Expired film questions

[DCB]

I have some expired 120 film that I got with my Fuji GSW 690 III and was wondering if it is worth using.

Here is a list...
1) Kodak E100S Ektachrome - expiration 2001
2) Kodak Ektachrome 100 Pro - expiration 2003
3) Kodak E100SW Ektachrome - 1999
4) Agfa RSX II 100 - expiration 2001
5) Fuji RTP II 120 Fijichrome 64T type II - expiration 2001

All are in 5 roll boxes.

Thanks

Peace

 

[Godfrey]

Heck, I shoot any film I find, expired or not. I just don't rely upon expired film to give me "normal" results. ;-)

G

 

[kiss-o-matic]

What are the dates? Any clue how they were stored? These are the biggest factors, and if either are a mystery, then there's no way to tell before trying.

I recently got some E100VS in a format I didn't expect, and a few years more expired than I expected. Both blunders my fault though (face palm). I believe it expired in 2008 sometime, and has a noticeable magenta tinge. Might be subdued if I rate it at 50. But, I think cross processing is going to be better for this. E100VS can cross nicely.

Since you have 5 of each, just take one out, and bracket each shot at -2, -1, 0, +1, and +2. Have the lab process them. Bob's your uncle.

 

[Greyscale]

Send it to me 😀

Not knowing how old it is or how it was stored, expired film can be luck of the draw. But ASA 100 or slower ages more gracefully than faster films. They will likely be fine.

 

[DCB]

Posted expiration dates.

Peace

 

[Pablito]

I NEVER use expired film. Not for paid work or for personal work, which is paid work anyway since I do books and exhibitions. Sure it may be ok, and in some cases (recently expired frozen Tri-X for instance) the risk is tiny. But it's just nor worth it to me. Wait... I haven't used film in years! 😀

But in any case, with E-6 films as old as the ones you have you take a big chance. If they were not stored frozen you will almost certainly not get "normal" results.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Ektachromes and tungsten Fuji films are my favorites for cross processing. They give the best results, IMO. Shoot them at box speed, develop at C41 lab, that agrees to do it for you. I think these films are too old to use and process as slide films. Alternative processing is a different thing...

 

[djcphoto]

Shoot it all, just not on a paying job!

 

[red snapper]

I have couple of 30m bulk rolls of Fuji Superia 400 expired 2008. One roll has been in freezer all the time another stored at room temperature, loaded a few spools of it and waiting to try it out. Any advice? Shall I shoot at 400, 200 or in between?

 

[kyonthinh]

Shoot it at box speed, there won't be any problem.
I used RSX II 2000, which's been given to me as test rolls.
For Kodak films, I don't have any experience.

Nordhauser Rathaus của Kyon Thinh, trên Flickr

@red: the one in freezer is fine to shoot @400, the one in normal temp I would use it as 200 iso film.

 

[red snapper]

Thanks for that. Ill give it a go soon. Colour film, and especially processing costs so much these days that I can't afford not to use it even though its way out of date. My film photos from certain jobs do get used when deadlines are not so tight, am lucky that I sometimes have that luxury, but clients won't reimburse costs as its seen as an unnecessary expense compared to digital, and as a result have to keep costs as low as possible.

 

[Pablito]

Thanks for that. Ill give it a go soon. Colour film, and especially processing costs so much these days that I can't afford not to use it.

So your film is worth more than your images?
😀😀😀

 

[shadowfox]

If processing is still available in your area, I'd use them all.

Color-shifted results can be good, depends on the subject and composition.

 

[Nokton48]

If you buy a C41 processing kit you always get the best results using film as expired as this, for cross-processing experiments. Some very interesting images can result.

 

[Jan Pedersen]

Shoot it at box speed, there won't be any problem.
I used RSX II 2000, which's been given to me as test rolls.
For Kodak films, I don't have any experience.

Nordhauser Rathaus của Kyon Thinh, trên Flickr

@red: the one in freezer is fine to shoot @400, the one in normal temp I would use it as 200 iso film.

This is reassuring as i have about 14 rolls of RSX II 50 in the freezer with an expiration date in 2007. Beautiful film that i need to use soon.

 

[ramontorralba]

Black & White print films are more resilient to expiration, but I don't recommend using E6 slide films past their expiration. Years ago, during the pre-digital & good cellphone camera era, I had a good friend knock on my door asking me to take a few shots of him and his wife on their rented Harley Motorcycle. The only film I had available were a few rolls of Fuji Provia that was almost 3 years expired. When I got the film back from the lab, every frame had tiny red dots all over. Images that would've otherwise been a nice memory were ruined because of my use of expired film. I'm not sure if the results woulve varied had the slide film been cross processed, but I don't think it's worth the risk.

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Red dots? That's a new one. However, I've had some 3 years expired Kodachrome that's magenta shifted quite far -- I will try it crossed and see if it's livable. But, that was a bummer. I also bought it by accident (doh).

Question: was it frozen? I shot some Elitechrome that is now 3-years expired, processed it in C41 myself and it came out lovely!

 

[ramontorralba]

The Provia I had was not frozen, just refrigerated. I'll try to find them with the red dots and post a couple.

 

[Photo_Smith]

This Provia is 7 years out of date

Overstrand October by Photo Utopia, on Flickr
Not even kept in a fridge just the bottom of a camera bag...

 

[kyonthinh]

Provia 100F expired 9 years

Sakura của Kyon Thinh, trên Flickr

P/S: that's nice Smith.