Thermal Cycle Behaviour of B&W films

[smbilgin]

Hello all,

Probably there is an easy and well known answer for my question but I just wanted to make sure anyway.

I keep my films in the refrigerator like most of you do. When I go out for shooting, mostly I take a few more rolls than I might consume just in case. It means I take a few rolls each time and at the end of the day those rolls go back inside the refrigerator.

My refrigerator's inside temperature is around 5 or 7 degrees Celsius. During the day these films (even in my bag) might be exposed to 30 or 35 degrees in my bag (summer time of course). Then they go to 5 degrees again. Probably some of the same rolls have to expose this temperature change every weekend (I assume that I consume them within 2 months for the worst case).

So, I assume this thermal cycle will effect the negatives in a negative way but I couldn't realise how so far. I am not able to print my negatives in a darkroom, but I develop myself and scan the negatives at home. Once I decide which are the keepers, I send the digital files to a lab in order to have them printed. Probably I may compensate the effect during post process.

I would like to hear some thoughts or your experiences.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Roger Hicks]

This is not, as far as I am aware, a significant problem. Yes, heat degrades the film. But cooling preserves it. My suspicion -- and I'm not sure there's any good research on this -- is that cycling has no ill effects in its own right. It should even out: better than film constantly stored (and used) hot, not as good as film constantly stored (and used) cool.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

This is not, as far as I am aware, a significant problem. Yes, heat degrades the film. But cooling preserves it. My suspicion -- and I'm not sure there's any good research on this -- is that cycling has no ill effects in its own right. It should even out: better than film constantly stored (and used) hot, not as good as film constantly stored (and used) cool.

Cheers,

R.

There actually has been scientific studies of this, and film is adversely affected by it, but the effect is not noticeable except with careful testing on most films, so its not a 'real-world' problem most of the time.

 

[Roger Hicks]

There actually has been scientific studies of this, and film is adversely affected by it, but the effect is not noticeable except with careful testing on most films, so its not a 'real-world' problem most of the time.

Dear Chris,

OK, thanks. What sort of thermal cycle are we talking about? What temperatures? What timescales? If you could possibly cite papers, I'd be grateful. If it's too much trouble, please don't bother, as "not a 'real-world' problem most of the time" covers it adequately apart from academic interest; much like my "not a significant problem".

Cheers,

R.

 

[MartinP]

The main risk might be from condensation, if the rolls are not sealed* when they are taken from the fridge and warming up. Cycling warm/cold a few times "shouldn't" be as severe as repeatedly freezing them either.

*The plastic tubs aren't really completely airtight. Store the rolls in, say, fours in the plastic canisters inside sealed freezer bags. Let the film-temperature meet the ambient-temperature before opening the bags.

 

[smbilgin]

Thanks everybody,

As far as I understand, there won't be a significant problem if I keep the films out of humidity.

I keep the films in a plastic bag and the bag is inside another plastic sealed box in the fridge. When I take them out, I wait around 2 hours before I go out.

So I can keep doing what I do 🙂

Thanks again.