Frozen film

Jeff Kubach · Jan 17, 2014

How long does it that film to 'thaw' after it has been frozen?

Jeff

Kevin Caulfield · Jan 17, 2014

About three hours.

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Jeff Kubach · Jan 17, 2014

Thanks Kevin!

Jeff

Gerald C Koch · Jan 17, 2014

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5202.shtml

Rick A · Jan 17, 2014

Takes a very short time in my shirt pocket.

Colin Corneau · Jan 17, 2014

Related question:

Can you freeze film again, once you've frozen it previously?

jgjbowen · Jan 17, 2014

I refreeze Kodak film all the time. However, once the inner envelope is open, I do not refreeze.

Dr Croubie · Jan 17, 2014

jgjbowen said:
I refreeze Kodak film all the time. However, once the inner envelope is open, I do not refreeze.

+1.
Depending on what it is, of course. 120/220, once I've opened the packet, it's fridge-only. The last thing you want is getting the paper wet from humidity, then freezing it to form ice-crystals which will scratch the emulsion (or even just the paper getting wet and buckling, then it won't wind on smoothly).
135 I regularly take from freezer, don't use it, then back to freezer. I know I probably shouldn't, but it stays within its cartridge so the tiny amount of humidity in there won't do too much damage.
4x5 I take from the freezer, load a few holders, then back to the freezer. Again, maybe not the best idea because the humidity might get onto the other sheets in the bag, but I haven't had a problem (yet, haven't been shooting 4x5 long though).

Colin Corneau · Jan 17, 2014

Seems a cheap ziploc bag would be good insurance, no?

Thanks all.

L Gebhardt · Jan 17, 2014

I've refrozen open packets of film with no issues. If it's humid when I pull the film I make sure it warms up in a plastic bag. I don't store unopened film in plastic bags since it doesn't fit as well in the freezer this way. But I will stick an opened box of film back in the freezer in a ziplock bag with most of the air removed. I've never had an issue doing this but others seem to indicate they've had problems, so be careful.

benjiboy · Jan 17, 2014

I put films in my pants side pockets to defrost them, they are O.K to load in a camera in a couple of hours, but I'm hot stuff

Konical · Jan 17, 2014

Good Evening,

At this time of the year, with the furnace working overtime, indoor humidity is extremely low. I wouldn't hesitate to return a partially-used box of film to the freezer. As others have indicated, putting the box in a Ziploc bag is good practice.

Konical

StoneNYC · Jan 17, 2014

When speaking about thr ilford ULF run (which is open film not in sealed packets) Simon said 3 full days, I assume this means that if any humidity could be present, it should be given a lot longer to "thaw out" before the emulsion releases all the moisture and it's safe to use.

Myself I move all freezer film to the fridge the night before, then the next day take it out of the fridge and leave for an hour or two before I open it.

I re-freeze all the time, but only if the rolls/sheets are sealed and unbroken like others said.

Sirius Glass · Jan 17, 2014

Film thaws on an hour or two.

Sirius Glass · Jan 17, 2014

Colin Corneau said:
Related question:

Can you freeze film again, once you've frozen it previously?

Yes. I have done that.

cmacd123 · Jan 18, 2014

StoneNYC said:
When speaking about thr ilford ULF run (which is open film not in sealed packets) Simon said 3 full days,

I am not sure if he was specifically referring the 46mm by 50 ft rolls and 70mm by 50ft rolls. those WILL take longer to come to temperature. Kodak has some guidelines both for still film and also for motion picture film. One of the suggestions in teh MP film was to separate the individual cans to allow the warmth to get to both sides of the roll. Likewise It would probably be a good idea to for example take all the sealed rolls out of a pro-pack and set them a few inches apart to do the warm up.

ME Super · Jan 19, 2014

I use a recommendation I received in the late 1980s. Unfortunately I don't remember the source. I let refrigerated film warm up for an hour, frozen film overnight. I'm assuming 35mm film here so 120 or sheet film might be different. I have no experience with that.

Frozen film

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