Developing ?80? Year old Film

[Vautrin]

So I was at my favorite local photo store, drooling over the used cameras, and I start talking to the guy about these cameras from the 30s which take 120 film. They look kind of like large format -- they have the bellows, etc, and they take pictures in larger format (i think 6x9?)

Anyways, he was showing me how to use this camera from the 30s or 40s, and in back is an undeveloped roll of, what I assume is exposed, film.

It's ilford FP4 so I'm not sure how old it is, but the packaging looks different then today's ilford FP4 (this was all black with white lettering as opposted to white wrapping with black letterin)

He gave me the film if I wanted to develop it.

Are there any special considerations I should take with exposed film this old? Will the film even be good? And is it really 80 years old, or perhaps just a few years?

Thanks,

Dan

 

[PASM]

Anyways, he was showing me how to use this camera from the 30s or 40s, and in back is an undeveloped roll of, what I assume is exposed, film.

It is now whoops!

FP4 was introduced in 1968. FP4 Plus in 1990.

 

[Vautrin]

Anyways, he was showing me how to use this camera from the 30s or 40s, and in back is an undeveloped roll of, what I assume is exposed, film.

It is now whoops!

FP4 was introduced in 1968. FP4 Plus in 1990.

The roll was on the right side (the take up after shooting) and sealed up tightly, so I think somebody shot the roll, and sealed it in camera... And forgot about it for some time...

 

[PASM]

Mystery film. Intriguing what might be on it.
We have plenty of possible options since 1968..hmmm..Hendrix's last gig? Saskwatch evidence...

Probably some people on a caravan holiday

 

[Proteus617]

There is a guy named Gene M who hangs out on the Classic Manual Cameras board on photo.net. You might want to ask over there or search some of his posts. I think the biggest problem you will have is the old back paper getting brittle. I would separate the paper from the film first (in the dark of course) then coax the film onto a reel. Pre soak very well to get rid of the junk that the old fragile paper might be shedding.