When MotoFoto came along, people could be surprised in an hour, instead of having to wait three or four days to be surprised. The downside was that people didn't forget everything they shot in an hour, so there were fewer surprises. Now, with the film revival, and most of the one hour processing places closed, we're back to getting more surprises. This just couldn't have worked out any better. Of course, you still need a phone with an alarm to tell you when to go pick up your processed film, because otherwise you might not remember that you dropped it off. Wouldn't that be a surprise.
I remember getting phone calls from labs and drug stores reminding me that my pictures have been there for 30 days and I had a few days left to pick them up before they would be trashed. Always a surprise for pictures I had completely forgotten about.
The closest modern thing is Amazonesia. When you order something online and it takes longer than a couple of days. You forgot you ordered it and it shows up...
I get stuff I drop off to dev quickly. Sometimes same day but usually the next day, and the lab is local, but I tend to hold on until I have a few rolls at a time. B&W even longer as I develop them when I have two or three rolls of the same film to do at once. So I still get the surprises, especially when I hang on to a B&W roll for a while waiting until I have a weekend to get to it.
Sometimes that's great fun, still.
A few days ago Fuji stated to expect their colour film to be in short supply.
I guess they thought there were no problems in the last two years or so...
Even companies that sell their film in green boxes?
Good to read, and nice to see you posting here since a long time
Great to hear so. I am always positive about Fujifilm and never believed the freezer stories.
Before the pandemic even hit there was a huge worldwide backlog of C41 film, especially in 135 format. That hasn't been cleared yet by the combined efforts of FujiFilm and Kodak.
And you've been very clever in being critical concerning the "freezer stories".
Because film manufacturers do not freeze film after coating. None of the long established major film manufacturers is doing that!
Film manufacturers store their master / jumbo / parent rolls (just three different names used by different manufacturers for the same thing) at temperatures of + 6°C to 8°C.
I've been in such cold storage rooms at my film factory visits. No freezing at all.
The lowest temperature was at one of the smallest manufacturers with + 2°C to 3°C. But there the cold storage room is also very small.
If you read online from self-proclaimed experts / armchair experts this "freezer story" then you immediately know that you have someone with no knowledge at all about film production. Someone who has never been in a film factory.
Best regards,
Henning
My refrigerator varies from around 41-46F (5C-8C). Maybe I should keep it there?
If that refrigerator is being used for food, also, it should be a bit colder... between 35 and 38 degrees for optimal food storage and safety.
My refrigerator varies from around 41-46F (5C-8C). Maybe I should keep it there?
Alan,
fresh film stored in a refrigarator with a temperature range of + 5°C - 8°C will be fine for many years.
Just some examples from my experience:
1. I got Astia 100F and Provia 400X from a friend: They were both about two years over their guarantee date and stored at room temperature.
The films delivered perfect results.
2. I've stored different color film types (reversal and negative; ISO 50/18° to 400/27°) in my fridge (temperature range +5°C to 7°C). Used them after being about 5-6 years over their guarantee date.
The films delivered perfect results.
3. Used color reversal films (mainly Fujichrome Sensia 100 III, Astia 100F and Provia 400X) which were frozen for 8-10 years:
The films delivered perfect results.
If you want to freeze film (I think it makes only sense if you have huge stock and must keep that fresh for longer than six years) it is important that you keep the films very dry: In original packagings, and that put in special, closed freezer bags (those normally used for food). That is the method I use. I also use lead bags to protect the film from natural background radiation (for those rare films with higher sensitivity which must be stored for longer times like Provia 400X).
So far it has worked very well.
Best regards,
Henning
The refrigerator running at 41F after the door has been closed a while may be packed with too much food. My freezer stays at around -7 to -11 so the compressor has to be working.
In any case, where best to keep unexposed and exposed film?
...I’ve read somewhere (don’t remember where at the moment) that lead bags don’t prevent film from being fogged by background gamma radiation, that gamma radiation can penetrate the bags...
Or move here: https://survivalcondo.comCorrect. To prevent fogging by cosmic radiation, one would need to store unexposed film someplace like this:
Kodak allegedly used an abandoned salt mine to store master rolls of TMAX 3200 for exactly this reason, although I've not seen documentation to confirm that.
Or move here: https://survivalcondo.com
My luck when the bomb went off, the ground would collapse burying me and my entire underground condo.
I believe they are decommissioned missile silos.
Did the Russians update their target lists?
My luck when the bomb went off, the ground would collapse burying me and my entire underground condo.
May not be as secure, but probably not a a Russian List. This is Albayzin, Granada, Spain, but I think I've seen similar this around St. Louis also.
Hill Home by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr
They have Hobbits in Spain AND in St Louis?
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