Take it out and shoot it.

[Roger Hicks]

When it comes to expired film, you can take that either way.

"Will the 4000 rolls of ________ I bought for $35 be any good?"

Probably not, if it's colour and has been stored badly (awful colour casts, crossed curves so you can't even match highlights and shadows).

Probably, if it's B+W and you expose and develop generously and sdon't mind extra grain and reduced sharpness.

ALL film deteriorates over time. You'll never know how badly until you try it. My own inclination is to resist buying another 'bargain' camera, and put the money towards decent film. Sure, I've had good outdated film from Freestyle. I was still using Fuji 50 a couple of years after it went out of date. But if you're buying bulk lots with an unknown history off the Bay Pirates, there's only one way to find out.

Take it out and shoot it in your camera. And if it's rubbish, take it out and shoot it with a revolver. Or pass it on to some other sucker...

Addendum from Frances: "But, of course, you might get something you really like." Reply from me: "Pity you'll never get any more that's exactly the same thing."

Cheers,

R.

 

[David 11084]

Hi Roger, a slightly different take on your title "Take it out and shoot it":
I was accosted by a gentleman who, on seeing me shoot my children playing football (dodging miss-kicked balls!), with a 90 year old Leica, asked me how on earth I could bring myself to risk it being broken/lost by day to day use. It made me smile as I use it all the time, always with B&W film, always purchased (with a hint of good fortune) from Ebay.
Addendum from my wife: get off that web site!
David

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

I wouldn't buy expired film. Not even B&W. I have used some old velvia stuff to make tests related to focus, DOF, bokeh and things far from tonality or real shooting.

Well, I wouldn't buy expired film, unless I had to do it during the yet to come Pickett Wilson era... 🙂

Cheers,

Juan

 

[pakeha]

Or pass it on to some other sucker...

Or admit you were the sucker, lost out this time, then dump it, no reason to make a sucker of someone else🙂
regards
CW

 

[Roger Hicks]

Or pass it on to some other sucker...

Or admit you were the sucker, lost out this time, then dump it, no reason to make a sucker of someone else🙂
regards
CW

That is indeed the honorable thing to do. But as Juan says, outdated film is seldom totally useless, and people do have uses for it. The most honourable thing is probably to give it to someone else, with full disclosure of its shortcomings (insofar as they are known). As I've never bought or sold anything via the Bay, I have to admit that I did not think this through fully.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sevo]

If it is really terrible, I can still use it to test camera transports...

 

[DNG]

My 1st Expired purchase:
I just bought 8 rolls of 1 year old Fuji 200... I've shot 4 so far... all good... 🙂 (Oh... $1.50 a roll including the S/H.. 1/2 price or so)

I do keep in the "Butter Tray" on my Fridge door.
Owner said it was kept cool when not used...

A few samples....

 

[Spleenrippa]

If expired color film turns out wacky, you can just pretend to be a hipster and post your photos to a lo-fi group on Flickr 😛

 

[Ronald_H]

A fair bit of experience with expired film, mostly B/W. The oldest was a 18 year expired roll of Tri-X which still yielded more or less usable pictures (they were published). B/W stuff from 0-5 years old I use without any reservation.

Last year I bought a few rolls of 2005 expired Fuji Superia 400. They were almost giving it away. As it turned out, it behaves perfectly ok at 160-200ISO so I bought the whole stock of that seller. But YMMV.

Have a few rolls of 2003 expired C41 and E6, see what that does.

But... if you want good results, buy good, fresh film. It is still quite cheap if you buy in bulk on-line. Combined with the dirt cheap expired film there is really not that much space for food in my freezer anymore.

Expired Ilford FP4+:

 

[pakeha]

That is indeed the honorable thing to do. But as Juan says, outdated film is seldom totally useless, and people do have uses for it. The most honourable thing is probably to give it to someone else, with full disclosure of its shortcomings (insofar as they are known). As I've never bought or sold anything via the Bay, I have to admit that I did not think this through fully.

