AGFA APX400 problem/querry and a question about expired film

[grainy_shadows]

hello

i just bulk loaded some apx400 and developed my first roll.

i found the negs pre-development had a grey-blue base, and even after development, there is a still a blue tint. also the film is extremely curly. has anyone else experienced this? because this has never happened to me prior to this bulk roll with apx400, particularly the blue base.

in addition to this, after development, a lil bit was still completely undeveloped and could be scrapped off, kind of like a gooey paste, is this a defect in the emulsion?

also, i just picked up 200+ rolls of bw film, most of it expired in 2000-2002, delta 100 and hp5+, is it still ok to use? i was told it was cold stored, but what if it's not?

 

[notturtle]

i heard about late APX being coated onto a different base but having the same emulsion... i recall the blue/curling issue. As for the gooey paste - no clue!

The well expired film should be OK, but might have lost a touch of speed and have higher base fog. The HP5 is likely to be more affected but likely to be very useable.

 

[mr_phillip]

This sounds like APX400S, rather than APX400. The difference is that, although APX400S uses the same emulsion as normal APX400, it has a different, thinner base (which is blue-grey and slightly opaque). The reason for this is that 400S was intended for use in surveillance cameras and the thinner base allowed more film to be fitted into the canister. As you say, it's also as curly as hell. I found it to have a higher grain than stock APX400, and to be a PITA to handle, but it was (when I bought mine at least) very, very cheap.

I've been using OoD films for years and haven't had any issues that I'd attribute to the sell-by date. Your Ilford films (which aren't really all that out of date anyway) should be perfect as long as they've been stored sensibly.

 

[kully]

There is APX400 and APX400s, the APX400s is on a thinner base and comes in 50m rolls (instead of 30.5/100ft rolls) (it also comes in longer rolls, but I can't remember) (I still have 4-5 50m rolls of this in the freezer!).

APX400 is not especially curly (I don't notice it being any more curly than HP5. for example).

I think you have APX400s - oh and the goo, I got this once when I put the reels on a radiator for just a little while while I hung them up to dry - the emulsion came off like goo as you describe.

The other film should be fine, perhaps give the HP5 some more light (1 stop) - I have some HP5 which was OOD 2002 and never cold stored and it is OK at EI200.

EDIT: mr-phillip beat me to it.