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Photo Forum / Film Photography / Medium format / October 2006

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Expired film

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Steve Bosell - 09 Oct 2006 09:23 GMT
I have a few rolls of Ektachrome 120 that expired 5/05, but it's been stored
in my refrigerator since it was new, do you suppose that it's still okay?

Thanks!
RolandRB - 09 Oct 2006 09:34 GMT
> I have a few rolls of Ektachrome 120 that expired 5/05, but it's been stored
> in my refrigerator since it was new, do you suppose that it's still okay?
>
> Thanks!

If kept in the freezing compartment then "yes".
Charles - 09 Oct 2006 09:45 GMT
>I have a few rolls of Ektachrome 120 that expired 5/05, but it's been stored
>in my refrigerator since it was new, do you suppose that it's still okay?
>
>Thanks!

Yes, I suppose it is.  Try a roll first before you take it on a once
in a lifetime vacation trip, though.
Steve Bosell - 09 Oct 2006 09:59 GMT
No vacations planned, but with my luck, I'll get the shot of my life only to
be ruined by bad film!  I think I'll just throw it in the round file!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, I suppose it is.  Try a roll first before you take it on a once
> in a lifetime vacation trip, though.
Toni Nikkanen - 09 Oct 2006 10:05 GMT
> No vacations planned, but with my luck, I'll get the shot of my life only to
> be ruined by bad film!  I think I'll just throw it in the round file!

I think the worst you can expect is that the colors will be a bit off.
Geoffrey S. Mendelson - 09 Oct 2006 10:30 GMT
> No vacations planned, but with my luck, I'll get the shot of my life only to
> be ruined by bad film!  I think I'll just throw it in the round file!

What a waste. Film is not milk. Except for the very high speed film such
as T-Max P3200, most film does not "go bad". It ages. All films are sensitive
to cosmic radiation, but until they get to the speed of P3200, they are
not sensitive enough to matter.

All film develops fog with age, although it takes many years for normal
speed film to become a problem. Color film experiences two problems,
one, it becomes obsolete and the processing becomes difficult or in
some cases impossible to find. Kodachrome is unfortunately headed that
way. In the case of slightly out of date Ektachrome, there is no chance
of that for a long time.

The second is color shifts. Professional color film is aged in caves until
it reaches the desired color response and then shipped with short expiration
dates under refrigeration. This is because professional photographers care
about exact color balance and need the consistency.

Consumer film is just shipped as needed, the color shifts won't bother
your average consumer.

Unless your film was stored in an oven (you said it was refigerated),
it should be fine for several years.

As others of have said, it probably should not be used for those once in
a lifetime shots, but if you happen upon one with that film in your camera,
I would not hesitate to use it. YMMV.

If you really don't want to use it, and want to do a "good deed" stick it
in an envelope and send it to me. :-)

Geoff.

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IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667  Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
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Simon Meeds - 09 Oct 2006 11:31 GMT
> No vacations planned, but with my luck, I'll get the shot of my life only
> to be ruined by bad film!  I think I'll just throw it in the round file!

Last week I saw work by an excellent slide worker who *only* uses out of
date Kodachrome 64. He called new stock, rubbish.

Simon
nathantw - 10 Oct 2006 17:46 GMT
I still have one roll of 120-size Kodachrome 64 just to prove to myself
that it did exist at one time.

> > No vacations planned, but with my luck, I'll get the shot of my life only
> > to be ruined by bad film!  I think I'll just throw it in the round file!
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Simon
Alan Browne - 14 Oct 2006 20:07 GMT
> No vacations planned, but with my luck, I'll get the shot of my life only to
> be ruined by bad film!  I think I'll just throw it in the round file!

Don't worry about it.  Been there, done that.  Works fine.  If you're
doing color critical work for a customer, then no.

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Ric Trexell - 10 Oct 2006 02:35 GMT
> I have a few rolls of Ektachrome 120 that expired 5/05, but it's been stored
> in my refrigerator since it was new, do you suppose that it's still okay?
>
> Thanks!
*******************************************************
Expired film is great for taking pictures of something you are selling on
Ebay.
Steve Bosell - 10 Oct 2006 02:42 GMT
Maybe I'll use it to take pictures of expired film I'm selling on ebay!  :-)
Alan Browne - 14 Oct 2006 20:06 GMT
> I have a few rolls of Ektachrome 120 that expired 5/05, but it's been stored
> in my refrigerator since it was new, do you suppose that it's still okay?

Yep.  I exposed some year-out-of-date E100G and Velvia 100 / 100F and
the colors were great.  Had been kept in freezer, not fridge.

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