Delay between exposure and developing

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Are there some b/w films that suffer less than other films from the deleterious effects of long delay between exposure and development? I'm going to be traveling for almost three months, and the notion of lugging developing equipment along is daunting. Films I currently plan on using are (35 mm) TX and (120) TX, Verichrome and APX 100.

-- Paul Arnold (osprey@bmt.net), August 27, 2000

Answers

Paul...just from personal experience with absolutely no scientific tested basis, I do think that both Tri-X and Verichrome Pan will last quite a while. I've actually heard tales of 50/60 years...myth of course! I don't know much about APX. Regarding Tri-X...you do know that the Tri-X Pan 120 is a very different film than the Tri-X PRO 120?! The 35mm Tri-X is the Tri-X Pan, but you have to usually ask for the Tri-X Pan in the 120, since they will try to sell you the more "advanced" Pro version...totally different tonal scale, IMO. The "pan" version has the more classis "feel" to it. Correct me if I'm in error, please.

-- Todd Frederick (fredrick@hotcity.com), August 27, 2000.

I don't think 3 months will adversly affect the latent image. I've developed Tri-X 35mm and Ilford Delta 400 up to a year after exposure with no noticable image degradation. If you are traveling overseas perhaps you should mail your film home after exposure to avoid any x-ray exposure at airport security. I'm sure there are others in this forum with more specific advice.

-- Robert Orofino (rorofino@iopener.net), August 28, 2000.

Somewhere or other I've read that TX has perhaps the longest hold time of most any b&w film, and that medium-speed films in general fare pretty well.

The only films I have experience with in long hold times are HP5+, Delta 3200 and TMZ; after about a couple of months HP5+ will show slightly more fog and be slightly grainier, while otoh the two high-speed films will be positively awful and practically not worth developing.

Temperature is a very important factor.

So...I think you'd be ok with TX, VP and most likely APX 100; queries of Kodak and Agfa are in order to get the "official word" though.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), August 28, 2000.


Thanks, guys, for the information. It is most helpful to me.

-- Paul Arnold (osprey@bmt.net), August 28, 2000.

Two other thoughts. Will you be able to control the temperature of the exposed film during your trip? Cold isn't a problem. As long as it isn't exposed to a lot of heat during transportation, or at where you stay, it should be all right. Also, don't put it in your checked luggage on aircraft. More and more airports are using the CTX baggage scanners on checked baggage. They WILL fog your film. In the U.S. there is supposed to be a warning about film at the check-in counter when the CTX is being used. Overseas, who knows??

-- Richard Newman (rnewman@snip.net), August 28, 2000.


I have great luck with holding TX and VP after exposure and before processing. I have also had horrible results holding TMZ for even a couple of weeks after exposure. I have no personal results with the APX films but have talked to others that have said that they have bad latent image keeping properties.

rwb

-- Robert W Boyer (rboyer@mindspring.com), August 28, 2000.


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