I loaded the old film into the old camera today, and thought maybe you’d like to see the unboxing…
Do people share unboxings of old, expired black & white film? Well, I guess I do… especially since it’s kinda cool.
So I acquired this film from the bay… $9.95 + shipping. Good deal? Average? Rip off? I don’t know, to be honest. We’ll have to see how the roll turns out. One thing to note: the bottom of the canister was a bit lose, but it seems like the canister is meant to be reusable…. not sure. Hopefully this roll isn’t ruined already.
This box arrived already open, as described in the ebay sale. Allah knows (and maybe the seller) what sorts of things went on with in the 50-odd years since it was produced and canned, purchased, sat on, and ultimately sold to me.
I’m looking forward to running it through the R3.
On to the pics…
As you can see above, Ansco—manufactured by General Aniline & Film Co.— packaged their film in a nice box, and this one in particular expired in March 1968.
This one came with a whole sheet of exposure settings for various cameras and environments: there’s the usual Sunny 16 chart; a chart of comparative film speed ratings (125 ASA = 100 Weston = 150 General Electric = 22° DIN); exposure times for different filters; exposure with various flashbulbs and at various guide numbers; advice on electronic flashes, photofloods & reflectorfloods; and developing times for two developers—Hyfinol for 4 minutes; Isodol 1:1 for 5 minutes.
It’s really much more info than anything I’ve ever seen before in a roll of film.
And the film came in a groovy metal canister… it’d be interesting to make something out of this, methinks.
Open that little canister, and: there’s a nice, all metal, reusable-looking film canister, all full of film ready to be shot:
I expect loads of fun getting this ancient film onto the Patterson reel. May Allah azza wa jall grant me sabr (patience and steadfastness).
So there it is… a nice roll of Ansco Versapan 47 years expired, now finally loaded into the Nikon FG and ready to shoot. Allah knows how long it will take me to shoot through the roll, get it developed, and share my results both with the film and the R3 monobath.
InshaAllah it’ll be fun times.
I’ve been looking around for information on this film, and it’s scant. Ansco stopped making film in the 70s. Some people have fond memories and have done everything from stand development with exhausted D76 to sourcing and mixing up old Ansco developers (like the aforementioned Hyfinol or Isodol); some have tried to develop other Ansco films in normal developers with less than stellar results. God Willing all will go well with the R3 and this roll.
By the way… box and little info sheet reek of old paper… like an old book. MashaAllah.
I better plop some Airborne.
Oh! and I picked up a delayed birthday present to myself… an old, classic Nikon lens. Some famous photographer used it to shoot some famous picture some time.
It’s a beauty. Can you guess what it is?
Maybe I’ll shoot some of the Versapan with it, and tell you more about it then. Maybe I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut. Allahu Alim.
