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Develop kodak 16mm BW 4x reversal 7277


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Hi, KODAK 4X 7277 was discontinued ages ago.   So unless it has been stored frozen all this time since it was new......it will most certainly have suffered age effects, most notably age fog.   This will prevent the film from a satisfactory reversal processing...although you could attempt it on a small piece of film to see how it responds.  Usually, if processed reversal, even with age time compensation in the First Developer, the film will still yield weak extremely low contrast images with cloudiness (mottling).    For such old film, the best approach is processing it as a Negative, and use a high contrast strong developer to counter the age fog which will yield low contrast.  If using D-76, use it straight not diluted.  I would recommend something more similar to D-19, but I recommend doing some tests on small pieces of the film, to avoid waste.

   I loved using this film back in the day, before it was discontinued in the 1980s.  For such a high speed film it had great contrast, good tones, and the grain was very nice, though coarser than Tri-X of course.   If only room temperature stored all these years, it will have lost nearly half it's film speed rating, but then, if processing it as Negative, you would half the normal film speed rating of ASA/ISO 400 to E.I/ISO 200.........now since it is so old, a better starting point would probably be E.I./ISO 100 and do normal development for Negative.  Dektol is a B&W Photo Paper Developer, but it can be used in a variety of ways of course....making it then more similar to the old Polydol Developer.   If using that, try a 1:1 dilution ratio and process at 68F for 6 to 7 minutes.  

    I do recommend shooting a gray card (or white board) and metering for that, and slating it, since you really want to shoot some over and under frames from the meter reading, in half-stop increments.  If you have a gray scale chart, shoot that as well.   If you have the capability to read out the optical film density after processing, and bracket enough single frame shots that you slated so you'll know the exposure rate for each.....you could also plot out a graph to see how the film is responding, as well as know the maximum density and the minimum density.   Once you complete your tests, you'll be better equipped to actually use the film in a predictable way for whatever you desire to film.

Good luck and best regards.

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On 1/29/2021 at 2:02 PM, Martin Baumgarten said:

Hi, KODAK 4X 7277 was discontinued ages ago.   So unless it has been stored frozen all this time since it was new......it will most certainly have suffered age effects, most notably age fog.   This will prevent the film from a satisfactory reversal processing...although you could attempt it on a small piece of film to see how it responds.  Usually, if processed reversal, even with age time compensation in the First Developer, the film will still yield weak extremely low contrast images with cloudiness (mottling).    For such old film, the best approach is processing it as a Negative, and use a high contrast strong developer to counter the age fog which will yield low contrast.  If using D-76, use it straight not diluted.  I would recommend something more similar to D-19, but I recommend doing some tests on small pieces of the film, to avoid waste.

   I loved using this film back in the day, before it was discontinued in the 1980s.  For such a high speed film it had great contrast, good tones, and the grain was very nice, though coarser than Tri-X of course.   If only room temperature stored all these years, it will have lost nearly half it's film speed rating, but then, if processing it as Negative, you would half the normal film speed rating of ASA/ISO 400 to E.I/ISO 200.........now since it is so old, a better starting point would probably be E.I./ISO 100 and do normal development for Negative.  Dektol is a B&W Photo Paper Developer, but it can be used in a variety of ways of course....making it then more similar to the old Polydol Developer.   If using that, try a 1:1 dilution ratio and process at 68F for 6 to 7 minutes.  

    I do recommend shooting a gray card (or white board) and metering for that, and slating it, since you really want to shoot some over and under frames from the meter reading, in half-stop increments.  If you have a gray scale chart, shoot that as well.   If you have the capability to read out the optical film density after processing, and bracket enough single frame shots that you slated so you'll know the exposure rate for each.....you could also plot out a graph to see how the film is responding, as well as know the maximum density and the minimum density.   Once you complete your tests, you'll be better equipped to actually use the film in a predictable way for whatever you desire to film.

Good luck and best regards.

Martin I've been trying to develop as negative but I just get a black film. Should I bleach the film before developing? Is it black because of the antihalliation backing? Thanks!

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Pablo,

The first thing that comes to my mind, is that what you developed has been exposed to light previously.  

Is all of the film black or just the frame area?  (Meaning the area around the sprockets is clear and just a frame black?)

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