Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/06/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I bought a pack of Super-XX from eBay... Yes, Super-XX, "Must Be Developed Before Feb 1951" Well, so we are 63 years too late. I am sure it will work *grin* Put the package inside the changing tent with a film holder. My mental conversation (I hope it's mental anyway, and not me narrating what's happening at real time) went like this: "What is this? It feels like Pack Film! Ooops. OK, no big deal, I could just open the metal frames like this, and hmm... where are the sheets?" Eventually found them, ripped one off the protective sheet and tried to push it in the film holder, guessing which side is the emulsion by feel and... it wouldn't go in. Touched and touched and it felt a bit wider and quite a bit longer than 4x5 negs. In went the pair of scissors and I did the best I could to cut 2 sheets totally by feel. At this point, I was sure that this is an entirely waste of a grand total of $8 (+ shipping). Put the remaining sheets in a film box and took everything out of the tent and realized that I have ruined about 6 sheets due to not able to see which are what, and what is where. Double oops. Took two test shots, using exposure assuming ISO 50 (Super-XX was a high speed film at ISO125 thereabout, but 63 years in a box probably lower its sensitivity so I figured ISO50 is probably good). F5.6 at 1/8 second, 120 APO Symmar with the Chamonix Saber on a tripod. Managed to somehow wrangle them into the Jobo reel, even though the hand cut sheets are neither the correct size nor even cut straight. Xtol 12 mins in the Jobo with a pre-wash. Quick water stop, 30 secs in fix then took a quick look and I was REALLY SURPRISED to see images on both sheets! Put it back on the Jobo and finished it with proper fixing length, hypo clear, water rinse, and photo flo. After they dried, scanned and post processed and realized that one sheet has the emulsion facing the wrong way so the exposure was about -2 stops! Tripe oops. The other one the exposure is actually about + 1/2 stop. So yes, these are post processed and therefore enhanced, but for a 63 year emulsion, it's not bad at all!! http://richardmanphoto.com/PICS/20140611-Scanned-361-Edit.jpg http://richardmanphoto.com/PICS/20140611-Scanned-362.jpg -- // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com> // http://facebook.com/richardmanphoto