Old FP4: What to expect

[michaelwj]

Hi, So I was gifted a bulk loader, 3/4 full of FP4 from an unknown date (sometime in the last 10-15 years most likely) When they gave me the film, they said they didn't know what it was or when it was from, they probably had a few different loaders going over the years. The film says FP4 safety film.
Long story short, I shot some at EI100, and developed as TMX for 7.5min in TMax 1+4 with a roll of TMX. According to ilford, this was under developed by 30s, but over exposed by 1/3 stop.
What should I expect from this film? And more important, does it look like its worth rolling some more and shooting it, or should I just bin it? I've put the full frame and a crop.
The choice would be easier if it was a 400 film I could push or something for everyday use, but a 125 speed film is more likely to be a specialty film so I'd like decent results form it if possible.
Thoughts?
Michael

 

[nikon_sam]

You could try shooting it at 50 or lower then add some Orthazite in your developer...
Freestyle has Moersch Restrainer Liquid Orthazite that will help with fogging...
You will have to do some testing to come up with a new film speed and developing time...
Look at this as learning something new and being a true artist with the results...

 

[ChrisLivsey]

M2 ZM Biogon 35mm

Apple blossom time.

Taken in May this year on FP4 (not plus) expired.
Beutler 1:1:10 71/2 mins
On bracketing I reckon it had lost between 1 and 1/2 a stop in speed otherwise fine.
100 asa is my standard summer speed film I don't regard it as speciality 😀 you may get gloomy summers though.
More on my Flickr tagged FP4, unfortunately I had only one roll, came in an IXMOO.
It was discontinued in 1990 so a minimum of 24 years old not 10-15 so I think it is remarkable to get such good results. You have the benefit of more film and mine was very curly, 24 years wound up on a cassette.
I did not add any anti-fog and the base looked fine.

I would shoot at one stop over and standard development time but you have plenty to experiment with. Load some 10 exposures rolls and test.

 

[michaelwj]

100 asa is my standard summer speed film I don't regard it as speciality 😀 you may get gloomy summers though.

I would shoot at one stop over and standard development time but you have plenty to experiment with. Load some 10 exposures rolls and test.

Good plan, I might roll a few test rolls and see if I can get it working. It'd probably be a good exercise anyway.

We're just coming into winter down here, but we get scorching summers, so I might hold off until then.

Do you see any fogging in the image? I don't know what to look for.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[clayne]

125 speed film will provide f/16@1/125s or f/2@1/8000s in full sunlight; EI100 isn't a big deal unless you're approaching dusk. For expired film like this I'd shoot it at EI50.

 

[Fawley]

FP4 actually pushes very well. I started doing it because Ilford says the film is very forgiving on exposure and we get lots of overcast days where I live, so I wanted to pick up the contrast. I frequently shoot at EI500 and I've noticed that even if the sun does come out and gives me a scene with a long brightness range, film rated at 500 will still do reasonably well.

 

[michaelwj]

125 speed film will provide f/16@1/125s or f/2@1/8000s in full sunlight; EI100 isn't a big deal unless you're approaching dusk. For expired film like this I'd shoot it at EI50.

Good point, my camera doesn't even go to 1/8000s! How quickly I forget summer!

If you were shooting at EI50, would you process N-1 or regular processing?

Cheers,
Michael

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Do you see any fogging in the image? I don't know what to look for.

Cheers,
Michael

Look at the film base, the unexposed areas on the film edge or shoot a blank frame, intentionally for a change 😀
No light hits these areas so the film should be "clear" it isn't of course because there is the density of the film base plus any fog from the emulsion. ( this is measured with a densitometer and subtracted from the readings of image density areas to give a "true" density when calculating curves) You will see the term, base+fog, in the literature.
Of course you have no "good" FP4 to compare with but usually excess fogging is obvious, there may be some present but if it isn't optically visible it is unlikely to affect the end result particularly if scanning.
I suggested ten exposures you can use 5 but then the small strips tend to be harder to load onto reels and because they are not overlapping on the reel may give development not representative of a full strip.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I acquired a bulk loader cheaply which I recently established has some FP4 Plus age unknown in it. I loaded a cassette with a dozen frames and bracketed them. On that basis I felt that around a stop slower was the best EI to use it at, so I think previous advice to start off with a roll at about 50 or maybe 64 is reasonable. If it is only about ten years out of date it is likely to be Plus rather than FP4, isn't it?
Cheers,
Brett

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Mine was definitely FP4 as it was from a ready load, which were never manufactured in the Plus version. Perforated ID leader and edge marking shown.

I have no FP4 Plus to compare edge markings, anyone?

This would be appear to be plus markings, no mistaking the difference.
Link only posted as I do not hold copyright.

http://www.dansdarkroom.net/d-a-r-k-r-o-o-m/2013/2/18/115-shot-on-film-ilford-fp4-plus-125.html

Michael can you check yours to confirm please?

 

[clayne]

Looks like the non-plus version to me. Simon Galley/Ilford is on APUG if you want him to confirm it, but I think it's a safe bet it's FP4.

 

[michaelwj]

Mine definitely does not say 'plus' anywhere, just 'ilford fp4 safety film' spread out a fair bit.
As for the film base, it doesn't look as clear as TMAX 100 or 400, and they're the only other films I've used.

I think I might shoot a few tests rolls at EI50, and develop over/under/as expected and see what happens.
I can always use it for 'experimental' purposes regardless!

Thanks for your help everyone, I'll post back once I've done some test rolls.