Discontinued, expired film hoarding

[jpa66]

I have just been wondering what people do with all that expired film they have stashed away. I realize that film lasts longer than the expiration date, and frozen film lasts even longer, but I tend to question the usefulness of buying a lot of film that is out of production ( Ektachrome, Plus-X, etc. ) and holding on to it for years and years.

I mean, the stuff's eventually going to go bad ( sooner rather than later, I would think ). If you intend to use it, I understand, but I just can't figure out why people would buy a bunch of film and just hold on to it. For example, some film of the type that seems to have been bought in numbers is Agfa APX and, the grandadddy of them all (IMO) HIE. Don't the people that are hoarding them realize that the film is going to bad? Use the stuff, or simply sell it, but just to hoard it? Seems crazy to me.

And before anyone asks, yes, I still have some OOP film ( Plus-x in 120 and some Ektachrome ) but I bought both films with plans to shoot all of it by the end of this Autumn.

It just seems foolish to buy all that film and then let it deteriorate in quality.

Oh, well. maybe it's just me, but maybe there are like minded people out there.

And sorry if this seems like a rant - it's not intended to be one ( but in all likelihood probably could be construed by some people as one 😱 )

Jan

 

[Pastor Chris]

I have watched several episodes of "Doomsday Preppers" on the National Geographic Channel and not a one of them included film in their post-apocalyptic stashes. I cannot imagine what the world will be like then. I don't want to have any part of it.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Got a couple of small cardboard boxes sitting in the freezer of mostly C41 colour, APX 100 and Agfa slide film. Most frozen before expiry date but never got around to using it after going digital. Just can't bring myself to pitch it in the garbage. I have used film that was frozen for 10 years with no ill effects so there is no rush to dispose of it. It is not worth the effort to box it up and sell it, the shipping would likely be more than it is worth.

Bob

 

[raid]

I once bought IR film tnat I vould trade for a new Canon 35/2 RF lens.

 

[zuiko85]

I so know what you mean. I just discovered, stuffed in the back of the fridge, two 100ft. bulk rolls of Pan F that I completely forgot I had.

Must be getting senile in my old age.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I just use it. Used some 2004 Tri-X today to test out a 6x17 back for a LF camera. But your assumption is not correct. It will expire, but LATER and not SOONER. Seriously, dude, the stuff will last for at least a decade -- longer if it is in a deep freeze.

I think some folks love a particular look or emulsion. I bought a year's supply (about 500 feet for me) of Neopan 400 in 35mm and 120 when it started to get hard to find. I had about 300 sheets of 5x7 and another 200 of 8x10 film in various emulsions that I lost in Tropical Storm Irene-related basement flooding (bleh).

 

[Thardy]

I wish had a truck load of Reala stashed away. I bought what I thought was a large quantity a couple of years ago. It's all gone now.

 

[rommelgc]

hoarding??? oh you mean like this?

i don't hoard, it got to this point because i had to stop shooting film for quite a while.

those are all less than 5 years old. what i have i shoot, those i don't shoot i share, or shoot at another date. from my experience old film doesn't mean bad quality per se. it just means you have to be more careful processing it. some people seem to be hoarding because they shoot very little or shoot varied film types (they switch types before they finish all the film they've bough). i am not one of those. then there are some who like consistency, shoot one film and develop in one developer day in and day out. not everyone is an Ansel that like to test, test, test (though he also has his favorites). i would like to think i am one of those. i consistently shoot right now 2-3 film types only (Trix-X, Super Presto (RIP) and Presto). other films i buy, i test, if it doesn't appeal to me they go into the back burner and accumulate.

for me buying more is partly saving and preparing. recently, i realized bulk loads of Tri-X 2 years ago were 1670yen (~20usd) cheaper than today!! also, preparing for the inevitable demise of a brand or your favorite film. you like a film's properties and you want to shoot it for as long as you want after it has been pulled from the market. some other film type will come and overthrow that one film you love ... but it'll never be the be same.

just my 0.02cents ...



also a nuclear disaster with me and my cameras surviving but no film is just not going to happen! ;-) (i'm also reading how to develop using urine, just in case)

 

[RBruceCR]

Very interesting post! I do the same stashing in the freezer of our home fridge, however, I still shoot film. I am looking though, where could I buy three chemical E6 process for slide film and EiR? How can I export from the USA into my home country?

