Freezing film

[mehguy]

I've been wanting to freeze my film. But I'm scared that the film might be ruined due to condensation when I defrost the film. How do I prevent this from happening?

 

[jvo]

condensation forms when warm air hits something cold... it forms on the outside of a cold object. if your film is in a 35mm canister, 120 box, or 4x5 box - or in a plastic bag, when you remove it from the freezer, just leave it alone till it comes to room temp... 2-3 hours, maybe more, depending upon conditions.

 

[MattKing]

Have you read the conclusions in this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Put the film in plastic or sealed plastic bags with as little air as is practical. Then thaw the film in the plastic, making sure that it is at room temperature before you dry off the outside of the plastic before opening.

 

[jvo]

yes, thanks

an old habit of having room in the freezer, and knowing where it's all safely stored. as long as it's properly brought to room temp, living in florida it does no harm to the film.

jvo

 

[railwayman3]

I keep most of my film stocks (particularly the rarer discontinued types) in the freezer, always in the original sealed individual cartons, then either in plastic boxes or vacuum sealed plastic bags. I then just take out what I need and let it thaw (unopened) overnight before use in a normal dry room. Never had any condensation worries.

 

[Xmas]

I've been wanting to freeze my film. But I'm scared that the film might be ruined due to condensation when I defrost the film. How do I prevent this from happening?

If your film is not hermetically sealed like some plastic foil wrapped 120 you run risks.
135 cassette tubs are not hermatic.
moisture destroys...
Why do you want is your coolest room >20C?
An insulated bag is safer.

 

[BradleyK]

Double Zip-locks. I've been doing so for over two decades without any issues. When removing from the freezer, I've always adhered to a three hour warm-up time before removing film from the bags (probably excessive); if I'm removing from the refrigerator, a half-hour delay seems to suffice.

 

[Sirius Glass]

As others has said keep the film sealed, if it is not sealed seal it in plastic bags. When the film is removed from the freezer to prevent condensation give it time to warm up on its own, usually a few hours.

 

[Trask]

Parallel issue -- bulk film loaders. I can't see freezing and unfreezing an entire bulk loader. So what -- load all the film into cassettes at one time and freeze those in plastic canisters I've saved?

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Here is another take. The reason bushwalkers do not (or should not!) store critical items such as down sleeping bags and down jackets in plastic bags is because plastic is porous. Here in Australia it is almost a golden rule proven through grossly uncomfortable experience in wild conditions. There is no necessity for the hallowed "zip-lock bags", only to leave new film unopened, in its original sealed package or container, until that time of exposure.

 

[Xmas]

Parallel issue -- bulk film loaders. I can't see freezing and unfreezing an entire bulk loader. So what -- load all the film into cassettes at one time and freeze those in plastic canisters I've saved?

Mono is OK below 20C long term if you have an insulated box drop the loader in it close the lid.
If you take things below the dew point you will get condensation.
I have loaders loaded from '04
The insulated box is at a mean day night temperature and above the dew point.
FP4 and PanF... I only use 400 ISO in volume.
No detectable difference from fresh film.