Freezing Negatives

[Martin Reed]

Nitrate & acetate deterioration

One reason for freezing b&w film might be to prevent or slow decomposition as happens with the old nitrate base. It seems there a similar, albeit much longer term deterioration with acetate base material, with the same 'vinegar syndrome', shrinkage and embrittlement. The Image Permanence Institute quotes only 50 years! See Wikipedia;

A combination of low temperature and low relative humidity represents the optimum storage condition for cellulose acetate base films.
Adelstein, P.Z., J.M. Reilly, D.W. Nishimura, and C.J. Erbland. “Stability of Cellulose Ester Base Photographic Film: Part II-Practical Storage Considerations.” SMPTE Journal 101 no. 5 (May 1992)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_base

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_acetate_film

Anybody any ideas how to find something definitive on this? And are some acetate bases better than others? And how could anyone tell one from another?

 

[clayne]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_base

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_acetate_film

Anybody any ideas how to find something definitive on this? And are some acetate bases better than others? And how could anyone tell one from another?

Yep. This is one of the things that prompted me to think about putting it all in the freezer. Especially for long-term archives which I won't be accessing or printing anytime soon. It just seems that if one has the freezer space available, it's a no brainer.

 

[Martin Reed]

Yep. This is one of the things that prompted me to think about putting it all in the freezer. Especially for long-term archives which I won't be accessing or printing anytime soon. It just seems that if one has the freezer space available, it's a no brainer.

I expect I was anticipating more reaction to the well-backed up fact that apparently ALL normal acetate camera film has a limited lease of life. But then most of the data is related to cine film stored in tight rolls in sealed containers. Still film stored in files with more separation is probably a different issue.

I personally have film that goes back 45 years, so I'll find it and have a look. Has anyone one on this forum who goes back this far or further yet found any 'vinegar syndrome' going on in their film? It's easy enough to go & have a sniff.

 

[wogster]

I expect I was anticipating more reaction to the well-backed up fact that apparently ALL normal acetate camera film has a limited lease of life. But then most of the data is related to cine film stored in tight rolls in sealed containers. Still film stored in files with more separation is probably a different issue.

I personally have film that goes back 45 years, so I'll find it and have a look. Has anyone one on this forum who goes back this far or further yet found any 'vinegar syndrome' going on in their film? It's easy enough to go & have a sniff.

I have some that are 32 years old, smell faintly of darkroom, I don't think the lab that did them, did them all that well, but most are still viable, most are crap though that I shot when first starting out. The roll I did 2 weeks ago, smells not at all, washed using the Ilford method. Heck I have one negative here from the 1930's it smells like of the small cardboard box it's been in since at least the 1950's, I got that box from my mother probably 10 years ago, as she has no way of dealing with B&W negatives and I do.