Frozen film

Jeff Kubach · Feb 1, 2012

How long do you have to wait to 'thaw' out B&W film after it has been in the freezer.

Jeff

BradleyK · Feb 1, 2012

Jeff,

I don't know if a shorter time would do it, but with a deep freeze set at -25, I have always let the film come to room temperature overnight. While perhaps erring on the side of caution, I have yet to experience any problems...

Poisson Du Jour · Feb 1, 2012

One hour at minimum from say common fridge freezer temp of 10°C. I'm not in a hurry and take what film I will need out in the night before. Very deep freezing / thawing and re-deep freezing of film can cause embrittlement (my own experiments). Film has to be allowed to reach ambient temperature. Any sooner and you risk condensation forming, which can manifest as spotting on the developed negative (also high humidity after exposure in the storage prior to processing stage).

markbarendt · Feb 1, 2012

I've heard people put specific times to it, like 1-hour, but it seems to me that it a situational thing.

Film works at most temperatures we will ever work in.

The problem is I believe, condensation.

On a hot humid day in Viginia it very well could be an hour.

But if you are grabbing an extra roll to go on a winter morning's walk with the dogs it may actually be colder out side than in the freezer, so no defrosting required.

tomalophicon · Feb 1, 2012

On the old Kodak film boxes it suggests 3 hours.

wildbill · Feb 1, 2012

here's a list of threads from all the other times it's been asked:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

EASmithV · Feb 1, 2012

Sometimes an hour. Sometimes overnight. Sometimes immediately. I've done all three with 8x10 sheet and 35mm with no ill effects yet.

Doremus Scudder · Feb 1, 2012

The problem is cold film and warm moist air. When the two contact, you can get condensation on the film surface. The object is to bring the film close enough to ambient temperature so that condensation doesn't form. If you have 0% humidity, you could probably load the film still frozen. If you have 90% humidity, the film needs to be really, really close to air temperature or you will get condensation. There is a range of acceptable temperature discrepancy in between. A couple of hours seems to work well for me.

Best,

Doremus

ozphoto · Feb 1, 2012

I usually take my frozen film out the night before and the rolls in the fridge an hour before.
I'd rather err on the cautious side, than tempt fate with a condensation attack. . . . . . .

Juri · Feb 1, 2012

I once took a roll of 35mm film right out of fridge and tried defrosting it in hands before putting in camera. The result was stange black spots and lines on some frames.

Anyhow, this topic made me wonder about using film in extreme temperatures. For instance, I'm planning to shoot film at the weekend and weather forecast predicts -25 degrees Celsius. Won't the frozen film or emulsion crack, when I wind it?

bsdunek · Feb 1, 2012

Jüri said:
I once took a roll of 35mm film right out of fridge and tried defrosting it in hands before putting in camera. The result was stange black spots and lines on some frames.

Anyhow, this topic made me wonder about using film in extreme temperatures. For instance, I'm planning to shoot film at the weekend and weather forecast predicts -25 degrees Celsius. Won't the frozen film or emulsion crack, when I wind it?

I've used film in the 'Great White North' as cold as -40F with no emulsion problems. The problem is static electricity. This will result in black spots and lines on the film. In cold dry atmosphere, you should wind the film very slowly to avoid static electricity. Motorized cameras will really be a problem with this.

benjiboy · Feb 1, 2012

just put a roll in your pants pocket for about an hour, it will not only defrost the film but keep you awake as well .

Jeff Kubach · Feb 1, 2012

Thanks for all the advice, I really like your comment Ben.

Jeff

rtuttle · Feb 1, 2012

I think exposure wise a couple of hours is probably more then enough. However, condensation is more of a concern to me. So in my mind BradleyK is more then likely correct.

borek · Feb 1, 2012

I think, overnight is best time for film and paper.I have not problem with B&W film take out from freezer day before.

radiogorillaz · Feb 1, 2012

What about after shooting? Should you put it in the fridge until you develop the film or should you develop the film within a couple of days?

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2012

After the package warms to the ambient temperature, I wait a while longer.

cmacd123 · Feb 1, 2012

Kodak's Motion Picture books came with charts which had factors like relative humidity and required temperature rise. of course in the motion picture world, 35mm film comes in 400 ft rolls so it has to warm up from the sides.

Issue is primarly condensation. There is a booklet on "Photography under arctic conditions" which covers winter use.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/c9/c9.pdf

The booklet is from 1999 so some of the recommended films like Kodachrome are no longer available.

The motion picture side has a Buletin with a warm up table (Technical Information Bulletin 5202)

http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploadedFiles/US_plugins_acrobat_en_motion_support_tib5202.pdf

benjiboy · Feb 18, 2012

Jeff Kubach said:
Thanks for all the advice, I really like your comment Ben.

Jeff

I wasn't being flippant Jeff, it really works, try it.

cmacd123 · Feb 19, 2012

I recall using ben's method in the distant past. But only with refrigerated film. (not frozen) Mind you this was walking on cool spring days in Ottawa, so the air temperature was not much warmer than the fridge.

albada · Feb 20, 2012

benjiboy said:
I wasn't being flippant Jeff, it really works, try it.

I've also warmed up film in my pocket. Works fine.

A member of the Densa Society ((there was a url link here which no longer exists)) warmed film in the microwave.

Mark Overton

cliveh · Feb 20, 2012

Jeff Kubach said:
How long do you have to wait to 'thaw' out B&W film after it has been in the freezer.

Jeff

If you don't put it in the fridge or freezer in the first place, no time at all.

Frozen film

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