Just got a bunch of expired film. Suggestions?

Johnmcd

Johnmcd

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Picked up a bar fridge of expired film (all in original boxes) from a deceased commercial photographer. I have managed to sort through the obvious stuff to throw out. I am left with the following films:

1. 60+ rolls of Fujicolor Reala 100 iso (220 size) - dated anywhere from late 1998 to 2002
2. 30 rolls of Fujicolor NPS Professional 160 (220 size) - also late 1998 to 2002
3. 15 rolls of Fujichrome Provia 100F (35mm) - mid 2005

I've searched all the 'expired film' posts but it all seems very contradictory. Obviously the main variable is the storage.

I have no reason not to believe that this film has spent that entire time in the bar fridge. The best answer may be to just try it (which I will) but I would interested in any comments on whether you think the film might still be usable.

Thanks.
 
Best bet would be to shoot test rolls and see what's in bag. You can have there anything from usable to lomo stuff. Not very outdated Reala I bought as refrigerated, as well as NPH, has pronounced cyan cast.
 
Try shooting it at Box speed but Bracket heavily maybe 3 stops both ways...take good notes Frame#, Aperture and Shutter settings...
Worst case you have a bunch of film for testing...
 
Fuji Reala keeps reasonably well even when not kept in the fridge. 220 is just like 120 but has more frames. You need a camera that can take 220 film. Do not use it with a 'red window' camera though.
 
It all boils down to the fact: How you are going to develop it? If you do the C-41 negs yourself, you can extend the development slightly and gain some added contrast. You can also develop the provia 100 as negative in C-41 for very "interesting" results or just soup everything in B&W chemicals to get decent B&W negatives. ( never develop genuine B&W film in C-41 the frames will be completely clear, not even border markings there)
 
Suggestions? Send it my way! I'd be happy to use it.
On a more serious note, buy a 220 back for your Bronica and use 'em.
Low ISO negative like Reala hold themselves well.
 
The worst that can happen is you get a cyan cast. To a certain degree this can be corrected in print or digital post processing.

Or you can do as I do, process in B+W chemcials. It can turn out quite well, maybe a little less dynamic range than regular B+W, it would be a good idea to not overexpose, otherwise shoot as normal.

I admit this example is B+W C-41 film, but you will be able to get comparable results with colour C-41.

8030764977_77e7d8268e_b.jpg
 
Great info guys. That's what I was looking for 🙂 B/W chemicals would be fun and an option but I have been doing C-41 with the tetenal kit and getting very good results. So I'll try it as if it was ok first (especially the Reala) and go from there.

Thanks for the info on the 220. I know of the difference between 120 and 220 but have never used it. I can use it in the Mamiya 7 by adjusting the pressure plate. How does it load? Does it have a paper leader? Looking forward to 20 shots 🙂

Thanks again
 
Rangefinderfreak said:
It all boils down to the fact: How you are going to develop it? If you do the C-41 negs yourself, you can extend the development slightly and gain some added contrast. You can also develop the provia 100 as negative in C-41 for very "interesting" results or just soup everything in B&W chemicals to get decent B&W negatives. ( never develop genuine B&W film in C-41 the frames will be completely clear, not even border markings there)
Click to expand...

This sounds interesting. Does slide hold up any better than colour over time? Which make better 'B/W's', slide or film?

Cheers - John
 
Johnmcd said:
Great info guys. That's what I was looking for 🙂 B/W chemicals would be fun and an option but I have been doing C-41 with the tetenal kit and getting very good results. So I'll try it as if it was ok first (especially the Reala) and go from there.

