giverin

<p>Hi Alan, the fixer is stored in my outdoor shed where the temperature in winter can be around or below zero degrees celcius so perhaps that is the problem. I'll bring it indoors to warm up and try and disolve the precipitate. Thanks for the advice.</p>

<p>Hi Stephen & H.P. I can see the precipitate in the concentrate before the water is added. I probably wouldn't have bought fixer in 5 litre size but a couple of years ago I bought some patterson tanks from someone local to me who was moving to digital and he kindly gave me 5l of Ilford Hypam, 5l of Ilford paper developer and 5l of Kodak unifix (hardening fixer) which I use for fixing prints. When the Hypam runs out or becomes unusable, I'll probably go back to buying it in 1 litre size.</p>

<p>I've noticed recently that when mixing up fresh fixer, there is some white precipitate in the concentrated fixer. I've just mixed it with water, put it though a paper coffee filter and used it. It seems to work just fine. Should I be worried? The fixer is Ilford Hypam (5 litres) and I've just seen from Ilfords data sheet that they recommend it be used within 6 months of opening. I've been using it for 2 years and it was given to me already opened by someone who was giving up film photography so goodness knows how long it has been opened. I guess that's why its forming precipitate. Its actually quite expensive for me to buy so I'll probably keep using it until it stops working. I suppose if it fails to clear a film I can just buy some fresh fixer and re-fix the film. Has anyone else come across this problem?</p>

 

<p>Thank you both for your help. I am aware of what sensors should act as cross type and with which lenses. The problem is that they don't seem to be working on my body. All 45 sensors are working fine as vertical sensors, i.e. they all lock happily onto horizontal lines. However, after further experiments, I have found that only one of the seven cross type sensors (and not the centre one) will achieve a lock on a vertical line. I obviously have a problem and I now have to try and figure out what is wrong and decide if the cost of repair is worth it in relation to the value of the body. I suppose if focusing is critical I can always focus/recompose using the good sensor.</p>

 

<p>Firstly, is there any way to check which firmware I have? I know from the date code and serial number I have an early model from 1998. I know some early models had an underexposure issue under certain circumstances and although I've not noticed this I would like to check the firmware.</p>

<p>Secondly, I was trying to check out the cross-type AF points tonight using my EF50 1.8 and my EF24-105L. From reading the manual I would have expected the EF50 to be utilising the 7 central AF points and the EF24-105L to be using just the centre AF point but I couldn't get either lens to focus on vertical lines in dim light. Horizontal lines were fine. This suggests that cross-type AF points were not active. Any ideas?<br>

Thanks in advance.</p>

 

<p>Thanks guys. As it was shot at box speed, it looks like there is little to be gained from using Microphen in this case. As I said before I usually use D-76 for TMY and it always looks great IMO. I do have a bottle of TMax developer in my darkroom but I've never used it with TMY, mainly because opinion seems to be divided on the combination both here and on other forums.</p>

 

<p>I've just come back from a trip and I've got about 5 rolls of TMax 400 shot at box speed and 4 rolls of Neopan 1600 shot at 3200. Now I've bought some Microphen for the Neopan push but I usually use my standard D-76 for TMax 400. I was just wondering how the TMax 400 shot at 400 would look if I used Microphen rather than the D-76? Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>Nice work Larry. Would you say the UN54+ looks a bit like APX100? By the way, I like the way your Flickr sets are catalogued making it easy for others to see how various film/developer combos look.</p>

 

<p>Oddly enough, I've just bought 3 rolls of Acros from Jessops, the largest photography chain here in the UK. When I got them home I found that 2 rolls were dated 2013 but the third roll was dated 2008. It doesn't say a lot for their stock control. </p>

<p>The image in your link looks just like a standard steel reel to me. I'm relatively inexperienced in film developing (just under 3 years) and I still use plastic reels. I use them for 35mm and 120 roll and I don't have many problems with them. I give them a clean with an old toothbrush now and again. I've managed to pick up several different sized tanks and quite a few reels from ebay so while its all working well, I don't feel inclined to change.</p>

<p>The steel reels will be trickier to load initially but after a few rolls I'm sure you will be just as profficient with them as you would be with plastic ones. Good luck with your first few rolls. In my own experience, your biggest enemy will be dust and water marks on your drying negs. Read up on how to eliminate that.</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone who replied.</p>

<p>I'm looking to stock up on some Neopan 1600 while I can still get it. I really like the film and will miss it when it runs out but I only use it infrequently.... perhaps five rolls per year.</p>

<p>I know that higher ISO films don't store so well past their expiry dates compared with some of the 100/400 ISO films and that fogging can be an issue. I'm trying to work out how many rolls to buy and its not a cheap film here in the UK so I don't want to overdo it.</p>

<p>If for example the film had an expiry date of Jan 2013 and it was kept in the freezer after purchase, how long after the expiry date would the film still give good results?</p>

<p>Really nice shot Jay.</p>

<p>Dave, Acros (35mm) is still available here in the UK. I don't think it has been discontinued. In fact I've just checked at my supplier and they still do it in 120. Fuji have nuked Neopan 1600 and I must remember to buy a few rolls of that while I can still get it.</p>

 

<p>I quite like Acros in Rodinal for portraits.</p>

<p>Thanks again guys for your advice and particularly to Jerry because I hadn't realised that the chemicals had to be mixed in a set order. You learn something new every day.</p>

