Oldest Expired Film -- 1954

[julianphotoart]

This past week-end I was given a roll of Ansco 120 colour transparency film that expired in 1954. The box was in good shape and the metal canister inside the box was still sealed. I have not yet opened the canister but plan to USE (?!?!?!?) this roll of film this week-end.

What is the oldest roll of expired film you have used?

 

[charjohncarter]

I tried some Kodacolor II that came with a camera so I don't know the exact expiration date. But it was C-41 and I guess circa 1970-1974. Nothing came out or a least very little. Here is one:

 

[TWoK]

I have a roll that expired in 1979, but I've not shot it yet.

 

[Nokton48]

I have six or eight 100' rolls of original Kodak 70mm Plus-X somebody gave me, expired in 1981, that actually might still be usuable. Will have to crack open a can to see.

 

[marke]

Got some '58 Tri-X, still sealed in the box.

Then there's the half-dozen rolls of unopened 1952 Kodachrome. I had to open one just for posing. 😀

 

[robklurfield]

1954. Expired? God no. 1954 is aged, like a fine wine. It's just coming into its prime. However, those 1958 Kodachromes: what are you gonna do when the sunset period on processing ends? I know, I know; you're not ever going to shoot them, so no worries. Very cool everyone.

A few months ago, I found about 10 or 12 rolls of EXPOSED film that had been sitting in a closet for five to as many as ten years. My 21-year old daughter wasn't even a teenager on some of the rolls. Some of them dated to when I had only owned my M6 for a few months. I had it ten years then traded it shortly after finding these unprocessed rolls. At 50, I'm not sure I'm responsible enought to own camera equipment yet.

 

[charjohncarter]

Got some '58 Tri-X, still sealed in the box.

Then there's the half-dozen rolls of unopened 1952 Kodachrome. I had to open one just for posing. 😀

Don't over expose it, I think that might have been ASA 10.

 

[Al Kaplan]

That Kodachrome is probably an older procedd (K-12?) while Kodachrome II and Kodachrome-X used another process and Kodachrome 25, 64, and 200 was still another process.

If you use that Type A film in daylight, or with electronic flash, you'll need an 85A filter. I's ASA (ISO) 16 in 3400K tungsten ("movie light") and 10 in daylight.

 

[marke]

That Kodachrome is probably an older procedd (K-12?) while Kodachrome II and Kodachrome-X used another process and Kodachrome 25, 64, and 200 was still another process.

Yes, I belive you are right about this being K-12 processing, Al. I was waiting for someone to notice that. I picked this up for almost nothing on the bay, just for fun. I never expected to shoot any of it, but now I'm thinking of just sending a roll to Dwaynes and see what happens. 😛 Any ideas?

If you use that Type A film in daylight, or with electronic flash, you'll need an 85A filter. I's ASA (ISO) 16 in 3400K tungsten ("movie light") and 10 in daylight.

Right again. I also have some daylight rolls of the same era.

 

[julianphotoart]

Ansco Mystery Solved

Ansco Mystery Solved

Well, things did not turn out as I thought.

As you can see from these photos (before and after opening the canister), what I have is exposed Ektachrome of unknown vintage. Can anyone give me any guesstimate of the age of this Ektachrome based upon what you see?

Now I have to speak with the person who gave it to me about whether she wants it developed. Her late husband was an avid photographer and most often used a Zeiss 521 6x4.5 when he shot 120.

 

[35mmdelux]

1982, Kodachrome 25, making it expired 27 yrs ago! Shots came out great.

 

[burninfilm]

It probably wouldn't have done much good to expose the Ansco color transparency film anyway... Ansco probably used a different development process than what's used today. The Ektachrome looks fairly old... similar to, but likely earlier than, some sealed rolls I have with expiration dates in 1963.

 

[bob338]

i have no plans to use any of this film, but here's a few rolls...

these three are sealed;
kodachrome for stereo pairs exp 1956
kodachrome K828 exp 1954
kodacolor X exp 1968

the Plus X and kodachrome canisters are empty, but i would guess they are from the 50s.

bob

 

[JohnTF]

I have a can of direct positive 35mm, and a can on the old non safety base bulk film somewhere, not close to the stove. ;-)

I have some Agfa IFF (ASA 10) from the early 60's in the fridge, and some Foma glass plates I think in 13x18cm, but really not that old, they might have been making glass plates until the 90's.

I also just picked up a Rolleiflex with a roll of Verichrome Pan exposed in it, and while defrosting the freezer I found a couple dozen packs of 126 in various emulsions embedded in the frost.

John

 

[JohnTF]

It probably wouldn't have done much good to expose the Ansco color transparency film anyway... Ansco probably used a different development process than what's used today. The Ektachrome looks fairly old... similar to, but likely earlier than, some sealed rolls I have with expiration dates in 1963.

When I shot Anscochrome, it had to be sent to them for processing, was a rather pastel looking low saturated film. I think for a while Sea World or some of the parks had a deal they only sold Ansco film, at a high price as well.

Early Agfachrome was sold with their proprietary processing, the early stuff was great for reds, the later stuff (late 70's) still had processing included, but really faded quite a lot in a few years' storage. The last stuff was E6 as I recall.

Ektachrome in the 70's might have been E4? I processed some at home then, reversal exposure and all.

We needed it quickly for the newspaper's color separations and an early deadline.

Regards, John

 

[ZorkiKat]

#127, unknown brand, still loaded in an old Baby Brownie.

Must be from the late 1940s or early 1950s. Developed in 2005:

Roll wasn't even 'finished'.... it was at frame 6 when found. True enough, the last 3 frames were 'blank'...

 

[David Hughes]

I just hope none of those cassettes were "process paid" !

By the way, was I the only one to get a prod from the back of my mind about the film I have somewhere or the other that I never processed? I'm sure I've some B&W and some Ferrania colour film in a cassette somewhere...

Regards, David

 

[dexdog]

my oldest stuff is 1963 vintage Kodachrome 25 and 1964 Kodak Pan X

 

[robklurfield]

The yellow metal cans were a beautiful industrial design and branding statement. I miss 'em.

 

[JohnTF]

The yellow metal cans were a beautiful industrial design and branding statement. I miss 'em.

I have some Kodak film cans, --- made of paper.

The original steel ones with different colors for each film were exactly as you say.

Even the black plastic Kodak containers are excellent in their own way, they are light tight, I used to mark them with an X when the film inside was exposed, we even made pinhole cameras out of them.

J