bulk loader with unknown film

[craig_h1]

I just received a bulk loader with an unknown film in it. I'm

assuming it's B&W since all the darkroom equipment is B&W. I loaded

5 frames into a cassette & how should I try to develop it?

[dean_williams]

Depends on what developer you have. Go ahead and take some bozo shots with the five frames you have loaded. If you have D76 or ID-11, try 8 minutes. Hc-110 5 min dilution B. Rodinal, give it 6 min at a 1+25 dilution. If you have some other developer, try 10 minutes. No matter what you have, if it's B&W film, you'll get something. Then you can read the film rebate to see what film brand/type you have.

[john_finch]

I would use a two bath (these are well underrated developers)... they have the same developing times for any film. Even Diafine would work if you bracketed. However, I would more probably use something like Beutler two bath because I like the tighter/smaller grain and accutance. 8 Mins in first bath, four mins in second.

[kent_judiesch]

You don't even need to expose it. Just soup a short strip of it in the cheapest developer you have long enough for it to show the manufacturer's mark along the rebate. This will tell you what it is and then you can proceed accordingly. Not exposing it will also tell you whether or not it is fogged.

 

Kent

[neal_wydra1]

Dear Craig,

 

Just fix a piece of the film to reveal the edge printing. It should give you a clue.

[john_shriver]

Neal is wrong, you have to develop and fix to see the printing on the edge of the film. It's only pre-exposed.

[jorn ake]

Yeah, you have to develop it first, then fix. Like about a 3 or 4 inch strip just to account for manufacturer's differences in label placement. I put even money on it being TriX so use D-76 or HC-110.

[frank.schifano]

I had a similar situation just recently. I did exactly what Jorn suggested. Any developer will work. I just tossed it into a tray with Dektol at the start of a printing session (in total darkness of course); stopped and fixed as usual. It turned out to be FP4+ and badly fogged. I'm using that film as fixer test strips now.