I get a lot of people asking about old film formats. They have mostly found undeveloped examples in lofts & cupboards, or orphaned negatives in old files. There is one thing in common with all of these questions and that is a deep curiosity as to what unseen images may exist within these finds.
All photographic film has an expiration date. This is because the emulsion (the light sensitive coating of the film) oxidises & and latent image (the area of film emulsion that has been exposed to light, but not yet made perminant by the development process) becomes weaker over time.
This can be exacerbated or minimised depending on the conditions that the film has been stored in. Generally speaking, if the environment has been fairly constant (temperature, humidity, etc), say in a cupboard in a living area, then we are more likely to see some decent results.
However, if the environment has been fluctuating in terms of temperature & humidity, say in a box in a loft, then it is more likely that the latent image will have degraded & may not be usable.
With 35mm and 120 film, it is relatively easy to contact any processing service & advise them on the approximate age of the films. It’s a simple process to tease as much detail out of the film as possible (although it will likely have suffered some degree of deterioration).
But when it comes to other formats that have fallen by the wayside, such as APS, 110 cartridges or (the dreaded disc film), most labs these days aren’t equipped to deal with.
To be honest, I wasn’t either. But with the modern age of 3d printing (and having access to my own printer) I am able to create the equipment that is needed to be able to develop these films.
What is great about being able to offer this service, is hearing back from clients about the memories that have been brought back upon seeing their images for the first time. That is why, where ever possible, I will keep prices as close to standard development prices as I can.
If you’ve found some old film and you’re curious to see what’s on it, then get in touch & let’s see what we can recover!
Some of the more obscure formats that I have recently developed for clients:
- 110
- 126
- 127
- APS (Advantix)
- 116
