Expired Color Film Treasure: Kodak Gold 100 120-size (Abandoned Films 07)

 

Dear Readers, this is the last (for now) article on discontinued types of camera film ("Films from the Dead").

Kodak's Gold color negative films (for color prints) were famous for consistent and reliable results under various conditions. No matter what a customer did with their roll, a good laboratory could usually recover a decent image. Kodak manufactured the 35mm versions in USA, Mexico, China, and possibly other countries. I was familiar with Gold 100, 200, and 400 in 135mm size for 35mm cameras but had not seen other sizes. Therefore, I was surprised to see this roll of 120 size 100 in the freezer of a former friend who passed away a few years ago. 

This roll expired in 2000, so I wondered if it would work, but it had been frozen all these years. I loaded it in my Hasselblad camera and took photographs under various light conditions. I exposed it at EI=64, on the assumption that it had lost some sensitivity over the years. 

I sent the roll to Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas, to develop in C-41 chemicals. Dwayne's has been in business for decades, and some of you old-timers may remember that this was the very last laboratory on earth to process Kodachrome slide film. 

I scanned the frames with a Minolta Scan-Multi medium format film scanner operated with Silverfast Ai software. The Gold 100 profile was not quite right and the automatic scan produced very green images. It is likely that the film had shifted despite its long storage in the freezer. But I corrected the color balance using the grey dropper tool, and the resulting scans look pretty good for 20-year-old film. Please click any frame to see it at 1600 pixels wide. All comments welcome.

Examples

Fixer-upper cars, Old US 80 east of Vicksburg (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens, 1/4 ƒ/16))

Junk yard, Old US 80 east of Vicksburg, Mississippi (80mm lens)

Abandoned school, Thomastown Road, Mound, Louisiana

Abandoned school, Thomastown Road, Mound, Louisiana

Abandoned school, Thomastown Road, Mound, Louisiana

Abandoned school that resembles a motel, Thomastown Road, Mound (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

I came across this old school while I was biking on a new route near Mound, Louisiana. No one is ever around when I have been there and therefore have not been able to ask about the school's history. Was this one of those separate but equal establishments erected quickly in the 1960s or 1970s for black students? Was it closed because of asbestos? The panels from the roof eaves are asbestos, and they crunch underfoot when you walk near the building.

Workshop at the Mississippi River Basin Model, Buddy Butts Park, Jackson, Mississippi

Closed shop, 1016 Raymond Road, Jackson, Mississippi (80mm lens with polarizer)

Lessons of the Discontinued Film Series

What have I learned from these experiments using discontinued film stocks? The main lesson is if the film has been frozen or at least kept cool, it may be perfectly usable:

1. Low speed black and white film should be usable. Try exposing with ⅔ or a full stop more exposure compared to the original ISO. There may be more fog. My 1960s GAF Versapan film provided excellent negatives at EI=64, and it was 50 years old! The 1974 35mm Versapan was grainy but amazingly viable. Northeast Photographic developed it in Xtol.
2. Kodak's Panatomic-X seems to be ageless. I now allow ⅔ of a stop more exposure (EI=20). 
3. High speed film, like Tri-X, may be marginal. But, I have been using 1989 expiration Tri-X 4×5" sheets, and they look fine, although there is some base fog. However, I know the boxes have been frozen all these years.
4. 20-year-old expired Fuji NPS160 C41 film in 120 size (color print): no issue at all. 
5. 1990s Kodak Ektar 25 (120 and 135): Some rolls were ruined, some were OK. They all had color shifts. Its time is gone; Ektar 25 is too old now. 
6. Kodak BW400CN black and white C41film looks gritty and grainy, but marginally usable. It does not age well.
7. Kodak Verichrome Pan black and white film is amazingly durable, both in winter and in blazing hot summer.
8. Kodak T400CN C-41 film. Given much extra exposure, it is viable. Try it at EI=50.
9. Kodak Plus-X film. OK tonality, but rather grainy, probably due to age.

