kb244
Well-known
I have a 100 foot roll of Plus-X with the original packaging, which I had assumed wasn't any good at all based on what was said by the previous person who had it (co-worker). But I never got around to actually testing it.
So popped it in one of my loaders, spooled up about 24 frames (well I wound to about 26~27, giving me a little extra). Rated it for ISO 50 in my Canon 7 rangefinder and just shot off a few stuff while I was watching the digital lab and printing off the photo 102 student's work for the hallway display.
Later in the day I popped back into the darkroom and developed the roll in Microphen 1:1, 68F, for 10.5 minutes (the usual recipe is 8.5 minutes, but figured I'd bump it about 25% due to age), constant agitation first minute, and an inversion once every minute. (used the school's Sprint Stop, rapid fixer, fix remover, and photoflo for rest of the process and popped it into the dryer).
The bulk roll is apparently numbered, though the numbers appear to be repetitive (guess as a guide since 1 thru 34 would be distinctive per roll if you cut no more than 36 frames per cartridge).
A straight scan off the school's scanner (I just scanned the whole transparency bed and moved the rows together), showing all but the last strip of 6. It's going backwards, first frames on bottom going up, left to right.
The first frame was this one, which was the night before when I popped it into the camera, and just figured 1/30th @ f/2 based on what the room light has been in the past for 100/200/400 (I'm always snapping a candid here or there).
The first few shots after that one was just based off the Canon's internal Reflective meter which indoors tends to be pretty spot-on compared to either my Minolta IVf or Gossen Digisix, outdoors, tends to read a bit high.
And a couple selfies with the Canon 35mm f/2.8, incident metered with the gossen digisix to give 1/2 @ f/11 for ISO 50
Frame 1: 1/2 f/11
Frame 2: 1/2 f/8
Frame 3: 1/4 f/5.6
The negative sleeve sheet held flat under glass on a light table so can see approximately the relative density between the frames (also kept the leader at the top for 100% exposed vs 0% exposed).
Exposure Notes For each frame starting from top, left to right :
First Row - Canon 50mm f/1.8 Type-6 for this row
1st Frame (Headshot) : 1/30th @ f/2, internal reflective metering off the wall
#2 to #5 (internal reflective metering): 1/500 f/4 , 1/250 f/4 , 1/125 f/4 , 1/60 f/4
Note to self in regards to the last frame, and first frame of next row... remember that the viewfinder and lens do not always have the same thing in front of them obstructing the view. (I apparently blocked the lens with the little beam that goes across the window).
Second Row - Canon 50mm f/1.8 Type-6
1st frame : 1/30 f/4
Frame #2 thru #6, Incident Metered with the Gossen Digisix resulting in 1/15 @ f/2.8 for ISO 50.
- 1/15 f/2.8
- 1/15 f/2
- 1/15 f/4
- 1/8 f/2.8
- 1/4 f/2.8
Third Row - Canon 50/1.8, then Canon Serenar 35/2.8 for printers
Frame 1 and 2 continues from Row 2: 1/2 f/2.8, then 1 second f/2.8
Printers (frames 3-6), incident metered 1/4 @ f/2.8, Canon 35mm f/2.8
- 1/4 f/2.8
- 1/8 f/4
- 1/2 f/2.8
- 1/8 f/2.8
Fourth Row - Canon 50mm f/1.8 Type-6
Metered for 1/125 f/2 (incident), I didn't write down each frame for the Fed-2A sitting in the window as I was called away by a student needing some help, but from my memory it was an alternation of 1/60 f/2.0 and 1/125 f/2.0 as I was changing focus (handheld).
Fifth Row - Canon 35mm f/2.8
Incident metered for 1/2 @ f/11
1/2 f/11
1/2 f/8
1/4 f/5.6
Don't recall the exposure info for the remaining frames, Also I need to pay attention to my frame count as I get near the end of the roll. Since I'm shooting into the tail that's exposed when bulk loading.
I'm thinking maybe, at the current development recipe, I should probably aim for ISO 25, *maybe* 12. If I want to wet print it using split-contrast filters.
So popped it in one of my loaders, spooled up about 24 frames (well I wound to about 26~27, giving me a little extra). Rated it for ISO 50 in my Canon 7 rangefinder and just shot off a few stuff while I was watching the digital lab and printing off the photo 102 student's work for the hallway display.
Later in the day I popped back into the darkroom and developed the roll in Microphen 1:1, 68F, for 10.5 minutes (the usual recipe is 8.5 minutes, but figured I'd bump it about 25% due to age), constant agitation first minute, and an inversion once every minute. (used the school's Sprint Stop, rapid fixer, fix remover, and photoflo for rest of the process and popped it into the dryer).
The bulk roll is apparently numbered, though the numbers appear to be repetitive (guess as a guide since 1 thru 34 would be distinctive per roll if you cut no more than 36 frames per cartridge).
A straight scan off the school's scanner (I just scanned the whole transparency bed and moved the rows together), showing all but the last strip of 6. It's going backwards, first frames on bottom going up, left to right.
The first frame was this one, which was the night before when I popped it into the camera, and just figured 1/30th @ f/2 based on what the room light has been in the past for 100/200/400 (I'm always snapping a candid here or there).