Thanks for the info on the 220. I know of the difference between 120 and 220 but have never used it. I can use it in the Mamiya 7 by adjusting the pressure plate. How does it load? Does it have a paper leader? Looking forward to 20 shots 🙂

Thanks again
Click to expand...
220 film is like 120 but double lenght. It does not have paper backing the whole lenght, just beginning and end. You can process in normal 120 reels if you cut the lenght in half and load to two reels. no other difference. You can also shoot 220 in 120 back, if you can zero the counter without opening the cassette. the spacing will be wider for the frames in the end. In hasselblad I do it by removing the cassette from body. under thick coat just open the cassette end slightly and briefly to zero the counter. Then it will shoot 12 additional frames. It won`t show the correct numbers though as it is not wound to #1
 
Try a few rolls untilll........

Try a few rolls untilll........

Johnmcd said:
Picked up a bar fridge of expired film (all in original boxes) from a deceased commercial photographer. I have managed to sort through the obvious stuff to throw out. I am left with the following films:

1. 60+ rolls of Fujicolor Reala 100 iso (220 size) - dated anywhere from late 1998 to 2002
2. 30 rolls of Fujicolor NPS Professional 160 (220 size) - also late 1998 to 2002
3. 15 rolls of Fujichrome Provia 100F (35mm) - mid 2005

I've searched all the 'expired film' posts but it all seems very contradictory. Obviously the main variable is the storage.

I have no reason not to believe that this film has spent that entire time in the bar fridge. The best answer may be to just try it (which I will) but I would interested in any comments on whether you think the film might still be usable.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Try a few rolls until you are comfortable and trust it to shoot something important with it.

The first roll you shoot something important with will turn out to have been left on the rear package tray of a car in Texas for about two weeks, and will be garbage.

Expired film is great, and great fun, and my luck has been amazing on some of the shots I have.

Right now, I have 150 Kodak and Fuji Quick and Readyload 4X5 envelopes that are from slightly expired to "way" expired (1995). Shot about 10 sheets so far with very good result. Have another 4 boxes of 4X5 cut sheet film and about 100 varies rolls of 120 in the freezer compartment of the fridge. I can still get two "Hearty Man" frozen dinners and 20 rolls of 35mm film in the freezer.

I've had good luck with refrigerated expired film, and I get most of it from eBay sellers who have well over 1000 feedbacks at 100% positive. That's my criteria for getting usable expired film... A LOT of good feedback.
 
Ezzie said:
The worst that can happen is you get a cyan cast. . . .
Click to expand...
Alas, not true. The worst you can get is crossed curves: one color cast in the highlights, and another in the shadows. In other words, you can have neutral highlights and a colour cast in the shadows, or neutral shadows and a colour cast in the highlights. Or modest casts in both...

May not happen. Equally, may. B&W conversions avoid both.

Cheers,

R.
 
Rangefinderfreak said:
I have 220 steel developing reels, price low, shipping expensive. contact if you are in need.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer. But along with the film came all this stuff...

1. LPL 7700 colour enlarger with 4 neg carriers including two universal carriers (all in great condition).

2. 5 x ex. con Rodenstock enlarger lenses - 2 x Rodagon 105mm, a Rodagon 80mm WA, Rodagon 50mm APO and a 150mm (older model I think). They had been kept in a humidity controlled case.

3. Approx. 20 Jobo reels (mostly the large black ones that are double the size of normal reels), a couple of Jobo assorted tanks including four 4x5 Jobo reels which I have been chasing for years but have just been too expensive. A heap of old patterson tanks and reels too.

The Jobo reels are huge and adjustable from 35mm to 120mm. They fit the same tank as the 4x5. So I would say he was using them to do the 220.

So why did 220 seem to die out? It makes more sense - more shots. Was it juts too difficult to handle or thinner film?

Cheers - John
 
Kodak 120 Ektar 25 that expired sometime during the Dark Ages, around 1990 I think. Exposed at ASA 25 & processed by the Fuji lab that Walmart sends film to. Scanned by Epson. Postprocessing in Lightroom. What's not to like? Virtually all of the color film in my gallery was about the same age as yours and also came from a wedding studio going digital.
Click the small photo for the large view.



Rumors of film going bad are greatly exaggerated.

Wayne
 
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