If any of you readers have experience with expired film, please add notes to the comments. Thank you for reading along.

Another Expired Film Treasure: Kodak Verichrome Pan (Abandoned Films 06)

Dear Readers, this is a continuation of my series on discontinued photographic films. Previous posts covered GAF Versapan film packs, GAF Versapan 135 film, Kodak Ektar 25, and Kodak's famous Panatomic-X black and white film.

For decades, Kodak's Verichrome Pan film was a staple in camera stores around the country. It was a medium-speed (ISO=125) panchromatic black and white film intended for box and medium format cameras. Kodak's data sheet stated:

FEATURES                            BENEFITS

• Extremely fine grain            • Excellent for producing high-quality images

• Wide exposure latitude        • Rich tonality maintained with overexposure and underexposure

• Very high sharpness            • Excellent for applications that require a high degree of enlargement

• High resolving power          • Good rendition of detail

Over time, Kodak sold it in 120, 127, 116, 126, 616, 110, 620, and 828 formats. As far as I know, Kodak never packaged it in 35mm cassettes. Note that these are format designations, not width in mm. The 126 was the Instamatic cartridge that was so popular in the 1960s and 1970s, and the 110 was the smaller cartridge for 110 cameras. As of 1996, they even sold it in long roll for Cirkut panorama cameras. Numerous writers on the web enthusiastically claim that it was a superb film. It was such a flexible film, an inexperienced amateur could could load it in a crummy box camera and achieve something that a lab could print. 

For unknown reasons, I never tried any Verichrome Pan, and now it is too late. But good news: my Indiana friend, Jim Grey (author of the Down the Road blog), generously sent me a roll. 

The roll Jim sent expired in 12/1987. He said he did not know its original storage conditions, but he had kept it refrigerated. I took pictures around town with my Hasselblad 501CM medium format camera on a rare day when snow had fallen (yes, it does snow in Vicksburg once in awhile). The light was soft and even, so maybe this was not a very challenging test for this film, but that is what was loaded in my film holder. Because of the age and unknown storage, I decided to add extra exposure and use it at EI=64 (or half the original), meaning one ƒ-stop extra light for each frame. Click any picture to see it enlarged to 1600 pixels wide.

Kansas City Southern tracks from the North Frontage Road bridge (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

2624 Washington Street, Vicksburg (80mm Planar-CB lens)

Fairground Street Bridge (permanently closed; 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

Pearl Street view north (80mm Planar lens)

Over a decade ago, cottages lined the west side of the tracks (left in this photograph). All have been torn down and the city abandoned the.

Kansas City Southern rail yard from Levee Street, view east (80mm Planar-CB lens)

Kansas City Southern rail yard view south (80mm Planar lens)

Work shed on levee next to Yazoo Canal (50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens, 1/30 ƒ/11)

Sycamore Avenue, Vicksburg (80mm Planar lens)

View west from Sycamore Avenue (80 mm Planar lens)

Kansas City Southern tracks along Mississippi River waterfront (250mm ƒ/5.6 Sonnar lens, ⅛ ƒ/16.5)

Well, once again I am thrilled that a 30-year-old film responds so well. What amazing technology. I love the tonality of this Verichrome Pan, at least under these conditions of soft light.

Praus Productions in Rochester, New York, developed the film, and I scanned it with a Minolta ScanMulti medium format film scanner. The Silverfast Ai software did not have a Verichrome Pan profile. Instead, I used the profile for Plus-X film. I read in some old Kodak books that Verichrome and Plus-X responded about the same. I have read that they were almost the same emulsion but one had no anti-halation layer (?). I do not know if that is true, and I had no recent experience with Plus-X. The last time I used Plus-X may have been in Moscow in 1978 (click the link). 

Thank you, Dear Readers, for following along on this exploration of Films from the Dead. All comments welcome.

