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Developing Old (probably 70s) film...HELP


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<p>If I develop it in C41 chemistry (stated on cartridge) and don't belach it, just encase the dyes aren't active, can I scan it as B&W and then re bleach it and see what happens, or if I colour develop it, and then just fix it, will the photos be lost forever. If not, is it possible thereafter to re bleach and re fix it to see if the dyes are present? Thanks<br>

PS The film is a 126 cartridge of Foto-King ISO100 C-41 film.</p>

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<p>It is always possible to bleach and fix later. Your suggestion to color develop and fix and perhaps bleach and fix later may be a safe option, but the likelihood of getting a usable silver image without a usable dye image is exceedingly small. I don't know who made Foto-King film so have no idea of the very long term stability of the product. In nearly all cases, the couplers (that form dyes) are more stable than the silver halide emulsions. The most likely result from very old film like this is fogged emulsions. You will probably get a low contrast grainy image with severe color balance problems. </p>

<p>If I had a roll of film this old and suspected there were valuable images on it, I would either send it to Film Rescue International in Toronto or develop as B&W in HC-110 (after running a clip test on a few frames). You stand a reasonable chance of getting usable B&W images. I'm guessing from your spelling that you live on the other side of the pond. Perhaps there are labs there that specialize in recovering images from old film. </p>

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<p>Well, the job's done. As mentioned above, I'll have photos or I won't. And, I got both. I DID get 4 photos, however, whatever way the film was shot, my mother didn't know how to use the camera, and so the 4 pincutes of my uncles pets were exposed between 2 frames, leaving a huge black line down the centre of the photo. Extreme colour-shifts galore aswell!! But, at least i can go to my grandmother and say I done it, and I can show her the whacky results of the weird little film she'd found! Thanks</p>
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  • 1 month later...

<p>This is very close to how we currently handle all questionable rolls of expired color film. In our opinion it is the very best and safest approach to dealing with these. A special thanks to Nick Migliore for letting us use these images and best of luck to him with his publication of these images in his up coming book "Naked City II".</p>

<p><img src="http://www.filmrescue.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BW-to-color1.jpg" alt="" width="936" height="960" /></p>

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  • 2 months later...

<p>This is fascinating to me. I would think that one you fix the color film, that would be it. What you are saying is that one can develop color film in b&w chemicals, dry, scan, and then go back and reprocess using color C-41 chemicals? <br>

What b&w developer do you use? What times & temps? I've been using T-max, but have a bottle go HC110 I've been wanting to try. <br>

I have a bunch of expired 110 store brand color. When I develop it in C-41, it looks like this:<br>

spacer.png00aiG1-489501584.thumb.jpg.48b73d230ab8d4c23976966012ab481d.jpg</div>

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<p>This is fascinating to me. I would think that one you fix the color film, that would be it. What you are saying is that one can develop color film in b&w chemicals, dry, scan, and then go back and reprocess using color C-41 chemicals? <br>

What b&w developer do you use? What times & temps? I've been using T-max, but have a bottle go HC110 I've been wanting to try. <br>

I have a bunch of expired 110 store brand color. When I develop it in C-41, it looks like this:<br>

spacer.png

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