can I still develop a film from 1920?

[meandihagee]

would it still work?

it's an Eastman Orthochromatic with the Autographic feature (where you can write directly on the sheet of film if you open a special back door on certain cameras like Kodak Vest Pocket).

...or due to the special nature of the film all the chemicals and stuff would be "rotten" by now?

 

[jnoir]

I'd say it mostly depends on how the film has been stored. Is it a-116, a-120, a-122...?

would it still work?

it's an Eastman Orthochromatic with the Autographic feature (where you can write directly on the sheet of film if you open a special back door on certain cameras like Kodak Vest Pocket).

...or due to the special nature of the film all the chemicals and stuff would be "rotten" by now?

 

[meandihagee]

it's 127. I don't think it was in a fridge for the last 50 years, that's for sure...

 

[3rdtrick]

This is just an opinion but... Is this unused film or does it have exposures on it? If it was exposed in the 1920s, I would definitely try to find someone to process it if I could not do it myself. The images would be priceless especially if it was handed down in the family.
Pete

 

[unixrevolution]

This is just an opinion but... Is this unused film or does it have exposures on it? If it was exposed in the 1920s, I would definitely try to find someone to process it if I could not do it myself. The images would be priceless especially if it was handed down in the family.
Pete

Whereas if it's not already exposed, I'd just keep it as a museum piece.

In 2009, I successfully got developed pictures back from a roll of film I found in a Spotmatic in a pawn shop, and that was C-41. The pictures were of a drag race, and Don Garlits' Swamp Rat XXX was in the photos.

Swamp Rat XXX only raced the 1986 season 😱

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Give Eastman a call, as I understand they are a bit low at work right now

 

[johannielscom]

Look for a Google Blogger page on vintage film developing.

I don't know the link, maybe somebody else does!?

 

[batterytypehah!]

This sounds like the doomed Mallory/Irving expedition to Everest, minus the effects of frost and altitude. Here's what Kodak recommends should Irving's camera (a VPK) ever be found:

http://www.velocitypress.com/mallory_irvine.shtml#A127_Film

A long shot.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Be careful 'cause it may be nitrocellulose based but probably not. Still a slight chance though.
Also smell it. There is a good chance that the film base is cellulose acetate or one of the derivatives of it. If the film smells like vinegar then it's probably done for.

Have fun with it! Keep a fire extinguisher nearby just in case...

Phil Forrest

 

[tunalegs]

It is probably not possible to pull an image from it. I developed a roll of verichrome pan from the 1960s myself and got a few ghostly images - the ones I shot to finish up the roll came out much clearer. Images do fade over time - it's not simply a matter of base fog, the latent image itself degrades.

Also the smaller the negative size the less likely you are going to be able to get an image out of it. Film tends to fog from the edges inward, so larger sizes fade more slowly, and smaller images fade faster. Images shot on 35mm film in say 1960 have a much smaller chance of being printable than images shot on 120 film in 1960.

Your chances of getting anything off of 127 from the 1920s by this time is basically nil. But you never know.

 

[meandihagee]

thanks everybody for the advice.

I forgot to say that it was not exposed. Some guy is selling it. I'm really curious about the autographic feature and I want to see how it looks. Is it worth a shot?

 

[MartinP]

If the purpose is to try out the camera and autographic gimmicj then just buy a new roll of 127. They are still made, though in small quantities.

In Europe at least, Efke 100 is available and there is even a colour film from Rollei (colour is perhaps not a good plan for your purpose though). These emulsions are panchromatic while the original film probably isn't, so that could make some sort of difference depending on exactly what the protection of the film is during the autographing.

If you can find someone who 'splits' regular film for use in Minox, or other non-mainstream formats, then you can get yourself a roll of orthochromatic 120 black-and-white and cut it down to the 127 width and length under dim red safelighting. Here is a link for a homemade 127 slitter, halfway down the page.

I think the autographic backing paper is different to normal rollfilm paper so you can (in total darkness obviously) unroll the old film and replace the emulsion with that from a new roll. The question is whether the old backing paper Don't forget you will need a spare spool to take up whatever roll you eventually use. Spare spools are also available, but not cheaply as they are handmade these days.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

a lot of helpful answers here...i was just gonna suggest using an equally old vintage developer like rodinal...

 

[meandihagee]

If the purpose is to try out the camera and autographic gimmicj then just buy a new roll of 127. They are still made, though in small quantities.

In Europe at least, Efke 100 is available and there is even a colour film from Rollei (colour is perhaps not a good plan for your purpose though). These emulsions are panchromatic while the original film probably isn't, so that could make some sort of difference depending on exactly what the protection of the film is during the autographing.

If you can find someone who 'splits' regular film for use in Minox, or other non-mainstream formats, then you can get yourself a roll of orthochromatic 120 black-and-white and cut it down to the 127 width and length under dim red safelighting. Here is a link for a homemade 127 slitter, halfway down the page.

I think the autographic backing paper is different to normal rollfilm paper so you can (in total darkness obviously) unroll the old film and replace the emulsion with that from a new roll. The question is whether the old backing paper Don't forget you will need a spare spool to take up whatever roll you eventually use. Spare spools are also available, but not cheaply as they are handmade these days.

I think the autographic feature is "embedded" in the old emulsion. the outer paper makes the link between the "pen" and the emulsion.

I don't think if I put a fresh emulsion on the old paper I will get the same results. or maybe I didn't understand what you were suggesting.

it's just one film, almost 100 years old . I would rather take my chance by shooting it like it is and then developing it by leaving it more in the soup (hmm, not sure about that, though). if I start fiddling with it there are a lot of things that can go bad.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

This sounds like the doomed Mallory/Irving expedition to Everest, minus the effects of frost and altitude. Here's what Kodak recommends should Irving's camera (a VPK) ever be found:

http://www.velocitypress.com/mallory_irvine.shtml#A127_Film

A long shot.

Fascinating link. Thanks!
Regards,
Brett