Expired Film Treasure: 120-size Kodak Ektar 25 (Abandoned Films 02g)

Dear Readers, I have written about Kodak's ultra-fine resolution Ektar 25 film before. This was the finest-grain color negative film ever made, and when new, had a vivid and contrasty color palette. But it has been out of production for two decades, and most (all?) rolls for sale on ePrey are unusable because they were not stored frozen. Awhile ago, I declared I would not try any more; it was past its time. 

Oh oh, trouble. A friend on the Photrio forum said he had two rolls for me that had been frozen. I could not resist - I know, I know, weak self-discipline. It is an example of succumbing to film GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome).

The first roll I exposed at an exposure index of EI=20. But when the film came back from North Coast Photographic, the frames were much too thin. However, I managed to save about half of the pictures via scanning. The second roll I shot at EI=12, and this one was much better. So, in no particular order, here are some examples of the famous but long-expired Ektar 25, color shifts, warts and all. These are all tripod-mounted exposures. Click any frame to expand. Comments welcome.

Louisiana

Bridge over Judd Bayou, Tensas National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana (Hasselblad 501CM camera, 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

This is one of my favorite recent photographs. The light, foliage, and setting were just right. This is the end of the road for cars in the forest west of the Tensas River. Unfortunately, this area was cut in World War II, so the forest is not old growth. The loggers destroyed what may have been the last USA habitat for the Ivory-billed woodpecker. 

Vicksburg and Redwood

Former CCC Camp near Union Ave., Vicksburg National Military Park

King Davis Church, Glass Road, Vicksburg (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens, polarizer)

Shed near abandoned cement silos, Rte 3, Redwood (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens, ½ ƒ/5.6)

Remnants at cement silo site, Rte 3, Redwood (50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens)

Crushing mill, Rte 3, Redwood (50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens, 1 sec. ƒ/8)

I have photographed this large metal object before. I am not sure what it once crushed or ground. The deep water pit may have been for cooling water or flushing the material out of the device. Now it is a perfect habitat for water snakes. This is just east of Rte 3 across the street from the old cement silos.

 

Where is my food? Happy wet cows, Ball Road, Redwood

Rosedown Road, Vicksburg (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens, ¼ ƒ/4.05)

This is the view looking downhill from Confederate Avenue. These architecturally-boring houses have been here since before the mid-1980s. 

Eagle Lake Area

Jones Lake, near Laney Lake Road, off Rte. 465 (50mm Distagon, ¼ ƒ/11)

Jones Lake, near Laney Lake Road, off 465 (50mm Distagon, ¼ ƒ/11)

Snow in Vicksburg

Adams Street, view north (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

Ready to go, Washington Street

Kansas City Southern rail yard from Levee Street

104 Locust Street (50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens)

106 Locust Street (unoccupied)

201 Locust Street (unoccupied)

Yes, once in awhile, we get a snowstorm in Vicksburg. It changes the entire look of the landscape and is too good to resist capturing with film. The overcast sky and soft light was perfect for this Ektar 25 film.

Locust Street is in the north part of town below Fort Hill. A local dude stopped in his car and told me how the neighborhood was vibrant 20 years ago, with houses on every lot. Now at least half of the lots are grass or have abandoned houses.

Summary

Once again, I am impressed that a 25-year-old color film will still work, albeit with color shifts and minor errors in the emulsion. This film shows it amazing resolution when used with the best optics and careful technique (which means a tripod). But I have no more 120-size Ektar 25 and am unlikely to ever buy any. As I concluded before (but obviously did not follow my own advice): this is the end, no more. There is one roll of 35mm Ektar 25 in the freezer, which I will save for a special occasion.

Update June 2021: A friend found two rolls of Ektar 25 in his mother's freezer. It looks as if I will be able to enjoy Ektar 25 again.

Snow in Vicksburg - Twice in a Month??

