Amazing

[Timmyjoe]

Always been a big fan of old film cameras. Picked up a Medalist II last year and have been playing around with the sheet film back.

To that end, I found two unopened boxes of very old Kodak sheet film on the auction site (from the late 1930's), and bought them. Opened the box of Super-XX, which expired in May 1941, and loaded a piece into a 6.5x9cm film holder. Shot this rather boring scene out my living room window, and stand processed the film in Rodinal.

I was AMAZED when I pulled the negative out of the processing tank and I saw I got this image.

This film must have been made sometime in 1939 or 1940.

And it expired seven months before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States entered World War II.

Yet it still produced an image on the film. I find that Amazing.

The film has to be close to 79 years old, and I'm pretty sure it hadn't been refrigerated. 😉

Best,
-Tim

 

[Fixcinater]

Very cool! I would not have guessed something that fast would have aged that well but it looks quite good.

How did you retain the film in the developing tank?

 

[helen.HH]

love it...very Cool ... Life's unexpected surprises

 

[Timmyjoe]

How did you retain the film in the developing tank?

I very carefully loaded it in a 120 reel. Was a bit tight, but it worked.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Timmyjoe]

love it...very Cool ... Life's unexpected surprises

Thanks Helen.

Best,
-Tim

 

[lynnb]

Wow what a nice surprise. What ASA did you expose it at? I never knew the Medalist could take sheet film.

 

[froyd]

Impressive! The exposure does not seem too far off, how did you rate the film?

 

[Timmyjoe]

Thanks guys.

Lynn, there's an optional "Accessory Back" for the Medalist that allows the camera to use sheet film holders in two sizes, 2.25x3.25 and 6.5x9cm.

The Super XX was rated REAL SLOW, @ ISO 5.

Best,
-Tim