A question for those who shoot expired film

[runswithsizzers]

Short version: What EI (exposure index) should I use for some old Kodak Portra 400 VC that has been in the freezer for 11 years?
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I just found a few 35mm rolls of Kodak Portra 400 VC that have been in my freezer since April of 2010. I believe the film was probably "in date" when I put in the freezer.

I have not shot any Portra 400 recently, but I have been getting good results shooting Portra 160 at or near box speed - some I shot at EI 125. So my first inclination would be to try the 400 at EI 320. But - maybe the older film would benefit from more exposure? Something like EI 200, maybe?

If it makes any difference, I doubt the negatives will be used to make darkroom prints. The negatives will be copied with my digital camera and post-processing will be done in Lightroom/Photoshop.

Thank you.

 

[removed account4]

I don't typically shoot expired color film but the general rule of thumb is 1 stop of light extra for every decade in storage ..
have fun !
John

 

[MattKing]

I would probably expose it normally.
You are more likely to see changes in colour and saturation (not so much VC) than outright speed.
This is on frozen, expired by a few years Portra 160:

Spring in the Forest

• MattKing
• Apr 20, 2021

As we go fully into spring, even in the heart of the forest we can see signs of bursting new life

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have shot Portra 400, VC 400 and UltraColor 400 that were over 11 years old but kept in the freezer the whole time at box speed without ever having a problem. Same results for black & white. Now if they were laying around in the attic or car glove box MMV

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Not colour but I'm shooting 16 year old freezer stored HP5 at my usual EI is 250. It has ever so slight base fog.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

I'd do a test roll exposing at box with a bracket one and two stops overexposed.

 

[Paul Howell]

+1 for bracket

 

[runswithsizzers]

I have shot Portra 400, VC 400 and UltraColor 400 that were over 11 years old but kept in the freezer the whole time at box speed without ever having a problem. Same results for black & white. Now if they were laying around in the attic or car glove box MMV

Thank you.