Humidity and Temperature Controlled Film Storage Options

[J C]

Not sure if this is the right subforum. I'm looking for suggestions on film storage solutions that have both temp and humidity control. After reading a few studies, I found the following recommended temps and humidities for different photographic media:
-5C with relative humidity of 20%-30% for color film
6C-12C with a maximum relative humidity of 60% for black and white film
15C with a relative humidity of 20%-40% for B&W prints.
I've tried looking for cabinets and coolers that offer both temp and humidity control, but it seems they're only made with controls for one or the other. Any suggestions?

 

[koraks]

This is not something that's very feasible or efficient to do at home, neither does it serve any meaningful purpose.

 

[film4Me]

I'm sure many of us have dedicated freezers for storing film until it's ready for exposing. Before loading into a camera, thaw it out for several hours or over night. Place the film in plastic bags though, as added protection while in the freezer.

 

[koraks]

I'm sure many of us have dedicated freezers for storing film until it's ready for exposing.

I do, but I assume this is about finished negatives, slides and prints, not unexposed film & paper. After all, the humidity numbers are not relevant for unexposed materials as long as they remain in their original packaging, which is not water-permeable. We also know already that for unexposed silver halide materials, low-temperature store is generally best, so freezing is better than refrigerating, with the rare exceptions of stuff like integral pack film (polaroid, instax etc.)

 

[film4Me]

Oh ok. In that case I can only suggest how I keep my developed films, and that is keep them stored in office lever arch files which allow air to circulate through them keeping humidity at bay. For slides, I'd recommend they be kept in a slide box, open, no lid. I've lost quite a few to spidery fungus in closed boxes on hot humid days. I think normal air circulation is the trick.

 

[koraks]

Slides & fungus are tricky, but an open box also carries risk of dust and deposition of airborne debris. Some of this can be oily, greasy or otherwise result in persistent 'caking' on the slides. I think low-humidity, closed containers would be best. Moisture is definitely an issue; we also have some slides in our family archives that are very severely affected by fungus etc.

When storing negatives and prints in cool conditions (refrigerated, frozen) care must be taken to avoid condensation on the surfaces, so IMO they will need to be vacuum sealed. This also means that humidity of the storage space is less critical as well.

IMO a more practical approach that is in practice also adequate is to store the originals in suitable materials (acid-free papers, stable plastics; PAT-tested) in a space that does not experience overly high temperatures and large temperature transients, and where RH is kept low to moderate. Most living rooms in temperature climates would qualify.

 

[J C]

Price and space aren't an issue, though I'd like to keep the price of equipment under $5k. My house, being a few centuries old, gets very hot and humid in the summer. So, a regulated storage environment is a must. I have around two thousand personal slides and color negatives and about half as many stereoviews and glass plates. I need to make sure they are properly stored.

 

[koraks]

I understand! In your case, I would consider dedicating one room in the house to this, install a split-unit AC and get yourself a dehumidifier as well. Then set the aircon to 65-68F and the dehumidifier to 40%. Allow temps to drop in winter, but limit temp rise in summer. If you notice that RH drops below 25% at some point, consider adding humidification, but I can't imagine this would be required for NYC climate. The combined measures should be more than adequate for home storage.

While lower temps might be nice for the CN's and the slides, I doubt it's going to be feasible to install something at home that will do around 40F and low RH year-round.

If you want/need to do better, I'd honestly initially not try to DIY it but instead look for a museum that can manage the collection with proper storage.

I don't think you can do a whole lot better in terms of archival storage for $5k; there are evidently climate control systems for sensitive collections etc. but I expect you'd be looking at $250k upwards for a setup and that will likely be overkill already for your storage needs.

Also, factor in energy cost of the system over the expected storage period. The few $k of equipment investment is likely to be of a smaller order of magnitude than the operating cost. However, since the latter is spread out in time, it may not be as painful to bear.

 

[loccdor]

60% humidity for black and white film? Can that be right? Seems high.

 

[MattKing]

Many museums and archives have a lot of experience with the issue.
The Vancouver Archives has an absolutely fascination temperature and humidity controlled storage facility dedicated to it.
I was lucky enough to be able to tour their facilities as part of their outreach programme - they were very helpful and informative.
Here is their website, complete with a contact email: https://vancouver.ca/your-government/city-of-vancouver-archives.aspx

 

[Taylor K Nankervis]

-5C with relative humidity of 20%-30% for color film

For color film...?
Whatever studies. I have gone by my own experience over many decades.
So I go down — deeper down, to minus 20°c, 48% to 56%RH for long-term dry frozen storage of (E6) film. That goes for 120 and 135 film. Never had a problem to speak of. The film is a mix of expired and fresh. Processed film, when finished is refrigerated, never re-frozen.

Dedicated temp and humidity-regulated cabinets for storage of precious objects do exist (I've seen these ... something like specialised wine cabinets?), but really, I think it is overkill and expense.

 

[J C]

Thanks for suggestions.

I will contact some museums and collections to get information on techniques and equipment and to see if any would agree to storage at reasonable rates. I've got a few rooms I could dedicate to this endeavor, and I could set up my darkroom in the same place. Saves the hassle of setting up dehumidifying and air-filtration measures for multiple rooms.

I have solar panels that, for the most part, take care of my electricity needs during the warmer months. So, the ongoing cost of cooling shouldn't be an issue. I already have small dehumidifiers going in multiple rooms of the house.

60% humidity for black and white film? Can that be right? Seems high.

That was a maximum humidity. The lower humidity for color films is what I'd use for B&W too. I'll post the studies I found in the Resources section.

On this topic, I wonder how modern films will fare in four or five decades compared to other media. By and far the most stable media, in terms of age and image degradation, that I have personally dealt with are wet and dry plates. The vast majority I have show minimal fading, the most prevalent issue among them being de-lamination of the emulsion from the plate. However, very few show signs thereof.