old tri-x any good?

[lex]

i just picked up a near full tin of tri-x that is dated 2004, stored in a closet, for $5. is this stuff any good? rating tips? how much should i push in development?

i want to experiment with pushing for low light, but i want to know what adjustments to get a baseline to go from...

 

[EmilGil]

I'm about to develop a few rolls dated 07/2004 so I'll post a report later tonight!

 

[Schlapp]

I've developed Kodak plus-x from 1970s. Twas fine

 

[MartinP]

As so much depends on the particular circumstances of that tin over the last twenty years, I think you will need to test it. Shoot how you normally would use it, plus a stop, and plus two stops, all along a shortish roll. Then chop it in half and dev at your usual time. Next dev the other half at about a third more time. That should give you enough alternatives to see what might be useable - provided you kept notes of what was what of course !

It will probably be a bit fogged, if my own attempt at using some old Tri-X is anything to go by, but you never know what you will find. Pushing the film will probably be rather different to pushing fresh Tri-X, but I suppose you could add that to the test-shoot above and use a full roll.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Film is a lot more resilient than we usually give it credit for. If it was stored at a constant temperature all this time (which isn't really long), it should give you acceptable results in contrast and sharpness.

 

[EmilGil]

No problems there, maybe slightly higher base fog than I expected but it's been years since I used Tri-X last time (hence the age of it! 🙂)

 

[lex]

well i am going to shoot a test roll today (instead of doing school owrk). the only thing is i think i ruined it loading it into the bulk loader 🙁 i think i had a light leak in the spaces i loaded in. the first few frames of the test roll i shot with the cap on to see if i ****ed it up...

 

[Nokton48]

"I've developed Kodak plus-x from 1970s. Twas fine"

So've I. Got twenty rolls of 70mm Plus-X (the old good stuff) in the deep freeze right now. Most dated 1982, some back to 1980. Its' all totally usuable.

I've developed alot of old 70mm EI 400 Kodak Surveillance film (have twenty 100' rolls of that, in the deep freeze, too). It's alot like old Tri-X, and, it's -fine-. No fog at all, when developed in my standard Pyro PMK+.

 

[rich815]

Unless is was kept on or near a heater or in an unheated garage you'll be fine.

 

[lex]

test roll came back not ****ed !!!! ( love being able to swear and have it *** out...)

 

[steelydam]

I've had no problems with Tri-X in the range of 4-5 years post dates, not refrigerated or anything. Just kept in a drawer at room temp. I just loaded a 2004 roll today as a matter of fact.

 

[Bijesh]

I now shoot Tri-X expired in 2000. They were stored at room temperature. I rate it at EI400 and develop in HC-110 as per Kodak's recommended times. It doesn't look bad.

See here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijesh/tags/expiredfilm/