The first few shots after that one was just based off the Canon's internal Reflective meter which indoors tends to be pretty spot-on compared to either my Minolta IVf or Gossen Digisix, outdoors, tends to read a bit high.
And a couple selfies with the Canon 35mm f/2.8, incident metered with the gossen digisix to give 1/2 @ f/11 for ISO 50
Frame 1: 1/2 f/11
Frame 2: 1/2 f/8
Frame 3: 1/4 f/5.6
The negative sleeve sheet held flat under glass on a light table so can see approximately the relative density between the frames (also kept the leader at the top for 100% exposed vs 0% exposed).
Exposure Notes For each frame starting from top, left to right :
First Row - Canon 50mm f/1.8 Type-6 for this row
1st Frame (Headshot) : 1/30th @ f/2, internal reflective metering off the wall
#2 to #5 (internal reflective metering): 1/500 f/4 , 1/250 f/4 , 1/125 f/4 , 1/60 f/4
Note to self in regards to the last frame, and first frame of next row... remember that the viewfinder and lens do not always have the same thing in front of them obstructing the view. (I apparently blocked the lens with the little beam that goes across the window).
Second Row - Canon 50mm f/1.8 Type-6
1st frame : 1/30 f/4
Frame #2 thru #6, Incident Metered with the Gossen Digisix resulting in 1/15 @ f/2.8 for ISO 50.
- 1/15 f/2.8
- 1/15 f/2
- 1/15 f/4
- 1/8 f/2.8
- 1/4 f/2.8
Third Row - Canon 50/1.8, then Canon Serenar 35/2.8 for printers
Frame 1 and 2 continues from Row 2: 1/2 f/2.8, then 1 second f/2.8
Printers (frames 3-6), incident metered 1/4 @ f/2.8, Canon 35mm f/2.8
- 1/4 f/2.8
- 1/8 f/4
- 1/2 f/2.8
- 1/8 f/2.8
Fourth Row - Canon 50mm f/1.8 Type-6
Metered for 1/125 f/2 (incident), I didn't write down each frame for the Fed-2A sitting in the window as I was called away by a student needing some help, but from my memory it was an alternation of 1/60 f/2.0 and 1/125 f/2.0 as I was changing focus (handheld).
Fifth Row - Canon 35mm f/2.8
Incident metered for 1/2 @ f/11
1/2 f/11
1/2 f/8
1/4 f/5.6
Don't recall the exposure info for the remaining frames, Also I need to pay attention to my frame count as I get near the end of the roll. Since I'm shooting into the tail that's exposed when bulk loading.
I'm thinking maybe, at the current development recipe, I should probably aim for ISO 25, *maybe* 12. If I want to wet print it using split-contrast filters.
Trask
Established
Your thread is of interest to me because I have one bulk roll of Plus-X (and two of Tri-X) that expired in 1987, so 15 years younger than yours. I look forward to reading your results when you shoot some at ASA 25 or lower.
BuzzyOne
Established
Old film is a crap shoot. It all depends on how it was stored. I don't think you can apply the results directly to your film, but the process for determining viability is spot on.
Nokton48
Veteran
I have a lot of Plus-X in freezer in 35mm and 70mm and generally it has held up very well.
It really does come down to storage conditions during it's life.
I think you did the right thing using Microphen and bumping up the time. It seems to appreciate that little extra "umph" And of course you need to add extra exposure.
I have some Orwo NP20 and NP15 snd I'm going to be using Microphen.
It really does come down to storage conditions during it's life.
I think you did the right thing using Microphen and bumping up the time. It seems to appreciate that little extra "umph" And of course you need to add extra exposure.
I have some Orwo NP20 and NP15 snd I'm going to be using Microphen.
kb244
Well-known
Microphen was a suggestion from another member on apug when I was testing 135-36 rolls of Kodak tmax p3200 that expired in 2004. HC-110 was yielding results but I was having to shoot down to 400 for results with rather chunky grain, and his results with microphen looked nice at 400,so I tried another roll but at 1600 with microphen and got better results with his time/agitation at 1600 than I did with hc110 aimed at 400. So now I got close to 40 rolls of 'usable' EI 1600 film since all the rolls seem to end up the same having been stored together.
So I been going to the microphen lately when trying the old stuff. Mixed up a gallon of it at school since the stock shelf life is least 2 months. Wouldn't have tried it if we didn't have several boxes of microphen in the back room (the school switched to sprint and haven't touched the excess hc110, microphen, ilfosol, fg97 etc in the back, so I been using them as I'm more familiar with them and I think the grain looks nicer than what sprint gives)
So I been going to the microphen lately when trying the old stuff. Mixed up a gallon of it at school since the stock shelf life is least 2 months. Wouldn't have tried it if we didn't have several boxes of microphen in the back room (the school switched to sprint and haven't touched the excess hc110, microphen, ilfosol, fg97 etc in the back, so I been using them as I'm more familiar with them and I think the grain looks nicer than what sprint gives)
kb244
Well-known
Yep, though can be a good starting point if you got several rolls engine to fine tune the results by roll #2 or 3 and still have a bit left to enjoy. Alternatively testing off straps of 3 or 4 frames at a time ( lol)