Here in Vicksburg in the USA South, we do occasionally get snow or ice storms, but the frequency diminished in recent years. But in the last few years, we have been experiencing snows more often as well as other extreme meteorological events. Overall, the climate is getting warmer, as demonstrated by bird species that previously would have migrated south to the Gulf Coast or to South America, but now remain here. (No, I won't get into the debate with denial idiots that climate change is a hoax.)

Snow is rare enough that I can't resist wandering around with a camera and recording the way that snow outlines roads, topography, and rooflines. The following will be some digital snapshots. I also used film, but it needs to be developed. I will post film frames in mid-summer when the temperature is 30+ deg. C.

Storm 1, January 11, 2021

Kansas City Southern tracks, Pearl Street

Pearl Street

Pearl Street

Oops, some rail cars overturned at curve below Washington Street

Sycamore Avenue

This January storm was not too intense, and roads were open. I took a tour around town thinking it might be the last snow of the winter.

Storm 2: February 14-18, 2021

What, again? An immense storm pattern blanketed the southern and central United States. Houston, Texas, experienced rare snow and temperatures well below freezing. Here in Vicksburg, the freezing rain began to fall on Sunday, the 14th. Monday welcomed us to a white city. 

Room with a view. Wait, what's all that white stuff? (Morning, Feb. 15, 2021)

The mayor imposed a 24-hour driving curfew, which was smart considering that no one around here has snow tires (or ability). And consider, Bubba Joe normally gets in his truck with the widest and baldest tires and drives as fast as he can. Brakes, friction? What are those? Fire trucks and ambulances installed snow chains.

Confederate Avenue view west (Feb. 15, 2021)

Halls Ferry Road from the Confederate Avenue bridge. Where did the traffic go?

It is so peaceful when there is no traffic. The mayor extended the driving curfew to Wednesday, February 17.

Footbridge over Stouts Bayou, Avenue B (Feb. 15, 2021)

I walked to Avenue B and crossed the little footbridge over Stouts Bayou. I saw six unusual speckled birds with long beaks down at the riprap near the water. They were Wilson's Snipe. Here, in the city? As I crossed, they flew off, and two more followed. Later, I saw a Belted Kingfisher. 

Drummond Street view south (Feb. 16, 2021)

Drummond Street view north (Feb. 16, 2021)

Monroe Street view north (Feb. 16, 2021)

I know you readers in the northern USA or Canada, let alone Scandinavia or Russia, will not be impressed with this snowfall, but for us it is a big deal. It certainly changes the scenery. The Interstate highways are treacherous and dangerous because the highway department has very few plows. 

Oh, oh. About noon on Feb. 17, the rain started, and it soon turned into freezing rain. By late in the day, every surface was coated with ice. This mess continued through the night.

Temporary toaster (Feb. 18, 2021)

OK, skip the toaster; eat Panettone instead

Comfort food for those chilly nights

Hey, where did the electricity go? Fortunately, it returned around 09:30 on Thursday (Feb. 18). We heat the house with a gas-fired hot water furnace, but the system depends on two electric pumps to circulate the water through the house piping and radiators. So, no electricity = no heat.

No, not just snow, but ice-saturated crust (Feb. 18, 2021)

Every surface outside was slippery. I tried to break up some chunks of the crust to fill a bucket, but the crust was rock-hard. The City water came back on mid-morning, but we will keep some buckets filled just in case. And the sloping driveway was too slippery to descend safely, so that ended my limb and brush clean-up. Maybe I should have not sold my crampons and ice axe. 

Some spectacular news for Feb. 18: The NASA Perseverance rover landed on the surface of Mars at 12:55 PM Pacific Time. Bravo!! It demonstrates what science and engineering can accomplish.

 

From the Past: 1989

 

February 6, 1989, ice storm. Polaroid Type 54 print

The 2021 scenes are digital images. I also took photographs with film, which need to be developed. I will post them on a summer day when the temperature is 100º F to help you remember what it is like when it is cool.