Film Storage

It's been a while since I've been here. Life's changes and situations have forced me a couple years ago to store my film in the fridge. I have lots of Tri-X(35mm and 120), FP-4 and HP5 in there. Some have expiration dates in a month or two while others by the first quarter of 2020.

How long should I expect any of it to last, especially the ones that have a close expiration date if kept in the fridge?

If B&W -- years. I am using film 'expired' in 2000 and much longer (B&W sheet film).

And depends on the film -- I have used Tech Pan expired in the 70s without extra base fog...not refrigerated.

Ditto

I have gotten over ten years with C-41 color.

Unless exposed to truly extreme heat and/or humidity, B&W film ought to last years beyond it's expiry date. Maybe not so much Delta 3200 and P3200...and maybe I wouldn't push a box speed 400 film to 3200 if it were 10 years out of date...but B&W film is very resilient.

I've used Tri-X which was 20 years outdated and "stored" in a garage which got very hot in summer, cold in winter....by the time I finished the last roll from a 100 foot bulk load it was just beginning to show signs of age.

Tri-X and HP5+ in a fridge, I'd say in five years time you could still use them at box speed and notice absolutely no difference...probably push to 3200. After a decade in the fridge....maybe a concern if you want to push it.

Agulliver said:

Tri-X and HP5+ in a fridge, I'd say in five years time you could still use them at box speed and notice absolutely no difference..

Click to expand...

Conversely, I've used HP5+ of about 15 years of age (not cold stored) with very severe base fog and loss of sensitivity. That definitely was too much of a stretch. At the same time, much slower films like APX25, tmax100, PanF+ and PolypanF seem to perform virtually like fresh film at the same age and storage conditions. Based on my experiences with various films of various ages, I'd give a ballpark estimation as follows:
Not cold stored: 3-5 years for 400 b&w film
> 10 years for <100 b&w film
Cold stored:
5-10 years for 400 b&w film
Several decades for <100 b&w film
Color film:
Cold stored: ~10-15 years for <200 speed negative
Not cold stored: <5 years for <200 speed.
For chrome/positive color film and 400 and faster films: all bets are off past CA 3 years beyond the expiration date regardless of storage conditions.
This is based on the assumption that reasonable general fog and color accuracy for dark room printing or projection are desired. Hence, YMMV significantly if your requirements are less strict. In other words: my estimates may be on the conservative side.

INteresting about HP5+.....my local camera store has dozens of 200 and 400 foot cans of HP5+ motion picture film (which Harman tell me is almost identical to the regular HP5+) dating back to the introduction of "plus" in the 90s. I've used one can as bulk 135 film and the new owners of the shop are working through each can to see if they're all good.....and so far they are.

Wholly agree regarding E6 reversal film, don't expect anything like true colour rendition after three years. You might get lucky....but equally it might be a mess.

Yeah, it's a matter of luck really. With old films it's not so much that quality drops per se - it's the risk that increases unpredictably

Many thanks for the replies. All of the film I have is B&W-mostly 400 like Tri-X and HP-5 but nearly an equal amount of FP4. Would storing the 400 speed film in the freezer gain me anything of just leave it in the fridge? I don't know when I may shoot this film. After taking care of my Corgi who had Degenerative Myelopathy(incurable paralyzing disease) for a bit over two years and losing him, I lost interest in photography and everything else. That was 16 months ago and little has changed. I may never get back into it again....I don't know at this point. I have Nikons and two Leica (M2 and M4), and a Pentax 6x7 cameras just sitting idle.

If the film is in its original, unopened plastic or foil packaging, moving it to the freezer should be fine and may extend its life slightly.
If I were you, I would choose its storage location based on how it fits within your dat to day requirements. If you are short of freezer space, in the refrigerator. If it gets in the way in your refrigerator, it should go into the freezer.
Or if you have somewhere that stays relatively cool and dry and is even more convenient, store it there. It probably won't make a lot of difference for the next few years.
Which location would be most likely to lead to your becoming interested in using it - maybe to make something that will help you remember with fondness your Corgi? If there is a location that would help you accomplish that, choose it!
Sorry for your loss.

I have room in the refrigerator downstairs in the enclosed garage and that's where I have it currently stored. I shot a zillion pictures of Bubba when he was with me but mostly with the DSLR for ease of storing t hem on a separate HDD on the computer to avoid over taxing the operating systems C-drive. I have all this film and no less than six Nikon bodies(FTN Photomic and F2, F2A, F2AS) along with the Leicas to go to my kid brother when I was gone. Now, they sit in the safe as he left me too two years ago and there's no one left to will them to....everyone gone now.

This was my heart and soul, my beloved boy I adored.

I have kept black & white and C-41 color film in the original sealed packages frozen for over ten years with not problems.

The freezer compartment wouldn't hold all I have but maybe I'm still good to go with it in the fridge...at least for a while.

Kitch said:

It's been a while since I've been here. Life's changes and situations have forced me a couple years ago to store my film in the fridge. I have lots of Tri-X(35mm and 120), FP-4 and HP5 in there. Some have expiration dates in a month or two while others by the first quarter of 2020.

How long should I expect any of it to last, especially the ones that have a close expiration date if kept in the fridge?

Click to expand...

I'm sure it will keep for a few more years!

The longest stretch I have experienced personally is a roll of 126-film: Agfa Isopan (iso 125) which had expired july '81. I didn't have any expectations really from it, but it turned out very nice! There is fog, but not very much and the base looks perfect!
I also had this Agfa APX 25, expired in '92 but it had far more fog, and the base was affected also which is seen on the APX image below when zoomed into.

I have no idea of how they were stored as they pretty much fell into my lap 4-5 years ago.

I also bought some tmax 400 from the late 90's which I was told had been freezer stored since then, but they all turn out VERY dark from fog.


Agfa Isopan (125) from '81 (126-film)

408 Instamatic-500 03 by Johan, on Flickr

Agfa APX (25) from '92 (mediumformat 6x6)

382 apx25 12 by Johan, on Flickr

Isn't there someone using glass plates which were manufactured over 100 years ago?

I recently (May 2019) shot an unbranded 127 film with an expiry date of 1973....it came out OK though with a few spots and I guessed speed at ISO/ASA 20 to be on the safe side and shot in bright sun.

I've shot a few Ilford Selochrome glass plates which have no date but were probably manufactured in the 1950s....loss of sensitivity again leads me to shoot at ISO/ASA 10 but they work.

I've attached a couple of the pics from the 127 film. I am guessing it is either Kodak Verichrome Pan or an Ilford-based film. It was branded by an English camera shop and sold under their own name in the 60s and 70s.

See here for my adventures with 70 year old film: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...year-old-verichrome-and-super-xx-film.136477/