Film storage?

[mikejk]

Hi all ..... first post! Looking for some pointers on film storage. How long would a stock of fresh film remain usable in refridgerated storage? What about in a freezer? Any pointers, tips, etc gratefully received.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Many years, even in a 'fridge. Even longer, in a freezer, except with the very fastest films (TMZ, Delta 3200) where apparently cosmic ray damage matters after a few years, even in a freezer.

Cheers,

R.

 

[not_in_good_order]

If you are intending on stocking up on film, store it in the freezer. Slower film when frozen can be used significantly past the expiration date. As mentioned earlier, freezing doesn't help much with faster films since those film are sensetive to natural background radiation which will eventually fog the film. Freezing only slows the chemical decomposition of film. For color film that you intend on using soon, storage in the refrigerator will help to ensure that its color balance remains consistent.

 

[Phantomas]

Agfa Isopan IF17, expired 40+ years ago, shot recently, stored god knows where:

 

[oftheherd]

Very, very nice Phantomas. But aren't you going to tell us how you did it?

 

[Phantomas]

Very, very nice Phantomas. But aren't you going to tell us how you did it?

Thanks and sure: It's not very easy to find info on Isopan IF17. From what I found it was rated somewhere around ISO 100. I shot it as ISO 50 in a Hassie.
And.... 🙁 I'm very sorry but i do not remember how i developed it. I rarely take notes. It was either in Rodinal or ID11. I think it was Rodinal 50+1 solution for 13mins, but don't quote me on that.

Here's one more from IF17:

And this one is Isopan ISS, much younger, only 30+ years old this time 🙂 This one was shot in the same way and developed in Rodinal 50+1 for (I believe) 17 mins:

Of course I do not advocate blindly trusting expired film (especially not the color, but as you can see sometimes B&W that expired before my birth can still deliver pleasant resuts.




Oh, sorry, I'll post one more - some frames show artifacts (cool!) that show what I suppose is damaged film coating. Only a few frames showed such "weirdness":

 

[david.elliott]

Agfa Isopan IF17, expired 40+ years ago, shot recently, stored god knows where:

Impressive!

 

[Zonan]

Love that last shot of the threesome! Quite the architecture.

Rick

 

[-doomed-]

I store mine in the freezer since cold storage supposedly slows the breakdown of the chemistry or because I've bought expired film that was freezer kept till I bought it. Perhaps I feel the freezer is the natural environment for unshot film and I would severely crush it's ability to capture images because I removed the film from it's home too early.
One would hate to trample upon the soul of the emulsion and wake the fog monster as that ravenous ******* destroys great film.

 

[mikejk]

Thanks all for your replies. I've a fairly large quantity of T-MAX 400 120 film which has inhabited a dark corner of my fridge for the past three years. It's expiry date is 2006. Just wondering how far I could 'trust' such film for carrying out some tests for exposure and development procedure?
So freezer storage is preferable to refridgerator storage ..... right?

Phantomas - can't believe your results with the Isopan - amazing ........ makes my initial query practically redundant!


Mike

 

[Phantomas]

2006 TMax? I wouldn't even worry. Go out and shoot, maybe rate it a stop slower if you will. It will work. If you look at my Flickr 80% of b&w is shot on expired film. Some of it has even been through airport xrais and in tropical heat, unused and back to fridge, where I keep it.
Freezer is advised for long-term storage.

Like I said, I'm not advocating "safety" of expired film, but my experience is exclusively positive (knocks on wood) even with the film older than me 🙂

Go out, shoot a roll and see for yourself.

 

[Phantomas]

Edit: sorry, doublepost.....

 

[Arjay]

How about using a lead foil pouch?

How about using a lead foil pouch?

If you are intending on stocking up on film, store it in the freezer. Slower film when frozen can be used significantly past the expiration date. As mentioned earlier, freezing doesn't help much with faster films since those film are sensetive to natural background radiation which will eventually fog the film.

Would it help if I store my high-speed BW film in the freezer, packed in a led foil pouch - you know the type people used to carry their films through older airport X-ray systems?

 

[Chris101]

Would it help if I store my high-speed BW film in the freezer, packed in a led foil pouch - you know the type people used to carry their films through older airport X-ray systems?

Not much. Gamma rays (like cosmic rays) are attenuated only slightly by lead foil. In fact a 1 inch pig would still result in 20% of cosmic rays getting through.