how long is too long to store film?

jodang67 · Apr 1, 2011

i just found 6 rolls of b&w film and 2 rolls of color film from a summer trip in july/august. is it too late to process them? they were stored in a box in my closet but not sure that it was cool enough to preserve the film.

2F/2F · Apr 1, 2011

They should provide usable pix unless they were horribly and consistently baked by heat. I have waited far longer, believe me.......

hpulley · Apr 2, 2011

I've recently developed films exposed in the '50s and not stored properly so I think you should be fine!

bdial · Apr 2, 2011

Rolls that start with Christmas pictures, then some spring, summer, and fall pictures in the middle, and maybe more Christmas shots at the end are not uncommon.
As mentioned, it's most likely it's just fine unless your closet averages 100 F or so. Even then, the film will be ok, but you might have some creative color shifts.

Steve Smith · Apr 2, 2011

bdial said:
Rolls that start with Christmas pictures, then some spring, summer, and fall pictures in the middle, and maybe more Christmas shots at the end are not uncommon.

You have just described the film's which came from my grandfather's camera. Christmas, summer then another Christmas all with eight shots on a roll!

Steve.

michaelbsc · Apr 2, 2011

Steve Smith said:
bdial said:

Rolls that start with Christmas pictures, then some spring, summer, and fall pictures in the middle, and maybe more Christmas shots at the end are not uncommon.

Click to expand...

You have just described the film's which came from my grandfather's camera. Christmas, summer then another Christmas all with eight shots on a roll!

Steve.

It always surprises me how many people mistakenly think film is so fragile.

I realize many folks don't have the regular experience with film that folks did years ago, but I don't really understand where the idea that it spoils rapidly comes from. But many people have this impression somehow.

perkeleellinen · Apr 2, 2011

When I was an undergraduate I lived in Sweden for the academic year '03-'04, I think I shot 30 or 40 rolls of film that year and just stored them all in a drawer until I came back home and developed them all in a marathon session. There were no problems.

Klainmeister · Apr 2, 2011

I for one like to shoot a roll and lose it for a few years and develop it. It's always interesting when you're moving and stumble upon a roll.

Steve Smith · Apr 2, 2011

Yet some people think they need to store it in a fridge or freezer if they're not going to use it for a couple of weeks!

I have successfully used 1986 dated Kodachrome (a couple of years ago) which had never seen the inside of a fridge.

Steve.

hpulley · Apr 2, 2011

michaelbsc said:
It always surprises me how many people mistakenly think film is so fragile.

I realize many folks don't have the regular experience with film that folks did years ago, but I don't really understand where the idea that it spoils rapidly comes from. But many people have this impression somehow.

Where did it come from? Read a box of film 50 years ago... or lately? They tell us to develop it promptly and protect from heat so that advice is burned into every film shooter's mind. And manufacturers have overconservative expiry dates printed on the boxes as well, more I suspect to try and keep the products moving through the system rather than because the image quality would go down over time but I'm not a Photo Engineer so I can't say for sure

Does it change? Sure, but throw it out if you don't use it in a few years? The stuff I buy new today has 2011-2014 dates on it and I think that is waaaay too conservative.

When my Dad gave me his darkroom stuff I was sad because he'd removed the film from the bulk loaders and thrown it out because it had expired in the '90s... B&W Ilford film that would have been just fine stored in his basement

hpulley · Apr 2, 2011

Where or where would they get the idea? I checked a few film boxes lying around...

Kodak film since the '80s at least ('60s film doesn't quite say this, didn't check '70s film boxes though I could!): "PROTECT FROM HEAT-DEVELOP PROMPTLY"

Anscochrome from 1961: "KEEP COOL - DEVELOP WITHOUT DELAY"

Modern Ilford: "Process as soon as possible after exposure."

Steve Smith · Apr 2, 2011

hpulley said:
Modern Ilford: "Process as soon as possible after exposure."

I think time spent between exposure and processing is more detrimental to the image than the time between manufacture and exposure.

Steve.

michaelbsc · Apr 2, 2011

Steve Smith said:
hpulley said:

Modern Ilford: "Process as soon as possible after exposure."

Click to expand...

I think time spent between exposure and processing is more detrimental to the image than the time between manufacture and exposure.

Steve.

I think you are correct.

From what I have read latent image stability is the enemy more than base fog. You can just print through fog.

Gerald C Koch · Apr 2, 2011

Theoretically the latent image immediately begins to degrade. However, the change is very, very slow in the beginning and may not be detectable. The rate is affected by the type of emulsion, the temperatures to which the film was exposed and polutants. More heat, greater degradation. Another factor is radiation such as cosmic rays. Always best to develop as soon as convenient. I think Kodak recommended within six months to a year. Usually the color prints from film with a Xmas tree at each end were typically puke or burple in color if the film wasn't stored properly. In color printing there are humorously said to be only two primary colors puke (yellow green) and burple (bluish purple).

cmacd123 · Apr 2, 2011

Far out data point!
I play with 16mm movies. One of my purchasesa couple of years ago was a roll of "Dupont" reversal film. Which I had figured was only going to be used as leader. BUT just for fun, I opened the can in the dark and cut off a couple of feet, and stuck it in a developing tank. I just used 2 minutes with print developer, and fixed it. The edges were fogged, perhaps someone had opened the can, but the central part was "grey" but clear. Sure enough the edge printing "Dupont" was visible.
Dupont stopped making film in the 1950 era, so that edge print was exposed over 40 years before I developed it.

Gaga · Apr 3, 2011

John Maloof, the man who discovered all of Vivian Maiers work has been developing film of hers from the 50s. You will be fine.

M.A.Longmore · Apr 3, 2011

Gaga said:
John Maloof, the man who discovered all of Vivian Maiers work has been developing film of hers from the 50s. You will be fine.

.
I'm starting to looking at my roll of Tri-X 120 from May 1969 differently !
.

Alan Johnson · Apr 3, 2011

This pic is on 1967 Orwo 400 ISO film exposed at EI 50 last year and developed in Rodinal.
At 43 years old it was a bit foggy.
I have not tried any really old color film.

skyrick · Apr 3, 2011

hpulley said:
I've recently developed films exposed in the '50s and not stored properly so I think you should be fine!

Wow! I'd be interested in seeing that! Do you have any of them posted on-line?

hpulley · Apr 3, 2011

skyrick said:
Wow! I'd be interested in seeing that! Do you have any of them posted on-line?

Of course! Verichrome Pan 620, expired 1959, exposed long ago (exact date unknown, wish the newspaper was in focus better), processed in HC-110 in 2011:

Fifties Dad mowing the lawn with son looking on by Harry Pulley, on Flickr

Stopping by the road by Harry Pulley, on Flickr

Old car and newspaper crop by Harry Pulley, on Flickr

Junior by Harry Pulley, on Flickr

I bought it in a lot with other 620. It seemed like a good way to get a take-up spool and thought I'd develop it, just for fun... now I wish I knew who they were! I'd send them some prints of their long lost camping trip photos.

how long is too long to store film?

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