Developing old film

While hauling out my old film gear, I came across 4 rolls of 35mm Tri-X shot about 15 years ago and never developed. I'm going to restock my chemicals going with HC-110 this time over D-76. Should I modify my development times due to the age of the images on the film?

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

I've stuck with D-76, but for old latent images, I'v'e found the 'book' times to work just fine.

 

On the other hand, I am scanning in the negatives so can correct very easily in the digital end processing.

I'd suggest HC-110, since it is known for lowering base fog, which you're going to have some of. Low temperatures help as well, say 65 F or lower. (Use the Ilford temperature adjustment chart.) Mix directly from syrup (rather than making stock solution), and it will last forever. You'll need a 5cc dosing syringe to measure the syrup. (Available at any drug store.)

 

Figure out whether this is "new" 400TX (use the times in F-4017) or "old" Tri-X 400 (use the times in F-9).

15 years isn't so old for Tri-X. I would do it just the same as before.

 

Poorly stored, film can go bad in minutes or hours. Kept at normal room

temperature (in non-tropical regions) and not too humid, it should last

for many years.

 

Not so many years ago, I developed Tri-X exposed 30 years earlier.

There are some white spots (in prints) that I believe are due to fog, but otherwise they seem fine.

That one I did in Diafine, since that was all I had at the time.

 

HC-110 concentrate lasts a long time, and a bottle does over 100 rolls.

D-76 doesn't last so long, and a quart does four rolls.

 

And yes, different Tri-X have different times.

If it were my film, I would develop one roll at the recommended time and then adjust the rest from there. Having said that, I have always been very good at keeping exposures consistent which means that all of the rolls will be properly exposed. If you were more "variable" you may want to just process all four.