Kodacolor II C135-20 expired April 1977!

Jon Kincaid

Jon Kincaid

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A very nice lady has given me a bag of stuff that includes 10 rolls of kodacolor 200 film, most of which expired in 2005/2006 but one roll of Kodacolor II C135-20 which expired in April 1977 (just realised that I would have still been 5 when it expired).

Is it worth even bothering using it? ISO/ASA is 80 and I've no idea how it's been stored (in a cupboard probably)

If I use an Olympus OM1-n should I change any settings to help? I would probably x-pro with Rodinal, any tips on that front?

Jon
 
Standard advice is an extra stop of exposure for every decade. Semi-stand development - 1:100 Rodinal for an hour, inverted at the beginning and after 30 minutes.

If you're going to cross-process the oldest one into B&W, I'd say it's probably not worth the effort. You could use Poundland film and end up with the same results but with fewer variables. I think I'd be tempted to get it processed in C41 and see what I got out of it. Might be horrible, might be interesting.

Example of AGFA VIsta x-prod in Rodinal

Arcade cafe, Cardiff by Arfonfab, on Flickr
 
That's great, thanks. You're probably right, I might as well send the film off. Pity they don't do cheaper rates for 20 exposures!
 
I'd second shooting it for colour, maybe looking for situations with lots of bright colours to make the most of any shifts. Though 4 stops takes you down to ISO5 so don't pick any subjects that are moving too fast!
 
If you're not going to keep it for yourself, could I ask for the box?!? I'm trying to collect some old 35mm boxes for a film display stand I have. Ta! (And I'd send you the £ for postage..)
 
2006 is not that old (of course if it was kept in a hot place it would be) , so use it as box speed or if you want at 100 ISO, then find an Asda superstore that does film and have it dev and just scanned to CD for £3 and they will do it why you shop.
 
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Jon Kincaid said:
but one roll of Kodacolor II C135-20 which expired in April 1977 (just realised that I would have still been 5 when it expired).
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excalibur2 said:
2006 is not that old (of course if it was kept in a hot place it would be) , so use it as box speed or if you want at 100 ISO, then find an Asda superstore that does film and have it dev and just scanned to CD for £3 and they will do it why you shop.
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Brian. I think you missed the point..
 
1974. Does that precede c41? If so a long soak in black and white is the only way.
 
trevorbray said:
Brian. I think you missed the point..
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H'mm Well I would throw throw 1977 film away (it's only Kodacolor) unless it was exposed and maybe some interesting stuff on it, or could be useful for a practice roll.
 
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Jon Kincaid said:
I think you're right, there's no mention of C41 on the box. It mentions EMUL. NO. 5035

Think I'll have a play
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Kodacolor II was the first C-41 process film (released with the new 110 format in 1972 and in all the other formats in about 1974 so to allow labs to gradually switch over from the older incompatible C-22 process).

In all honesty I wouldn't bother as even professional specialist old film developing labs state that Kodacolor II films tend to not have a very high success rate when processed today (even just in B&W), and I seriously doubt that you'd get hardly anything if you ran it through an ordinary C-41 process. If it was cold stored from new then it may well be O.K, but if not then I don't imagine it'll be very good.

P.S, the fact that it's ASA 80 means that it was the early type as in later years Kodacolor II was increased slightly in speed to ASA 100.
 
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Coincidentally, a Facebook group I'm a member of has had someone post that they had a 1976 roll of Kodacolor II, and should they bother to use it. The overwhelming consensus was that they should, because expired film is awesome. So, you know, it depends on how you feel about the end product. Some people love the unexpected, and some don't. If the few quid it'll cost you to find out is too much, throw it away. Otherwise, enjoy!
 
abdoujaparov said:
Coincidentally, a Facebook group I'm a member of has had someone post that they had a 1976 roll of Kodacolor II, and should they bother to use it. The overwhelming consensus was that they should, because expired film is awesome. So, you know, it depends on how you feel about the end product. Some people love the unexpected, and some don't. If the few quid it'll cost you to find out is too much, throw it away. Otherwise, enjoy!
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......or stick on ebay for £5 and the lomo guys might buy it o_O
 
Jon Kincaid said:
I think you're right, there's no mention of C41 on the box. It mentions EMUL. NO. 5035

Think I'll have a play
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Don't C41 it. I'm sure you'll lose it. Cold process only. If you didn't know, I process film for a living and hate to see blank film.
 
RumpFace said:
Don't C41 it. I'm sure you'll lose it. Cold process only. If you didn't know, I process film for a living and hate to see blank film.
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I'm going to save it until I've had some practice. I've got a tank and some breakers etc I just need to get a dark bag and some Rodinal and I'm going to have a go at processing. I have umpteen Poundland films and a whole host of expired stuff that was in a load of p&p cameras I was given (four carrier bags full of odds and sods) mostly consisting of other people's shots, so it's going to be an interesting adventure!
 
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