 

[jsrockit]

I've got two rolls in my fridge. 🙂 Ilford Delta 3200 and Rollei Retro 400...

 

[jpa66]

I understand the love of a particular film and the desire to want to get as much of it as you can when it's discontinued. However, I've come to the realization that it's futile to hold onto things that aren't going to be coming back ( in this case, certain films ). As much as I'd love APX 25 and HIE ( among others ) to come back, they're not going to, so I figure that it's better just to use what you've got, and then move on.

Believe me, I get the urge to buy up a lot of film that I like when it's announced that it's going to be discontinued, but then I realize that it's simply futile - sooner or later it's going to go bad or run out. My point is that I think it's foolish to buy a bunch of discontinued film just because it's being discontinued ( hoarding it ). It seems to make more sense ( to me, at least ) to just get what you know you'll use ( within a reasonable time? ), and then move on.

 

[bob338]

My point is that I think it's foolish to buy a bunch of discontinued film just because it's being discontinued ( hoarding it ). It seems to make more sense ( to me, at least ) to just get what you know you'll use ( within a reasonable time? ), and then move on.

What if you know you'll use it? I buy Tri-X 320 whenever I can find it, I love the film, so I have about 90 rolls in the fridge.
I also just bought 200 rolls of HP5 in 120 because I found it for $2.50 per roll. If I only buy as many rolls as I need for a weekend I would have to pay retail, $7.58 per roll.
I don't think there's anything wrong with buying a bunch of film if you're going to use it. I have at least 10 more years to shoot everything in my fridge before there is any real degradation. This isn't hoarding, it's just stocking up when the price is right.
Although, I will admit that the fridge at work is now almost entirely film, there is only a little bit of room for my lunch...

 

[nikon_sam]

What if you know you'll use it? I buy Tri-X 320 whenever I can find it, I love the film, so I have about 90 rolls in the fridge.
I also just bought 200 rolls of HP5 in 120 because I found it for $2.50 per roll. If I only buy as many rolls as I need for a weekend I would have to pay retail, $7.58 per roll.
I don't think there's anything wrong with buying a bunch of film if you're going to use it. I have at least 10 more years to shoot everything in my fridge before there is any real degradation. This isn't hoarding, it's just stocking up when the price is right.
Although, I will admit that the fridge at work is now almost entirely film, there is only a little bit of room for my lunch...

The BEST post ever....😀😀😀😱

 

[znapper]

I started out late in the game, so it has been a little to-and-from to find the films I like, so I have a little of this and that.

Of the one's I like, I've stocked up (meaning 30-50 rolls of each in 35mm and 120)
Hell, in these times, you never know if the film you are shooting will be available next month, so I blame Fuji and Kodak.

I should send them a bill for the new freezer I had to purchase. Like bob338, I was running out of room for food in my freezer, so I had to turn to ready-to-eat food, which would keep in the fridge for a few days instead 😛

 

[jsrockit]

Seems there are plenty of folks stuck with a supply of Kodachrome too....

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I would also point out that the whole photographic process is possible to do "from scratch." Developers and other solutions can be made from pretty readily available chemicals. Even paper can be hand-coated. BUT, film is the piece of the puzzle that requires an industrial base to manufacture. There is pretty much no "home-cooked" alternative to this if you want to use the plethora of 35mm and 120-capable cameras and lenses that were manufactured in the last half of the last century (note to wet-plate practitioners: I am not talking to you, go back into the dark tent). So a little film-hoarding is a good thing, ensuring useful life over the next several years for a variety of cool toys.

Ben

 

[al1966]

I try to build up a stock of film, but I seem to go through it too fast. This year the average has been around 15 rolls of 35mm and 2 of 120 per wk. I would like to have a few bulk rolls in the fridge to use when money becomes extra tight (its always tight).

 

[caasols]

Need fo tind another fridge.. still have plenty of film that needs to be stored.

 

[wblynch]

Don't ever toss it. There is always someone who will want it. People will cry it you throw it n the dump.

 

[furcafe]

I thought storing film is what fridges were for? 😉

Well, booze, too.

The slow stuff does last a long time. I still have about 30 rolls of '90s Panatomic-X from a stash that I bought off eBay like 5 years ago. Shot a roll a couple weeks ago @ ISO 25 & it's still good. Probably have about the same amount of APX 25 & Tech Pan.