum, there are pictures on my film!" 🙂

 

[MichaelW]

I've been using bulk loaded 35mm Neopan 400 that expired in 2008. It's been in my fridge since 2005. Good results rated at 400 and processed in Xtol 1:2 at the Massive Dev chart times.

 

[djcphoto]

Yeah, I using some 35mm Neopan 400 of the same vintage that was stored well and have had no problems with treating it like fresh as far as speed and dev.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

hi, i would rate it at iso 200, and adjust the iso after the first roll is developed and analyzed.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Hey - sorry to pull you in another direction: I would just develop it as you normally do. The boring answer of course is to shoot a test roll, develop normally, and see whether you are happy with the results. In general the thing that happens to B&W film over time is that the fog level builds up. A splash of benzotriazole or a similar restrainer can keep fog under control although there may be a hit to film speed. But in the grand scale of things, 5 years sitting on a shelf for a modern B&W emulsion is not that big a deal. Make it ten years on a shelf in the tropics and I might start to worry.

 

[folville]

Not to hijack the thread, but I've got some Tmax 100 and 400 that expired in '97 ... It was stored on a room shelf and probably saw temperatures between 50 and 75 that whole time. How much should I push it?

 

[domagojs]

thanks all for your answers! since the popular idea is to treat the film as if it was fresh, that's what i'll do with the first roll and adjust from there. to be honest, that's the answer i was hoping for 😉 if my camera wasn't f/3.5, i'd start of with rating @200, but like this i'll treat it as if it is ISO 400 film.

i'll post what comes out for future reference...