not that long expired films?

[Florian1234]

Hi guys. After a long time of absence (mainly due to heavy work loads around a PhD etc.), I have a question on expired films now.

Some time ago I bought two bricks of Tri-X 400 and used some of it. The others are expired now (exp. date: 04/2014).
How should I shoot (which ISO?) and develop it (in D76 1:1)? Same goes with a roll of 120 Portra 160NC (the old), exp. 11/2012), although I'll hand that one in for development.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rayt]

2104 is only past expiration date by a year. That is still fresh to me so shoot and process as you normally would. For the Portra I would shoot as ISO 80 or 100.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Box speed.
You can also push BW.

 

[filmtwit]

I've shot Trix that was 10 years + past it's due date.
Try a roll at normal speed and developed how'd you'd normally develop it.
Afterwards check for base fog. If you're getting some, you have two choices:
Over expose or add a solution of Potassium bromide.

 

[lawrence]

The other day I shot and developed a couple of rolls of Plus-X 120 that expired in August 2004. The film was exposed at EI 64 and developed in Rodinal 1+25. The negs look perfect and the scans look pretty good to me. As has been said, a film that's just a couple of years old will probably present no problems if exposed and developed normally.

 

[Huss]

I shoot way old film all the time. As long as it has been stored cool or frozen, shoot it exactly as you would fresh.
Every film image I have posted on this site has been on expired film shot this way.

 

[Florian1234]

Thank you, guys. That's very helpful and informative. So I will happily snap away and mix a bunch of D76 to soup the rolls.

Btw, I also discovered some old rolls I already shot that need to be developed. No problem here either, I suppose?

 

[Rayt]

Btw, I also discovered some old rolls I already shot that need to be developed. No problem here either, I suppose?

Maybe. How old and what film? How were they kept?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

The local camera store had a lot of expired Tmax 400 and only three fresh rolls left last week. I bought the fresh ones and a couple of the expired ones, which expired in October, 2014. The expired ones had some base fog, while the fresh ones were completely clear in the unexposd areas, and the expired ones had lost about half a stop of speed. I would not use expired film except in an emergency if it was all you could get. Even BW film does lose speed and image quality as it ages.

 

[bence8810]

Also depends on how the film was stored. If it was in your fridge, you should be ok - or have good chances at least.

My dad gave me a roll of TRIX 120 that expired just last year and it came out of the developer with unbearable base fog. Even between frames the film was grey!

Then while scratching our heads he realized that the film was left in his boat for over a year - so it expired inside a 40-50C cubicle rather than on 8-10C as it should be in a fridge.

Ben

 

[Florian1234]

Maybe. How old and what film? How were they kept?

These rolls are about two to three years old, too. Stored just normal in the flat - not in a fridge or so, but also no hot conditions over 35°C.

 

[sevo]

Three years are nothing - for such a short time span, Velvia is the only current film from which I would expect a change visible with the bare eye. With any other film, it would take sensitometric tests or a direct comparison with frozen film from the same batch to detect that the film has indeed changed.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Three years are nothing - for such a short time span, Velvia is the only current film from which I would expect a change visible with the bare eye. With any other film, it would take sensitometric tests or a direct comparison with frozen film from the same batch to detect that the film has indeed changed.

Eminently true, unless it had been really badly stored.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Beemermark]

I recently found a Watson film loader with Ilford FP4 in the attic, along with other boxes from the last interstate move about 7 years ago. The sticker attached said the expiration date was in 2004. I've been shooting it @ ISO 80, Rodinal 1:25 for 9:00 minutes. Looks good to me. In in Wilmington, NC. My attic must be > 120 deg F for 9 months of the year.

 

[Huss]

Shot on 10 year old Ilford FP4+