Film Storage?

[edmelvins]

Hi guys,

I'm sorry but I have to ask a noob question about film storage.
A friend of mine told me to keep my films in a freezer. He said it has something to do with the chemicals. Is it true?
And is it possible to take photos when the temperature is about -10 degrees C? I thought my films would freeze if I take them to snowy mountains. 😀
Thanks a bunch guys! 😛

 

[newsgrunt]

I keep some film in the freezer but most isn't. I've never really noticed any diff for black and white so I guess it's habit.

Never had much problem in those temps or colder other than making sure you don't break the film when loading or rewinding. Also rewind slooowly so you don't introduce static marks (look like mini lightning bolts kinda but more spread out).

My film enjoyed hut to hut skiing at -25 or so and yours will too 😉

 

[Gumby]

This question has been asked a thousand times, and discussed even more... but everyone needs to start learning somewhere so here is my answer:

Professional film is stored refrigerated, not frozen. Check with your local pro camera shop -- they will verify. I store mine refrigerated. Lots of people store it frozen. I, personally, think this is just an odd ritual but they have gret success -- so it must not hurt the film.








Botton line:
Frozed or refrig'd is OK.

 

[Spleenrippa]

As far as storing film frozen or refridgerated, does it matter much if it's wrapped up/sealed or a 100ft roll sitting in a bulk loader?
Got a (mostly) unused roll of Efke 100 sitting in a loader in the freezer. Tossed it in there because I had opened it, but not gotten around to using it much due to work, life, etc.

 

[Tom A]

I usually keep around 1000 rolls in stock. Most in either 400 or 100ft cans.
If it is not going to be used for the next 6-8 month - it is frozen. There is usually a couple of 100 ft in the fridge (quicker "thaw") and then whats in use this week is in a cabinet, or in the pockets of my vest.
Film, even bl/w will deterioate with time. There is a reason why Kodak stores their stock in saltmines, 1000's of feet underground. Radiation will penetrate your freezer with time. However, I have used films 15-20 years out of date without any problem (maybe a slight base fog - but nothing that will affect printing).
unless you are thinking of storing large amount of film for a long time - dont fret and keep shooting.

 

[edmelvins]

Wow, thanks for the quick yet satisfying answers guys. I'm really sorry if this question has been asked for more than a thousand times. Anyway, thanks again for the answers. 😀
Okay Tom, I'll keep shooting.. 😉

 

[JohnTF]

As far as storing film frozen or refridgerated, does it matter much if it's wrapped up/sealed or a 100ft roll sitting in a bulk loader?
Got a (mostly) unused roll of Efke 100 sitting in a loader in the freezer. Tossed it in there because I had opened it, but not gotten around to using it much due to work, life, etc.

Might want to put it in a ziploc and let it warm up before you open it.

Regards, John

 

[wgerrard]

I've seen varous manufacturers' recommendations for warming time after you pop a roll out of the fridge or freezer. Don't recall any specifics, but they were all on the order of an hour or two, depending on the storage temperture. I've done that with no problem, but most often it's easiest to just let them sit overnight ('cause otherwise I'll forget to take them out of the fridge the next day untl 5 minutes before I need them).

Frankly, I suspect by the time the inevitable water condensation has evaporated, you're good to go.

 

[varjag]

The old story is that every 10 centigrade of cooling slow down ambient reactions in emulsion (and hence aging) by factor of 2. So if your room temp is 22C and you freeze film down to -18C, it could keep 16 times longer.

Film doesn't really "freeze" as water does, it just gets very cold. The main issue is keeping it from moisture and condensation, which arguably is easier with deep freeze.

For fast films there is another factor - background gamma radiation. It adds to base fog no matter how much you freeze the stuff, to the point that freezing films like TMZ or Delta 3200 is nearly pointless.

 

[mark-b]

simply put, chemical reactions are slowed down in the cold.

 

[Tom A]

I just did an interesting experiment (in regards to film storage and old, really old film). A couple of years ago a friend gave me 4 rolls of Kodak Black and White film with an expiry date of July 1931. One had been in a screw-top can and the other three in a tincan with a sealed top.
Today I decided to try it out. In 1930 - this film was most likely rated at 25-30 asa - and with time the speed drops (rule of thumb is 1 stop/decade).
I decided to shoot it at 1 ASA and bracket to 0.5!!!
Beach, sunny noon time exposure was 1/15 @ f1.4.
I processed it in Rodinal 1:50 for 10 min and added 6 ml of Benzotriazole (1% solution) to the 600 ml of Rodinal. Film was so curled that I had to split the roll in two to roll it on to the Paterson reels.
I am surprised how well it turned out! Lots of specks and cracks in the emulsion and due to the curl (both long and across) the film would bulge "into" the film gate of the M2 - so focus is weird.
Check our Flickr and there are 6 shots up. My scanner (Coolscan 5000 ED) kept spitting the film out as it didn't like the curl.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Tom, that July 1931 dated film might have been nitrate base, which itself wasn't very stable, plus it was very inflammable. You can check by trying to ignite a small piece. Acetate base modern film won't catch fire with any ease.

 

[Tom A]

Al, it is the nitrate base - bone yellow leader etc. Rather inflexible after 80 years - but then who isen't!