Expired Slide Film Question

snegron · Aug 29, 2007

While digging through an old drawer I found a couple of rolls of Kodak Elite Chrome slide film. One is ISO 200, the other ISO 400. Both have expiration dates of 2005. Can I still use them? If so, should I over or underexpose a stop or two? They have been stored away in a drawer inside my house, temperature always a constant 77 degrees farenheit.

Dan Fromm · Aug 29, 2007

Snegron, you worry too much.

You don't have enough cartridges to test. So shoot them, but in a non-critical application, and be happy. Or toss them and be happy.

E6 films don't lose much sensitivity as they age, they gain base fog and lose color accuracy. Some of my out-of-date Kodak E-6 films that had been severely abused had a noticeable shift to the magenta.

Go, continue shrinking, and be happy,

Dan

copake_ham · Aug 29, 2007

They're only two years past-date. What's the big deal?

You're a regular on this site. How many times have you seen threads about folks shoot 20 or 30 year old film?

Just shoot the stuff!

snegron · Aug 29, 2007

copake_ham said:
They're only two years past-date. What's the big deal?

You're a regular on this site. How many times have you seen threads about folks shoot 20 or 30 year old film?

Just shoot the stuff!

Yes, there have been many threads about expired film, but they have been mostly about B/W film, not medium ISO color silde film.

p.s., I thought you especially might find this tidbit very interesting: On the back of both film boxes there is a message that reads "Kodak Color Slides Make Great Digital Images"

It continues, "Try scanning Kodak slide film to create digital files that can be enhanced on your computer and shared by e-mail or used to create superb prints."

If Kodak says it, it must be true!

copake_ham · Aug 29, 2007

snegron said:
Yes, there have been many threads about expired film, but they have been mostly about B/W film, not medium ISO color silde film.

p.s., I thought you especially might find this tidbit very interesting: On the back of both film boxes there is a message that reads "Kodak Color Slides Make Great Digital Images"

It continues, "Try scanning Kodak slide film to create digital files that can be enhanced on your computer and shared by e-mail or used to create superb prints."

If Kodak says it, it must be true!

I scan all my slides - even the Fujichromes!

Removed Account · Aug 30, 2007

Can I just scan it to my computer instead of paying to have it processed at the lab?

- Justin

Dan Fromm · Aug 30, 2007

cafeharrar said:
Can I just scan it to my computer instead of paying to have it processed at the lab?

- Justin

Interesting idea.

Your koan of the day: when film has been exposed but not processed, where is the image?

Richard Kelham · Aug 30, 2007

Dan Fromm said:
Interesting idea.

Your koan of the day: when film has been exposed but not processed, where is the image?

In Latentland?

There's a very good chance that well outdated/poorly stored colour film will have some odd colour cast as the different emulsion layers die off at different rates can be interesting, can be rubbish, will be unpredictable. Why not go the whole hog and slap a brightly coloured filter on it?

Richard

srs5694 · Aug 30, 2007

Another answer to the original question is to use the film for cross-processing, where color accuracy isn't the goal.

eddie gunks · Aug 30, 2007

i use MF color slide and color neg film that is from 2004 and newer with no problems.

eddie

Richard Kelham · Aug 30, 2007

eddie gunks said:
i use MF color slide and color neg film that is from 2004 and newer with no problems.

Ah, but has it been kept in a nice warm (hot?), damp drawer for the past several years?

The cross-processing idea could be a winner though...

Richard

Stephen Frizza · Aug 30, 2007

The 200 has a tendency to go magenta in the base as it goes off, I say cross process them! its perfect film for that!

~Steve
The Lighthouse Lab

Expired Slide Film Question

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