HIE Kodak infrared in freezer since purchase; I'll never get through my stockpile!!

Here's my situation: in the 90's and early 2000's I was mad about Kodak's HIE infrared film. Still love it, but back then it was my primary film & I thought it would always be. So when I saw the digital tidal wave coming, I knew it's days were numbered. I started making big orders & freezing a stockpile....

Jump forward: I now have about 170 rolls in my freezer with exp dates 2005 - 2007. I have shot & processed about 10 rolls in the last year & they are coming up beautifully. But my heart has moved on: I still shoot primarily film, but seldom HIE. (And it is expensive to process.) I am sure I will never get through all I have on hand.

So questions for you all:

1) How long will it last? Some have said frozen it could be indefinite, but the lab that has been processing it suggested I run through it in the next 2-3 years. (I thought I'd run a bunch this summer, but so far only about 5 rolls....)

2) I have a high-quality lab I trust doing the processing, but with contacts it's $25/roll. Anyone know a less-expensive place processing HIE??

3) If I won't get through it all, should I sell? I see some folks bidding for some HIE on eBay, but it seems to involve a lot of trust that I have had it frozen since purchase (I have, but not sure I would take the word of a stranger online.....)

4) Are people still interested in HIE? (I suppose so as people are bidding, but still -- what do you all think??).

Any other thoughts appreciated.

If you sell it, let us know. If the price is workable I'll buy some. It costs no more to process than any other black and white for those of us doing it ourselves.

I'd be interested in buying some if you do sell it for a reasonable price. Can't help you with the other questions.

Roger's right. Process it yourself. You can probably cut your cost by close to 90 percent.

eddie said:

Roger's right. Process it yourself. You can probably cut your cost by close to 90 percent.

Click to expand...

Heck, I might process and contact print a few rolls for you in exchange for more film!

The only concerns I'd have there would be liability for someone else's images, getting to it when I could, and possibly heat exposure from shipping this time of year.

Oh, can't help with question 1 or 2. #3 is totally up to you, but if you aren't that interested in shooting it anymore you can certainly sell it easily. As for #4, not just yes but hell yes! The other "infrared" films on the market today just really don't compare.

I'm sure there are plenty of people on apug here that would love to buy some Hie..I'm just saying...

As above, processing it yourself would be the only cheaper option. It will always be expensive at a lab as it requires hand processing. Also as above I'd be happy to take some off your hands. I've no idea how long it will last in the freezer but it was known to go off faster than regular films.

I am not sure about the longevity of the silver emulsion.

I am sure that there are many people interested in getting their hands on Kodak HIE ... I for one would love to take some off your hands.

I have always processed HIE myself, so the costs were negligible.

I have my last roll of HIE in a camera right now. I process my own, too, so it's no more expensive than anything else. I echo what Roger said.
I know many people say it does go downhill as it ages (even frozen), but I've gotten reasonable results with 2 years past exp. It was somewhat more grainy, but that could have been the exposure, too. I don't think I'd try to hold onto it any longer than I had to. I intended to shoot this roll last year and didn't.

I've never shot fresh HIE, and I've also never had a roll that showed any age. Some expired in 1999. My impression is, the people who stocked up on the stuff (and for whatever reason never got around to shooting it) were highly aware of its sensitivities, and stored it properly.

I have exactly one roll left, and it's in one of those lead-lined airport film bags, in the freezer. If you are going to hang onto your stock, might want to look into something like that.

Just process youself!

Jeff

D76 for 8.5 min for condenser enlarger.

I'd buy some if you decide to sell!

Ed

Good to know ther is still great interst in this film & thanks for all the comments.

I have decided to post 20 rolls to eBay.

20 rolls at one go may have been too many; oh well, that's what I decided to do. I need to make room in my freezer ;~}... 5 rolls sold at nearly $250, though they were exp 2009. Freezing seems to have preserved the film well, though.

At any rate thanks for all the feedback and anyone interested can certainly bid!

ColinWinterbottom said:

Good to know ther is still great interst in this film & thanks for all the comments.

I have decided to post 20 rolls to eBay.

20 rolls at one go may have been too many; oh well, that's what I decided to do. I need to make room in my freezer ;~}... 5 rolls sold at nearly $250, though they were exp 2009. Freezing seems to have preserved the film well, though.

At any rate thanks for all the feedback and anyone interested can certainly bid!

Click to expand...

I certainly will not be bidding on your auction. It appears to me that you just came here to steer people to your auction on ebay.

I understand that. Not my intent but I understand the appearance. I was genuinely unsure what to do & decided to go that way after a few people here gave feedback. It's not like I posted to eBay the next day; I was unsure...

Sorry if it offends; I could take the mention down.... is there a way to remove posts?

Don't know if you can remove posts, but the more considerate thing to do in light of all of the interest you generated here would have been to offer some of it for sale here to apug members before posting on the auction site. I'm not interested, but many others obviously were.

I don't get it. Why all the hand wringing and stress. A year ago Kodachrome processing was going away and there were all those people sitting on stashes of Kodachrome 25. They wouldn't use it and they wouldn't sell it . Now the film is only a paperweight. You have some HEI. Either sell it or use it and move on.

Answer to question #1. It's no good, it's a charity case... I'll take charity.

It's probably fine. Are you the one on eBay with the 20-roll brick that started @ $150? Depending on what you want to do I'd be interested in purchasing some as well. I'm using infrared as a lever to get me back into shooting. I've never used it prior to about a month ago and am learning a number of things. Feel free to PM me or email at prospector_11111@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Steve

Hi Colin

You've already sold HIE at about $50 per roll?..good on you! I have some HIE 35mm dated 1999 and some HIE 4x5 dated 1985 (all stored in the freezer), and no fogging, normal HIE grain. These are both beautiful films - esp the 35mm. I have some 16"x20" prints on Ilford MG FB from the 35mm (nudes photographed in the studio, around 1996).. the grain structure is well controlled, and actually look better than the 8"x10" prints!
I would say (as others have said here) use some of it and dev it yourself if you can - it is one of Kodak's great films.

Tony (from Oz)