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Old Kodak Plus-X


Dylan H Grant

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I recently came into some old Kodak Plus-X -- 7265 and 7276 -- and I'm wondering where to start with exposing it.  I'm told it was properly stored, but I have no way of really knowing.  

In still photography they say you should give it about a stop a decade ... would that work here?  I like B&W to look a little inkier, but I'm wary of underexposing here.  Also, wasn't Plus-X a bit ... finicky?

I know the answer is probably to just shoot a test roll and see what goes.

What do you think?

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Hi, there's a couple issues here with PLUS-X [PXR] in that first, it's Reversal film, so exposure treatment, IF to be processed as B&W Reversal is different than as if processing to B&W Negative...which you can do also.  This film has been known to keep well, and the 7265 is last version of it.  This 7265 came out when KODAK altered the original B&W Reversal formula to be more environmentally friendly:  mainly changing the First Developer and the Bleach.  Since the formulation change was factored in to continue use of existing motion picture film processing machines for Black & White Reversal, KODAK also made some changes to their B&W Reversal Stock, namely PXR and TXR.  The Plus-X film speed was increased to ISO 100 from the previous ISO 50. HOWEVER....that is what KODAK stated to rate the film at IF processed in the newer chemistry via machine processing.  IF anyone exposed the previous PLUS-X 7276 at ISO 50, it would be too light in the process, so it ALSO had to be exposed at ISO 100.  TRI-X films remained unchanged in their respective filmspeed rating at ISO 200.

   This tells you in reality that the main change in processing was the First Developer, which has a different strength from the previous formulation and the machine times were adjusted also to compensate for the new Permanganate Bleach...which needs more bleaching time.  The slow down actually affects PLUS-X films so their rating is doubled.  For various reasons, the new TRI-X formulation wasn't affected, nor was the previous one.  Anyhow, I mention all this in case you wish to process the film yourself, or anyone else reading this posting.  Via manual processing, you can use the original formulation and times...or the new formulation and adjust the First Developer time, and still rate PLUS-X at ISO 50, both versions, and get finer grain.

   Since PLUS-X ages well, and if both have been cold stored, even in the fridge they should still be pretty good.  If stored frozen, they will still be excellent.   You didn't state how much film you have, but I'm sure you don't want to just waste it.  So, if your desire is for Reversal Processing, then I suggest just shooting it normally. If you are worried, then you could bracket your shots:  for example shoot one scene normally, and then the same scene again with an exposure adjustment via slight underexposure.  Reversal films as they age, if processed normally, will get lighter in density, If they weren't stored well, so under exposure is the adjustment, or cutting First Development time instead.  The amount is relative to how old the film is, how it was stored (if at room temp, or anywhere other than cold storage in a fridge or freezer).  You won't know the amount without conducting a test.

  IF you are having the film processed commercially, then you'll have to rate both PLUS-X film types at ISO 100 as your starting point, since it's not worth paying the extra money to have them pull process your film, which they will only do in a 1-Stop increment anyway........and the actual needed adjustment could be much less, so better done via an exposure adjustment.  IF all you have is two cartridges, then of course you can't afford to waste, and I wouldn't want to waste any film, not considering what film costs now as well as processing.  Figure that IF you were to bracket your exposures at least once, 25ft of the film will be either lighter or darker than normal, and the other 25ft will be normal.  This way, the roll is not a total loss, and you might also still have some usable footage from the rest since exposure is relative to the actual subject.

  Lastly, IF you prefer to expose it and have it processed as B&W Negative, then you can rate it at either ISO 50 or ISO 100, ISO 50 for a denser negative.  Actually, PLUS-X was never finicky and was quite forgiving in exposure.  KODAK allowed it to be run in Super 8mm cameras being rated at ISO 25 if using the Daylight Filter, or ISO 40 without the Daylight Filter, even though the technical film speed of the film was ISO 50 without Filter and ISO 32 with Filter, and it usually looked fine.  You can also break off a small piece of the cartridge front lower wall where the Filter Notch should be IF it's not present, and then you'll be able to use the builtin Daylight Conversion Filter, which is Orange, and it will act like an Orange Filter and thus prevent blown out skies, provide cloud and water detail etc for those shots where you'd like a nice full range of tones in Daylight exposures.  I hope this helps.

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