I found 8 rolls of nitrate film in with the Pan-X I recovered. Warning about developing nitrate: One must modify the process to avoid the film bursting into flame. I did the processing once I loaded to rolls outside, and had a chem foam fire extinguisher at the ready. Developed in something akin to Acufine that I compounded up.

사진작가:
qbalazs
업로드:
2021-07-26
앨범:
Nitrate FIlm Negatives

5 덧글

  1. leisuresuit
    leisuresuit ·

    How do you tell if its nitrate film?

  2. qbalazs
    qbalazs ·

    The majority of the rolls were Super-XX, which at the time as panchromatic nitrate based film. The rolls were labeled Super-XX NItrate.

  3. qbalazs
    qbalazs ·

    Another good way to tell is to date the roll if possible, prior to 1920ish everything was nitrate and it took until the mid 40s for nitrate to totally be phased out. Dating can be hard, as Super-XX existed as both nitrate and safety. But what I have is all labeled nitrate. Nitrate also also has a different feel to it when you're loading it on a reel, it's less bendy and is harder to ascertain the emulsion side from the non-emulsion side than safety film. I can tell nitrate just by how it loads. Nitrate also has the tendency to crack, unlike safety film.

  4. qbalazs
    qbalazs ·

    If you do come across nitrate, don't use a high acid stop or acid fix. After development and scanning, it really should be destroyed, it's a fire hazard to the extreme. I've devised a way to destroy it without burning it. A 4 day soak in Sodium Hydroxide renders the film base unreactive.

  5. qbalazs
    qbalazs ·

    But really, unless you know what you're doing and have worked with it before, it isn't safe to process. Lye renders it safe, then it can be thrown away. It can spontaneously combust even in an oxygen deprived environment. SInce the LOC details storage, I keep all developed nitrate in a sub-zero freezer with 20-25% humidity, where it should hold indefinitely, and be safe from combustion. .

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