How viable might expired Fujicolor 200 film be?

gone · Sep 5, 2015

Saw this seller on fleabay selling lots of 10 rolls of expired 35mm Fujicolor 200, 36 exp film for $24, including shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381375526863?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

He guarantees it, and even places his phone number on the ad. Looking at his feedback, I see that out of nearly 3,000 transactions in the last 6 months there is not one single negative left concerning this film, BUT there appears to have been only one sale of this particular film so far.

Normally, my policy is to avoid any and all expired films, but I might change that for this. Has anyone shot this film kind of film in an expired condition? Other than possibly weird colors and grain, which I can handle for this price, does this look too good to be true?

BrianShaw · Sep 5, 2015

A lot depends on how old and how stored. In general I've found C-41 to be extremely robust. Given the guarantee how wrong can you go? Even without it might be worth the bet.

pentaxuser · Sep 5, 2015

Depends how long expired and how stored. For the equivalent of about £1.55($2.40 per film) it still seems expensive to me for possible weird colours and grain and certainly if there are such problems then the price is certainly not too good to be true.

Maybe we are spoiled in the U.K. where I can buy fresh Agfa Vista( fresh Fuji 200 by any other name) for about $1.55 in stores called Poundland - so-called because everything is a £1. That's about $1.55 in real money

pentaxuser

pdeeh · Sep 5, 2015

could we make a profit by selling it to momus for $2.40 a roll including shipping though? I haven't done the sums yet ...

gone · Sep 5, 2015

I think the shipping would eat up any profits pdeeh. You're right Brian, I really can't lose too much by trying it. My last experiences w/ both the Fujicolor 200 film and the Agfa Vista films were only OK. The Agfa stuff may be a little better. Surprised to hear that they were the same films because my Fui seemed quite a bit colder on the colours.

Still, at these prices, one cannot be too choosy. I'm just looking for something cheap to put in my one walk around camera, so it don't have to be that spectacular.

Google says that 360 exposures of the eBay stuff at $24 US = .0666666667 cents per frame. That sounds fine to me. But I would have to send the C41 stuff out, while I can develop the Arista Ultra B&W 100 films, which Freestyle sells here for only a little over $3 US, myself at home for not much cost. The shipping is what makes it such a good deal on the Fuji film, as Freestyle ain't gonna ship the Arista for free. But then the C41 developing costs....it gets complicated.

pdeeh · Sep 5, 2015

it was just a leg pull, momus.

as to the films themselves I think that AgfaVista 200 is Fuji C-200, which might account for the difference in colours & whatnot.

(I did some checks on the emulsion codes a few years ago, and that seemed to be the closest match, but as I constantly complain about people making statements about which film is what without proper evidence, you might be best to take that with a pinch of salt too )

BrianShaw · Sep 5, 2015

I shoot Kodak color film. Experiences with in-date cheap film (ColorPlus) was okay but not great. Experience with Gold200, even quite out-of-date has been satisfactory.

Sceptic · Sep 5, 2015

$2.40 per roll seems a little high to me too, but I found a few of the same rolls my father had left in a cabinet for years. The film surely endured temperature shifts. However the results were not disappointing.

pentaxuser · Sep 5, 2015

pdeeh said:
could we make a profit by selling it to momus for $2.40 a roll including shipping though? I haven't done the sums yet ...

So you were the one whose behaviour prompted a book by Karl and Friedrich

pentaxuser

LarryP · Sep 5, 2015

maybe a little high. Here i can get fresh 24 exposure fuji 200 at wallyworld for$2.50 A little more per exposure but its fresh.

Trainmaster · Sep 5, 2015

The fudgee (aka agfaphoto) c200 is only about 3.29 at B&H. So…

That Fleabay seller is also trying to sell past date Velvia for $13 per sheet, while you can get fresh at B&H for $3.70 per sheet. So…you can guess what most of us are gonna do!!

destroya · Sep 5, 2015

i bought a ton of this film last year at walmart. 5 pack for $6. keep your eyes open. ill sell you 10 rolls for $12 plus shipping so you can try it out

gone · Sep 5, 2015

Thanks destroya. Might send you a PM on that.

Well now, past dated Velvia is quite another kettle of fish, isn't it? I would never buy any of that. Off track, but this mention of Agfa film sure has me missing the olden time, real Agfa Optima emulsions. I loved the unique colours that it gave. You either loved that film, or hated it. And I agree, old Kodak Gold 200 is, well, gold. Thanks for the input. Just bought an unopened 4 roll pack of Kodak Gold 200 on eBait (3 rolls of 24 exp, 1 roll of 36, dated 2008) for $14, shipped. That will work.

By the by, I saw this (below) while lurking on that site. Kodak Max 400 24 exposure from Adorama for $1.99 a roll. This film has a bit of a reputation for big grain, but just today I was looking at some shots that I took w/ it in 2002 and wow, the colours are wonderfully saturated and spot on. The pics really pop. So this might be an even better deal.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kodak-Kodac...Exp-1973551-/391095396737?hash=item5b0f1a2981

gone · Sep 5, 2015

I don't do my own C41 processing, nor do I wish to for just walk around snaps, but I found this place that does it for about $5 US, including return postage. You'd still have to pay the shipping to get the film to them, but that could be done economically.

http://www.clarkcolor.com/Content.aspx?Page=Order+Form+&+Mailing+Label#.VeuVKUB5-hq

sagai · Sep 6, 2015

momus said:
I don't do my own C41 processing, nor do I wish to for just walk around snaps, but I found this place that does it for about $5 US, including return postage. You'd still have to pay the shipping to get the film to them, but that could be done economically.

http://www.clarkcolor.com/Content.aspx?Page=Order+Form+&+Mailing+Label#.VeuVKUB5-hq

Unless you do your own c41 processing my impression is that lab development recently could introduce more exposure to uneven results than the expired film itself.

benjiboy · Sep 6, 2015

For $20($2 a roll) it's worth the risk, live dangerously.

Marvin · Sep 6, 2015

I just bought 10 rolls of Kodak Ultramax 400 24exp from B&H for $1.99 a roll.

How viable might expired Fujicolor 200 film be?

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