Aged Polaroid film - still good?

[rogueish]

I've got several packs of old Polaroid film at work we're looking to get rid of. What are the chances of it still being in decent shape? I hate the thought of just trashing it.
The fate of this film lies in your hands! (ok a little over the top:rolleyes: )

These packs have been stored at 68F (+/-5), with humidity between 40-60%, still in their original package inside unopened boxes.

type 59 dated April 99
type 667 dated 07/00
type 669 dated 08/03

I'm thinking the 669 might still be good while the 59 is toast. What do you think?

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Its the processing "pods" integral to the film that would be an issue. In sealed packs, they are probably OK, but the only way to tell is to open up the packaging and try it out.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Almost always useless after 2-3 years. Don't ask how I know...

Cheers,

R.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I agree with Roger. The pods usually dry out, causing undeveloped corners, and the color balance drifts.

They may be useful for proofing with a format smaller than the sheet, like a Polaroid back on a 6x6 camera, since the image doesn't cover the full frame.

 

[colrehogan]

I'm glad this came up since I have two packs of 667 Polaroid. I take it by the replies here that I should just throw them away?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

There's no harm testing them, if you have a camera or back that takes them.

 

[colrehogan]

There's no harm testing them, if you have a camera or back that takes them.

I do not anymore. I used them with a polaroid back for a Mamiya RZ67 camera I had a number of years ago.

 

[rogueish]

Thanks all
This is what I was expecting. The type 59 and 667 are going to be tossed

I'm offering the 669 (10 boxes, may be double packs) to anyone interested, in or about the greater Toronto (Ontario) area. Pick up or meet somewhere only, sorry no shipping. If there are no takers by Monday morning, they will be trashed as well.

 

[argus]

There is no harm in experimenting with outdated Polaroid. You already paid the bill.
I would not do important work with it.

G

 

[MAGNAchrom]

agree w/ the above -- my film had been refrigerated for 5 years in sealed packs. Tried to use it the other day and got NADA. Give it a try though. YMMV.

 

[Brac]

The problem seems to be that the processing chemicals are in the filmpacks. As a result the film seems to "go off" very quickly after the stated expiry date.

 

[sfadam]

it's helpful to lengthen processing time. it's helped me get more usable images. thankfully you can do this with the packfilm. unfortunately not so much with the integral films :/

 

[tjaded]

I have used VERY expired 669 tons of times with only two issues...a cyan shift and sometimes little white specks on the print. I don't use it for anything important, but it is GREAT for things like pinhole. I also have a friend that got a ton of 669 for free from Polaroid, some of it more than 10 years expired and she uses it all the time with only the same 2 issues I mentioned above...

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have used VERY expired 669 tons of times with only two issues...a cyan shift and sometimes little white specks on the print. I don't use it for anything important, but it is GREAT for things like pinhole. I also have a friend that got a ton of 669 for free from Polaroid, some of it more than 10 years expired and she uses it all the time with only the same 2 issues I mentioned above...

With average monthly humidity in the range of 60-85% in San Francisco and the likelihood that outdated stock obtained directly from Polaroid was stored in a humidity controlled environment, I'm not surprised.

http://www.cityrating.com/cityhumidity.asp?City=San+Francisco

It could just be that those of us in dry climates or places with dry winters experience the pods drying out more often, which is why it's worth testing.