1947ish Verichrome Processing?

<p>I came across 4 rolls of Verichrome B&W, apparently shot and never processed. Film breaks down as 3 rolls 127 and 1 roll 620. Neither the film size or type is of an issue. I grew up in the 50s and 60s with this film and learned from my dad. <br>

The storage of the film since I've had it has been quite good, prior to my getting these rolls, unknown.<br>

Concerns: Is there potential the film will just fall apart on me while attempting to spool it?<br>

Proposed process (and I got this from some research on the internet, however, not for film that was shot sometime around 1947): <br>

Developer: D-76<br>

Temperature: 68 degrees<br>

Development time: 8 minutes<br>

Any ideas or expectations or be careful of's?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Ken</p>

 

<p>For Tri-X back from the 70s I've found that the normal development along the lines you suggest works fine, but 1947 is a good bit older.</p>

<p>Look at Gene M's site ( http://westfordcomp.com/updated/found.htm ). I seem to remember he sometimes tells how he processed film like yours.</p>

<p>The official time for Verichrome in that era was 17 minutes in D-76. But with film this old and fogged, that will get you solid black negatives.<br>

I'd recommend HC-110. Very good at taming base fog. Indeed, see what sort of times Gene uses, probably longer than the last Verichrome Pan times in HC-110.<br>

Also, fix generously. These emulsions take much longer to fix out, twice your normal times.<br>

Will the film base crumble? No. Will it be stuck to the backing paper? Maybe. Will it have a "wicked" curl due to the very small 127 and small 620 spool diameters? Yes!</p>

<p>I'd also recommend HC-110. I know there are some archived threads at APUG that say what dilution and timing. I've developed some Verichrome using those and got images. I didn't have problems with cracking, just that it was tightly curled and tough to get onto the reel. </p>

<p>I developed a roll about that old, but recently exposed with Diafine and, as above, got all black negatives<br>

The older films won't survive the higher temperatures. I would stay 65 or below, but the film base was fine.<br>

I have heard others had the paper backing stick to the film, but I didn't see that.<br>

I have a plastic reel that can spool from either the inside out (with a metal hood) or outside in. For old, tightly wound, film inside out is easier.</p>

<p>.</p>

<p>I would use HC110 at 1:9 at about 37ºf to 38ºf. I would get the time by doing a clip test. I processed an older roll of Gevaert Pan film awhile ago, here is a <a href="/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00X1EE">link to my post</a> on it.<br /> <a href="http://foundfilm.livejournal.com/16982.html">Here is how to do a clip test.</a></p>

<p>Good Luck to you on it.</p>

<p>Hi Ken, I had the same challenge a couple of years ago. Here is a link to the two threads I started on the subject and the results of my own development. If its the same film as I had, it can be inspected under red light during development.<br>

http://www.photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00ZQwI<br>

http://www.photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00ZT4N</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>In the Verichrome (not Pan) days, development temperatures were much lower than the traditional<br>

68F/20C. If you do older films at higher temperatures, the emulsion can come off the base. They weren't as hard as the films now.<br>

But lower temperature is also supposed to be better for reducing the fog from old film.<br>

I would probably go about 50F or 55F.</p>

<p>Ken,<br /> So far I have only developed one roll of Verichrome - it was a 116 roll from a Kodak No.2A Brownie Model B camera, and probably of a similar vintage to yours (I'm guessing). Using a clip test method similar to what Clay posted above, I came up with a time of 6.5 minutes in HC110(A) when using a temperature of 40F. Here is one of the images from the roll:</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/8833651190_7f709ac98f_c.jpg" alt="" width="460" height="800" /></p>

<p>Jeff</p>