<p>Hi Brooks,<br>

I used to be able to buy the 1 litre packs quite cheaply here in the UK but now they cost almost as much as the 3.8 litre packs. I should have stocked up on them when they were cheaper but hindsight is a wonderful thing.</p>

<p>Thanks for all your replies. I suppose it is about saving money but in as much as having powdered developer at hand ready to mix in small enough quantities that I always have fresh developer to use. If I mix up a 3.8 litre sachet of D-76, I sometimes end up throwing some away because I haven't used it all. I really want to be able to mix up 1 litre at a time.<br>

I would assume that some of the chemicals would be common to many developers so I wondered what else I could mix up and experiment with.</p>

<p>I've seen the recipies for making D-76 from its component chemicals and I'm seriously considering trying it but I was wondering how many other common developers can you mix yourself from individual chemicals?</p>

<p>I've never used it and my initial thought is to buy a few rolls before it goes but could someone please tell me how it compares in terms of looks to other films of similar speed such as Tmax 100, Acros or Delta 100?</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone who helped me identify my old 120 film and who offered advice on developing it.</p>

<p>The internet is a double edged sword. It enables you to access so much knowledge and experience from all over the world. The downside is that sometimes, all that knowledge and experience can't reach a concensus.</p>

<p>So I bit the bullet and made a start. I loaded the film onto my reel and into the tank. That gave me my first look at the other end of the backing paper. It confirmed the opinion from this learned forum that the film was indeed Kodak Verichrome. Given the "No2 Brownie" marking on the paper, I reckon the film was made around 1935.</p>

<p>Someone here had posted that Kodak's figures for developing in D-76 stock was 17 minutes. I knew from reading about other peoples experience with old film that I was likely to get very dark and/or foggy negatives so I thought that I had little to lose and something to gain by trying something a little different. I decided to use TMax developer rather than D-76 (remember, I didn't have any HC 110). I worked out that TMax 1+4 was pretty much the same as D-76 stock in terms of timings. I had read elsewhere that people had good results developing old films at low temperatures. I didn't have the nerve to go down to the +2C that was mentioned but I lowered the temp from 20C to 15C (about 59F). I knew that I would have to extend the development time quite a bit but acting on the suggestion from someone here, I developed by inspection under a red safelight. I pulled the film out after 17 minutes, 24 minutes and finally 30 minutes. I reckoned that at 30 minutes, the image wasn't getting any better so I stopped and fixed at that point. Again acting on the advice from someone here, I gave it a good long fix...about 20 minutes.</p>

<p>Given the Brownie frame size, there should have been 8 frames on the roll. I had 3 1/2 frames where an image could be discerned. After that the roll was completely dark. The "good" frames were at the start of the roll and dark frames had been on the outside of the completed roll. Obviously the outside of the roll had given some protection to the frames at the start of the roll. The visible frames are too dark to print under an enlarger but you can make out the detail under a strong light. They are outdoor scenes and one of them may be of a shooting party in the countryside.</p>

<p>I returned the film to its owner who may try and get the three good frames scanned. If he does, I'll post the images. All in all though, it was an enjoyable experience and a bit of an adventure.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks again for all your advice. Chis, I reckon you could be right about the age, which makes me more determined to get something off this film. I know its not my film but I'm quite excited about it.</p>

<p>Lex, you said earlier that you would recommend using Microphen. I have used this before for pushing Tri-x and Tmax 400 to 1600 and beyond but it doesn't keep that long and I was often throwing it away because I hadn't used it in time. I decided instead to buy the TMax developer for large pushes because its liquid concentrate and I don't waste any. I think I'm right in saying that like Microphen, Tmax is a high speed developer and I'm willing to give it a go but I don't have a clue how long to give it.</p>

<p>As for the Rodinal, I've only tried stand developing with it a couple of times and I don't think it went that well. I hope you guys can educate me with regards to the principles of stand developing. As I understand it, you leave the film soaking with minimal agitation until the developer strength has depleted. How does that work with an old film like this that needs less development time because of its age? With normal development you can compensate for various factors by varing the timing. How do you compensate for very old film when stand developing?</p>

 

<p>Thanks to all for the response. The depth of experience here on photo.net is wonderful.<br>

John, I've only been developing film for a few years. When you say " develop by inspection under a red safelight", are you saying that I can give it 10 minutes in the developer and then inspect it under the safelight and perhaps give it more time in the developer if needed?</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

<p>I was chatting to some guy where I work about photography and I mentioned that I develop and print my own B&W film. He asked if I did 120 film and I said yes. He asked if I could develop an old roll for him. I said I'd give it a go but when he gave me the film today, I can't really tell what it is apart from it being 120 and Kodak. He say it was in an old Brownie camera and was at least 15 years old. I reckon its older than that. I've been looking through Google images of old 120 film rolls and I think it may be Kodak Verichrome 125 asa but I'd love to confirm that. Photos of the roll attached.</p>

<p>Next question is about development of that film. I use D-76, TMax developer and Rodinal. What would be best to use? Thanks in advance.</p>

<p><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6217636539_de0a8ed14c_z.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="352" /><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6218156316_e8eece7752_z.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="330" /></p>

<p>I would have thought that Neopan 400 or 1600 would give the results you want.</p>