"Film" Experiment - DPChallenge Forums

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/10/2013 03:32:19 PM · #1

I'm sure some of you remember "film," right? :)

I run a Photography Camp for kids for a week during the summer (it starts this coming Sunday), and as part of the experience, I set up an old fashioned darkroom, and we'll develop some film and prints.

Over the winter I found out that my uncle had a stash of film stuff that will come in handy! He had several bulk rolls of Tri-X, D-76, Dektol, Fixer (all in powder form, well-preserved in their original packets), some 5x7 sheets of paper, and a few other odds & ends.

I thought I'd give this stuff a whirl to be sure it'll still be workable for camp. I got a kick out of the fact that when I got the bulk film into the loader, the package said, "Best if Processed by 12/1994." So this stuff is all 20 years old or so.

I would expect that it's all still perfectly usable. Hopefully I won't be proven wrong when I run my first roll of film, probably tomorrow night. I'm busily mixing chemicals as we speak!

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

06/10/2013 03:35:07 PM · #2

I seem to remember hearing that B&W film ages pretty well, and that it may get faster with age, especially if stored at warmer temperatures. Curious to see the results -- sounds like (messy) fun!

06/10/2013 03:55:48 PM · #3

Well, I just now learned that Dektol (paper developer) will indeed expire :) I had several packets of it, and when I opened them I found that each of them were full of crystals that had turned brown and had quite the nasty smell to them. Thankfully, the fixer and D-76 seem to be in decent shape.

06/10/2013 11:16:48 PM · #4

Not that this thread is exactly catching fire... but I thought I'd add that I ran a roll of the 20+ year old Tri-X (using equally old developer and fixer), and it processed perfectly fine! It's always fun to get the old film stuff out.

bvy

Sigma DP1x

06/20/2013 05:14:32 PM · #5

Sorry I missed this thread! How did it go? Any pictures to share?

I wish I had known. I could have donated a package of (fresh) Dektol. Do you hold your camp in Beaver County?