Cheers,

R.

Your reply is what i really meant Roger.Particually the ,`honorable thing to do'
I really should try using more words🙂
regards
CW

 

[35mmdelux]

I bought a bunch of 25/50/64 Kodachrome; some of it from the early 1980s. Sent it to Dwayne's via Walmart boutique and all came back beautifully exposed. I thought at least the K25 would go belly up--it didn't.

 

[Phantomas]

Isopan IF17, expired in 1969, my favorite B&W in 120. I have friend in LA on order to keep buying it for me everytime she comes across it in thrift stores.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

The risk is not the age (unless we talk about fast film) but how it has been treated... And you never know that... I wouldn't even be sure after positively testing part of it, because some people can make the lot look like all rolls were the same batch, but even being the same batch, who knows the airports and heat some of them could have come through... Some shots and some people just never come back. Definitely not a risk for me to take.

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Roger Hicks]

A fair bit of experience with expired film, mostly B/W. The oldest was a 18 year expired roll of Tri-X which still yielded more or less usable pictures (they were published). B/W stuff from 0-5 years old I use without any reservation.

Last year I bought a few rolls of 2005 expired Fuji Superia 400. They were almost giving it away. As it turned out, it behaves perfectly ok at 160-200ISO so I bought the whole stock of that seller. But YMMV.

Have a few rolls of 2003 expired C41 and E6, see what that does.

But... if you want good results, buy good, fresh film. It is still quite cheap if you buy in bulk on-line. Combined with the dirt cheap expired film there is really not that much space for food in my freezer anymore.

Expired Ilford FP4+:

Dear Not-Ron,

A slight rephrase:

But... if you want RELIABLE good results, buy good, fresh film.

Your pic is certainly an excellent example of superb results that I'd hate to rely on being able to repeat with ancient film.

Cheers,

Not-Rog.

 

[Renzsu]

Take it out and shoot it.

...that's what she said.



(sorry, just had to 😛 )

 

[Robin Harrison]

Isopan IF17, expired in 1969, my favorite B&W in 120. I have friend in LA on order to keep buying it for me everytime she comes across it in thrift stores.

Is that a Renault 4?

 

[john neal]

I have some 100 ft rolls of Kodak R60 (35mm B&W) that expired in 1968 / 69. It's so old that Kodak have no record of it, and were unable to suggest dev times. It was from the commercial lab at work, and probably originally used for technical work (electricity industry).

I have had it in the garage for the past 15 years - gave a roll to a starving student who tried it and found it gives quite usable, if grainy, results rated at asa50. I really must give it a go when I run out of the Agfapan that "expired" about 6 years ago 🙂

 

[Ronald_H]

Dear Not-Ron,

A slight rephrase:

But... if you want RELIABLE good results, buy good, fresh film.

Your pic is certainly an excellent example of superb results that I'd hate to rely on being able to repeat with ancient film.

Cheers,

Not-Rog.

True of course.

 

[Phantomas]

Is that a Renault 4?

If my memory servs me right, yes.

I have some 100 ft rolls of Kodak R60 (35mm B&W) that expired in 1968 / 69. It's so old that Kodak have no record of it, and were unable to suggest dev times. It was from the commercial lab at work, and probably originally used for technical work (electricity industry).

I have had it in the garage for the past 15 years - gave a roll to a starving student who tried it and found it gives quite usable, if grainy, results rated at asa50. I really must give it a go when I run out of the Agfapan that "expired" about 6 years ago 🙂

You can try what i do with my 40 year old Isopan - stand develop. That way you don't have to worry about developing times.

 

[250swb]

Admittedly its a long time since I used a 35mm film, but I wouldn't feel happy going out the door with an unknown quantity in my camera, even as a test roll. I sort of already know instinctively the photo opporunity of a lifetime will occur when I haven't got a camera with me, but I don't see any reason to increase this risk!

Steve