Freezer Mishap

AnselAdamsX · Oct 12, 2014

I have a small freezer full of film. At some point I must have pushed something against it and the door was opened a crack. When I opened it the box ends were soggy and moldy. There is ice around everything freezing it in place. It was mostly large format film. Both color and b&w. Some boxes were opened some are not. What are the chances that any of it is usable?

Thanks
Chris

bvy · Oct 12, 2014

Testing is the only option. I keep 35mm and sheet film in freezer bags. 120 is already sealed.

richard ide · Oct 12, 2014

In future; I would double bag each box with Ziploc type bags.

Xmas · Oct 12, 2014

don't use freezer again
fridge ziplock siliagel

Newt_on_Swings · Oct 12, 2014

Ah sorry to hear Chris. That really sucks. If the film pouches are still sealed I think you have a good chance that it's ok as the paper has a bit or plastic lining. But on open sheet packets I would be wary of emulsion damage due to the humidity. I would give up on anything that's out of the original packets, maybe use them for testing, or develop the open color as black and white. It wouldn't be worth the effort to carry and setup your large format gear and shoot bad film. Also tossing the wet boxes and letting the film air out a bit in a dark room with good air circulation, then repacking into ziplocks with silica.

Old-N-Feeble · Oct 12, 2014

I keep film sealed in freezer bags in the freezer section of my refrigerator. When I get a deep freeze then I'll use a stainless steel or plastic grate to keep film from touching the bottom and none will touch the sides. If the freezer doesn't already have one I'll add a thermometer with an outside dial. Of course, this won't prevent a goof on my part or a freezer malfunction but at least the film won't get soaking wet.

StoneNYC · Oct 12, 2014

All that large format film is bad, you should send it to me for proper disposal...

Basically all of the film is good, the boxes are just bad, the 35mm comes in plastic cans so that's fine, the 120 is sealed, and the sheets are certainly fine if it's Kodak or Fuji because they seal them, if it's Ilford or some other euro brands, you might have some water issues because they just fold them over.

I'll trade you some good boxes for some film

only half kidding, all these are available ...

And some 8x10 boxes are available too

Sirius Glass · Oct 13, 2014

As the man said "Freezer Bags".

Simonh82 · Oct 13, 2014

I don't shoot LF so I don't know how it compares but I had several boxes of paper sit touching the back of my fridge. They were pretty soggy.

The paper had all been opened but the black plastic liner kept it perfectly dry. I wiped of the plastic and put them in a box whist I dried out the paper boxes. Then they went back in the fridge, much more carefully.

If LF packaging is similar I think you'll be fine.

scheimfluger_77 · Oct 13, 2014

OH stacks of 4-letter words!

I have a 50 sheet box each of 4x5 Rollei 400 IR and Efke Aura in the freezer. Unopened but not in freezer bags. I didn't even consider that the internal packaging might not be moisture proof. I'll be thawing that out and testing it this week. But at least if it's ok it will give me an excuse to jump in. I haven't shot 4x5 in about 20 years, too long away.

Poisson Du Jour · Oct 13, 2014

Invest in a dry (ice-free) freezer. Then store films in a sealed plastic container. I cannot see why sheet film should be stored in a freezer.

removed account4 · Oct 13, 2014

bummer

this is another reason i don't freeze film.

good luck testing it !
john

StoneNYC · Oct 13, 2014

Poisson Du Jour said:
Invest in a dry (ice-free) freezer. Then store films in a sealed plastic container. I cannot see why sheet film should be stored in a freezer.

My understanding is that, in addition to costing a lot more for a frost free freezer because the electricity usage is MUCH HIGHER than a frost filled freezer, they also fluctuate greatly in temperature. This, to my understanding, is really not good for film. I've never had issues with my double bag system, zip lock bag, followed by a snap-ware brand (Tupperware type with locking side latches) and they work excellently, frost never gets in, even if the entire container is covered in ice.

StoneNYC · Oct 13, 2014

scheimfluger_77 said:
OH stacks of 4-letter words!

I have a 50 sheet box each of 4x5 Rollei 400 IR and Efke Aura in the freezer. Unopened but not in freezer bags. I didn't even consider that the internal packaging might not be moisture proof. I'll be thawing that out and testing it this week. But at least if it's ok it will give me an excuse to jump in. I haven't shot 4x5 in about 20 years, too long away.

Once a box is opened, I would never re-freeze it, there's a potential that essentially once you've opened the package and brought the film out into the open air, there's moisture in the air, this normally would have little effect on the film itself, except that if you take film that has microscopic pieces of water molecules from the moisture in the air, and then you freeze them, they could potentially have attached themselves to the film emulsion and end up splitting and cracking the emulsion on a microscopic level, this can cause strange spotting and a grainy look to the images at greater magnification.

You probably wouldn't notice for a small enlargement but better safe than sorry.

Roger Cole · Oct 13, 2014

scheimfluger_77 said:
OH stacks of 4-letter words!

I have a 50 sheet box each of 4x5 Rollei 400 IR and Efke Aura in the freezer. Unopened but not in freezer bags. I didn't even consider that the internal packaging might not be moisture proof. I'll be thawing that out and testing it this week. But at least if it's ok it will give me an excuse to jump in. I haven't shot 4x5 in about 20 years, too long away.

It'll be ok.

Freezer Mishap

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