Svema Foto 125, developement times

[nikos_k]

<p>I have acquired a bunch of old Svema Foto 125 film. The first shock to me was that it does not come in canisters. The second has been to discover that it does not come in canisters, but simply in rolls in some sort of foil.<br>

Where can I find the development times for that film with D-76 and Rodinal? I have checked at digital truth and found nothing.<br>

Does anybody have any experience with that film?</p>

[thirteenthumbs]

<p>Svema 125 comes up a Color film when googled.<br>

Svema films on MDC http://www.digitaltruth.com/chart/search_text.php?Film=Svema<br>

Are you sure its B&W?</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>According to <a href=" person on Flickr</a>, it appears to be b&w film. Exposure and processing recommendations are on that Flickr page as well.</p>

<p>Odd way to package film. Even for retro nostalgia fans that would get tiresome pretty quickly. Might as well just sell it in bulk roll form, although I suppose the precut length might be moderately convenient for folks in an economy where every item had to be recycled.</p>

[glen_h]

Years ago I had a roll of Russian film in foil. If you load carefully the outer layer

keeps the rest safe. This also seems to be how movie film reels work.

[nikos_k]

<p>@Charles, yes it is a black and white panchromatic film. Here is the only samples I have found on the web about it. There is also a plain "Svema 125" that indeed is color film. The look of its emulsion also is grey like that of the black and white films. Pretty confusing :-)<br>

@Lex and @Glen, It came in a packaging that I have never seen before. No canister, just rolled on a spool with black paper around it. Providing that I have opened it under room light would it be possible that light might have leaked onto the film through the inner tube of the spool? I have inserted it into an empty canister in complete darkness though.<br>

I love that film! It is a whole new experience right from opening its box! :-)</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Yeah, I saw photos of the box and foil wrapper on Flickr. Was the leader pre-cut or did you need to trim the leader to shape too?</p>

[nikos_k]

<p>The leader is pre-cut and strangely the film has notches cut at the flat side of the leader. I wonder what these notches are for.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Bulk film, especially the shorter rolls (less than 100 feet), often had notches at lengths that would provide 36 exposure rolls if cut at the notch. Kodak sold their short bulk that way in the 60's. You could even buy Kodachrome in bulk in 27 1/2 foot rolls. Possibly packaging without cassettes was important if the film might be used in a camera that took something other than the standard 35mm cassette that is used now.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>I remember Kodak bulk rolls with the tongue already cut, so you just go down the roll until you find it, cut it from the next roll, and spool it on. There was also a little tab to go into a slot in the spool, if you have spools with slots. Also, the frame numbers match up with the position on the roll. </p>

[david_tellet]

<p>Check with the Film Photography Project - they are selling Svema film now that they hand-roll. If I remember correctly, I used HC-110(B) for 7 minutes for the Svema 200 film. Not sure if that helps or not. FPP also started a Svema group on Flickr, you might ask there too.</p>