Short dated Kodak Tri-X. How long is it *good* for?

[Tzelet]

I have been offered about 100 rolls of Kodak Tri-X 400 that will expire later this year (october 2010).

What I'm wondering about is: How long would it be good for? I'm thinking "good" as in 100%, not as in "usable". The price is around 2/3 of what they cost from B&H, so it is not a must buy in my book. But if I can stick it in the freezer for the next 2-3 years without any issues at all, I'm willing to go for it.

So, what say 'ye? When does the degradation set in?

 

[Benjamin Marks]

My sense is that film's degradation is linear. Freezing it will slow the process, I think, although my understanding is that there is always fogging long term from background radiation. In use, this would manifest as a lowering of contrast. I don't think freezing for 2-3 years would pose an insurmountable problem, but you would want to do some basic film speed tests when you thawed the film (and possibly use a small amount of benzitriazole or another restrainer when running those tests). Are we talking 100 36 exposure rolls or 100 100-foot rolls? I'd also point out that you haven't said what the storage conditions have been for the film -- if it has been in deep freeze or in a fridge since purchase, I think you would be fine.

Ben Marks

 

[Ronald_H]

If I was you I'd buy the lot. A few years expired doesn't mean a thing for b/w film. If you stick them in the freezer they will keep for many years.

Once used an 18 years expired roll of Tri-X (not frozen) and although that wasn't 100%, the results weren't horrible either.

Check the links below for some examples of expired film:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookupinwonder/4671635779/sizes/o/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookupinwonder/3464953569/sizes/o/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookupinwonder/4053605662/sizes/o/

 

[Papa Smurf]

How do you feel about this?

How do you feel about this?

Hi, A year or so ago I purchased a bulk film loader that had old tri-x in it dated in the mid 1980's. If memory serves me, it had been stored in a refrigerator all of its life??? Anyway, I shoot it at 320 and develop in D-76 or an equivalent and to date have noticed only minor fogging. It would seem to me that a metal container would shield the "natural" radiation to some degree. If it feels right then, I say go for it. If you are hesitant, then pass. That has been my philosophy. I have had regrets, but that is life! Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. :bang:

 

[Tzelet]

Thanks! I'm not sure how it's been stored. I know that it has been in a freezer for the last couple of months, but before that it came from a pro camera store.

 

[Tom A]

It should be OK. I have used Tri X that has been frozen for up to 5 years beyond the expiry date with no corrections needed. Bl/w film is quite resilient to aging under normal storage (cold/freezer).
Most stores, even pro-stores does not keep their bl/w in the freezer though. Depending on the ambient temperature of the store over the films storage time so far - it could be at the end of its run, though not likely.
A 100 rolls of Tri X is a good thing anyway. Suddenly you start shooting more as "Oh, hell, I have a 100 rolls and can afford to waste some". In the good old days(mid 90's) I used to buy 1000 rolls/time (from Unique Photo in N.Y.) for about $1,75-$1.90/roll. Great - shot like a maniac until it was time to re-order!!!!!

 

[JohnTF]

Hi, A year or so ago I purchased a bulk film loader that had old tri-x in it dated in the mid 1980's. If memory serves me, it had been stored in a refrigerator all of its life??? Anyway, I shoot it at 320 and develop in D-76 or an equivalent and to date have noticed only minor fogging. It would seem to me that a metal container would shield the "natural" radiation to some degree. If it feels right then, I say go for it. If you are hesitant, then pass. That has been my philosophy. I have had regrets, but that is life! Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. :bang:

Do not think the density of the metal in film cans is up to much protection wise as to radiation, plus cosmic rays pass through the earth.

Personally, would like to see more data published on the effects of long term storage, I bought some mil surplus paper, and it had some data printed on it as to occasional tests for fog before it was put back in cold storage.

I think the price is too high, short dated film should be no more than half price, and when guys sell it, though it may have come out of their car parked in the sun, they always seem to say it was cold stored.

I really need to find a new film fridge, in my youth, it was a beer fridge. ;-)

Maybe SBug and Pop Photo will run an article on the best fridges and freezers for film?

Tri X has seemed to be pretty tough, but I did have a generic roll of Luminous ASA 100 film from the freezer for 25 years, -- used it for a test, heavily fogged.

Regards, John

 

[Tzelet]

Thank you all, I appreciate your input. I have decided to turn the offer down. The savings pretty much evens out if I get some bulk rolls from B&H, so there really wasn't much of an incentive in the end.

 

[Tim Gray]

Should be fine. On the flip side, you say it's 2/3 the cost of new stuff at B&H ($3.50) for 100 rolls. That's a bit more than $100. And you think it will take you 2-3 years to shoot it. That's less than $50 a year that you are saving. For that price, I'd rather have fresh film.

 

[Freakscene]

If it's 2/3 the price of brand new Tri-X you can get fresh Arista Premium 400 for the same price.

Marty

 

[Jose A. Collares]

I just used my last five rols of Kodachrome 25 without any problems.
This film was discontinued in 2003 and I was keeping it in the freezer since then.
I do not have any problem in keeping films in a freezer for as long as needed.
Jose

 

[Steve M.]

Probably a good idea. No amount of savings can erase the doubts that your film may or not be good.

By the way, is this 35mm Tri-X? There's been a gazillion threads on this subject, but Arista Premium 400 from Freestyle Photo is supposed to be exactly the same as Tri-X and they have it for $2.19 for a 36 exp roll. Hard to beat that price.

 

[Larry H-L]

I have a couple of 100' rolls in the freezer, dated 1963. A tiny bit of fog, but otherwise fine.

 

[heartattackandvine]

I've recently developed 2 East German ORWO films that were exposed in 1991. I think the films were from the very end of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, perhaps manufactured in 1989 (long lost the original packaging.) I've guesstimated the developing time (in Ilford LC29) perhaps not that well (later I've found that ORWO NP22 is supposed to be pretty much the same thing as Ilford XP4 - don't quote me on this). So, as I've had another 2 unused films of the same type from 1989, I've shot them recently and developed as XP4. The results are here... They were not frozen, not even refrigerated for the whole time (maybe only for a couple of years).

I am no expert, but I would dare to say that it is not very important if (B&W) films are expired. I could be wrong, I don't know. I would certainly buy any expired B&W films that I can get my hands on.

 

[Chris101]

Shoot some of it, develop it, and then you will know. Speculating prior to that is fun, but pointless.