B&W film

tjaded · Apr 22, 2007

Hi everyone,
I'm just curious if people here put their B&W film in the fridge or freezer, or just keep it at room tempurature. As a habit, I usually put everything (b&w & color) in the freezer, a little in the fridge and some room temp/ready to go. So...what do you do?

Roger Hicks · Apr 22, 2007

Most in the fridge, some ready to use. No point in freezing stuff I use all the time.

Cheers,

R.

bdial · Apr 22, 2007

If I know I'll be using right away, I leave it at room temp. Otherwise the 'fridge or freezer.

Stephanie Brim · Apr 22, 2007

In a drawer. A very full drawer. I don't refrigerate anything, though I may start due to the fact that I'm now in for a crapload of Pan-F and FP4 at work.

kraker · Apr 22, 2007

My EUR 0,02:

I always have some in the freezer, and some 'ready to go'. Then there's the issue of limited space in the freezer. Colour (neg. and slide) has "higher priority", as do special B&W films like IR (SFX-200) and high ISO (Delta 3200).

Jim Noel · Apr 22, 2007

All my film is frozen upon receipt because I order in fairly large quantities.
After loading holders, if there is some film left in the box, I put it in a plastic bag and suck all of the air out of it prior to sealing. This goes into a black film bag ad the original box and then into the refrigerator.

I have done this for many years and have no noticeable base fog upon use which may be a few years after purchase.

eddym · Apr 22, 2007

Everything goes in the refrigerator: film, paper, batteries... even food!
Color film (and C41 process B&W) goes in the freezer.
I do leave a couple of rolls of HP5 in each camera bag, just for emergencies.

BrianShaw · Apr 22, 2007

Fridge.

origin · Apr 22, 2007

I always keep film in the fridge if it won't be used for awhile. Usually inside a zip-lock back because of the amount of moisture in regular home refrigerators. Don't forget, when you pull a roll out of the fridge, let it warm up to room temperature before you open the canister to prevent condensation from the temp change, it can mess up your negs.

Mahler_one · Apr 22, 2007

It would be very interesting to know if there are any objective studies that show that there are differences between film stored in the freezer or refrigerator until used versus film simply stored at room temperature until used. One must make the assumption that whatever film is tested has not passed the expiration date. Come to think of it, how is an expiration date chosen for film? Has the manufacturer done any tests to determine how long film remains fresh? Furthermore, does keeping film cold, or frozen, really extend the expiry date?

For the record, I keep film cold-not frozen- until used, but only because I have heard such storage method is "best". However, I simply don't know, objectively, what is "correct", or "best".

Edwin

dr5chrome · Apr 22, 2007

I have had B&W films in deep-freeze, and while this slows down aging, the best method i have found to slow aging to a crawl is a vacuum seal & freeze.
any home food vacuum machine will do. If your going to use it within a year, i wouldn't bother.

Some B&W films have problems being put on ice due to the moisture.

Vacuum seal takes the biggest equation out of the picture, air.

dw

Michael W · Apr 22, 2007

I keep my B&W film in a drawer & some in a cupboard. Both are dark & relatively cool. I've never had any fog problems. Keeping it in the freezer always seemed too complicated to me.

copake_ham · Apr 22, 2007

Freezer

nworth · Apr 23, 2007

Both. I have a small refrigerator in the basement where I keep most of my roll film, both color and black and white. But there are usually a couple of rolls floating around in camera bags, and 100 foot rolls of 35 mm stay at room temperature (which can get pretty warm around here) for a long time after I put them in a bulk loader. I should keep the stuff cool if it isn't going to be used soon. My dicipline is pretty poor, but the film is pretty tolerent.

Jim Chinn · Apr 23, 2007

I used to maintian a large enough quantity of film that it seemed to make sense at the time to keep it in the fridge. Now I just buy film as I go and don't keep enough quantity on hand in any single format to worry about ever approaching the expiration date so I simply keep it in a dark cupboard in the basement.

However, when J&C gets back up and running, I hope to take advantage of any sales they may have on short dated sheet film. If I bought a larger then usual amount I would put that in the deep freeze.

Black Dog · Apr 23, 2007

Mine doesn't usually hang around long enough to need freezing, though I do keep IR film in the fridge. Otherwise the larder is cool enough.

ijsbeer · Apr 23, 2007

Hello,
my 30 rols of provia 120 are in the freezer because I don't use them much. My b/w is in a drawer so I can use it immediately. no use of freezing so small numbers of film.
cheers

AgCl4ever · Apr 23, 2007

Color and infrared in the freezer, B&W and polaroid in the fridge. A few rolls of B&W at room temperature ready to go. Paper in the fridge.

Ken

reellis67 · Apr 24, 2007

As others have stated, I keep all of my film in the freezer - color and black and white. I don't, however, put anything that has been opened in there for fear of sticking due to moisture. I process all my exposed film within a short period of time anyway, so it's not usually a problem, and sheet film comes in small enough packs that it gets used before there is a problem, but unopened boxes get frozen. My thaw time before use is 1 hour, but I live in Florida so...

- Randy

dpurdy · Apr 24, 2007

I am actually going to buy a new chest freezer and use it just for film and paper. My wife is pretty annoyed about all the photo stuff in our freezer. I don't see the price of film doing anything but going up and paper as well. not to mention the availability issue. new freezers operate at a pretty cheap energy level these days and they don't cost all that much to start with. A freezer full of film and paper is part of my retirement plan.

B&W film

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