Expired polaroid film

AntonYellow · Apr 27, 2016

Hello,
One months ago I came across on auction for a couple of expired (in '99) 600 extreme film.
I bought it thinking to swap the expired film into a new impossible project empty cartridge.
The entire swapping job was difficult as I thought it would be. I trained myself in complete darkness with a bunch of new already polaroid shot but when I put into practice what I find out things didn't go straight.
The old Polaroid films were lighter than the new one and was difficult to maintain them stiff in manner to insert into the empty cartridge. Moreover they released a disgusting smell.
At the end of the day I wasn't able to save even a single picture.
My question is : Is it possible that the old polaroid lost their chemicals that were contained in the lower part of them?
Any feedback is welcome to save my one cartridge left.
Thank you.
AntonYellow

skorpiius · Apr 27, 2016

All I can add is I used 7 packs of 600 film which expired in 2006/2007, last year. I probably got 10 passable pics from those 70 tries, most ended up like this:

https://insideamindblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/expired_3.jpg

The ones which 'worked' looked like this

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pK_cnhQCMm8/VYMebA35ZBI/AAAAAAAAvjw/MhuKTWalaIQ/s1600/img082-2.jpg

Maybe I just had a bad batch, but I kind of feel 600 is too old.

Truzi · Apr 27, 2016

I think the chemicals dry out. I've not tried with integral, but have gotten old Polaroid Type 47 rollfilm on ebay - about 40% to 50% of it worked, though not like new. (Oddly, I've had better luck with the ones that expired in the 60s, and worse luck with mid-80s vintage.)
Don't try to take any important photos with old instant film, just in case it doesn't work.

I've not really tried what you have, but if you have a meter (or a flashlight and a couple wires) I'd just test the battery pack before attempting to move the contents into an Impossible cartridge. Those batteries were pretty robust.

I ran across one of my old father's Polaroids (sonar, one-step style) about three years ago, and it still had an empty cartridge in it. When I powered up, I could hear the flash charge just as fast as a new Impossible cartridge would do it. It had not been used since the late 1980s (possible 1992, but no later than that).

Fixcinater · Apr 27, 2016

I've tried re-loading old Polaroid integral film as old as 2005, everything I've run across with a dead battery has been totally dried up. You can feel it in the chemical "pods" at the bottom of the frame.

I've had Polaroid stock inside cameras that I bought at thrift stores/flea markets working with better success than the film packs themselves. Not sure what that means, exactly.

I would not have high hopes for anything from 1999 at this point and would therefore rather spend the money on Impossible Project to help them succeed moving forward.

AntonYellow · Apr 28, 2016

Fixcinater said:
I've tried re-loading old Polaroid integral film as old as 2005, everything I've run across with a dead battery has been totally dried up. You can feel it in the chemical "pods" at the bottom of the frame.

I've had Polaroid stock inside cameras that I bought at thrift stores/flea markets working with better success than the film packs themselves. Not sure what that means, exactly.

I would not have high hopes for anything from 1999 at this point and would therefore rather spend the money on Impossible Project to help them succeed moving forward.

You are right! I think I might have guessed the an empty pod at the bottom frame means pictures that are totally "dried up".

AntonYellow · Apr 28, 2016

Truzi said:
I think the chemicals dry out. I've not tried with integral, but have gotten old Polaroid Type 47 rollfilm on ebay - about 40% to 50% of it worked, though not like new. (Oddly, I've had better luck with the ones that expired in the 60s, and worse luck with mid-80s vintage.)
Don't try to take any important photos with old instant film, just in case it doesn't work.

I've not really tried what you have, but if you have a meter (or a flashlight and a couple wires) I'd just test the battery pack before attempting to move the contents into an Impossible cartridge. Those batteries were pretty robust.

I ran across one of my old father's Polaroids (sonar, one-step style) about three years ago, and it still had an empty cartridge in it. When I powered up, I could hear the flash charge just as fast as a new Impossible cartridge would do it. It had not been used since the late 1980s (possible 1992, but no later than that).

I have just tried to put the last pack in the camera and it is still working. I mean the battery is working after 17 years. Incredible. The chemicals instead dried up. No decent pictures from them.

Fixcinater · Apr 29, 2016

Well, you still can use that battery pack to power the Polaroid AM/FM hand radio they produced during the heyday.

See here down the page: http://www.polamad.com/polaroidaccessories.600impulse.html

skorpiius · Apr 29, 2016

If you are using expired 600, one thing that helped a *bit* was to take pictures with the self timer, so I could use both my thumbs and forefingers to squeeze where the film exits, which helped spread the chemicals better, unless of course they are completely dried out

Expired polaroid film

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