Author: Khürt Williams

A human who works in information security and enjoys photography, Formula 1 and craft ale.

Kodak Tri-X Pan - Expired

The first time I exposed a roll of Kodak Tri-X pan 400 (TX400) was during The January Term (J-Term) at Drew University. J-Term was a four-week academic term during which students took intensive courses on various subjects, often focusing on experiential learning. In 1988, Drew University offered a J-Term photography course covering black and white photography, documentary photography, or photojournalism. The coursework included classroom lectures, discussions, hands-on photography exercises, and field trips to locations in the surrounding area for photography assignments.

In the 1980s, photography was synonymous with "film photography", and the most popular format was 35mm. I bought myself a Pentax P3 with an SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/1.8 lens somewhere in New York City. Or maybe Flushing, Queens. It was long ago, and I don't remember those details. Along with Ilford HP5, the Kodak Tri-X Pan 400 was one of the first 35mm film stocks I used. That was mainly because it was inexpensive compared to 35mm colour film and cheaper to develop in the on-campus lab.

I was excited when I found an expired cartridge of Kodak Tri-X pan in the box my friend sent me. The packaging was damaged, but a sticker on the side showed the expiration date, March 1980. The film in my hand was over 40 years old!

When film expires, it can lose sensitivity to light, resulting in lower contrast and less detail in the shadows and highlights. The wisdom of the Interweb suggested that I should overexpose this expired film by one stop for each decade after the expiration date. I carefully loaded the roll into my Minolta XD-11 and set the ASA to 50.

The unpredictability of expired 35mm film means that not all images turn out as expected. Would the expired roll still produce images when exposed?

Wow! These are bad. I do not know what those streaky patterns are. I've not seen anything like this with any of the rolls of expired 35mm film I have exposed over the last 18 months. That's $6 down the toilet.

Expired Kodak Tri-X 400 Pan · 15 March 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Expired Kodak Tri-X 400 Pan · 15 March 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Expired Kodak Tri-X 400 Pan · 15 March 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2
Name Kodak Tri-X Pan
Price FREE
Type C41
Native ISO 400
Exposed ISO 50
Format 35mm
Features Fine grain. Natural colour reproduction. High contrast.
Lab Boutique Film Lab
Scanner Epson Perfection V600
Software VueScan 9
Expired Kodak Tri-X 400 Pan · 15 March 2023 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

I thought they were common blackbirds but I was wrong. What’s a European bird doing in the USA?

When I arrived at Mercer Meadows at the Bryan Farm trailhead I saw a large number of birds resting in the large tree next to the old farmhouse. At first, I thought they were crows and ignored them. After setting up my camera and lens, I pulled out the Merlin ID app to identify the birds in the area via sound.

The Merlin ID app will flash the name of the bird it heard, each time it hears it. These were not crows. Each time the birds in the tree on the branches above me made a noise, the name European Starling flashed. The species is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa but has been introduced to other parts of the world, including North America, where it has become a common and sometimes invasive species. I have seen them at the bird feeder in my backyard.

The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a medium-sized passerine bird known for its glossy black plumage with white speckles and yellow beak during breeding season. It has a strong, pointed bill and short legs adapted for ground foraging.

Starlings are highly social birds, often forming large flocks, and are known for their vocalizations and mimicry abilities. They have a varied diet, feeding on insects, fruits, seeds, and human-provided food. Starlings are cavity nesters, utilizing holes in trees, buildings, and other structures for nesting sites. They are opportunistic breeders, often nesting multiple times per year and producing multiple broods.

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

The wooded area near the volleyball field in my neighbourhood is a great location for bird photography.

The woods surrounding the volleyball courts near my home have provided ample opportunity to photograph birds this week. After the Carolina Wren departed, a Tufted Titmouse arrived at the same small bush and called loudly from one of its branches.

Tufted Titmice are another common bird species found in the eastern United States and are known for their distinctive tufted crest on their heads. Tufted Titmice have a varied diet that includes insects, seeds, nuts, and berries. They forage actively in trees and shrubs, searching for insects and picking seeds and berries from plants.