ISO for Expired Fuji Velvia 50??

Pioneer · Oct 19, 2017

I will be using some Fuji Velvia 50 this weekend that expired in June 2012, about 5 years ago. It has been kept in a cool room but not refrigerated. The individual packages have not been opened.

Normally I don't worry too much about expired film until it is 10 or more years expired. However, I am not a heavy user of color slide film so am curious as to the recommendations from the expert users.

Should I just go ahead and use it at ISO 50, or downrate it to EI25?

Thanks for your help.

Poisson Du Jour · Oct 19, 2017

No change with cold storage. 50 is fine.
I routinely use some 120 rolls 6-7 years out. There is no harm in actively experimenting as a learning experience. During the course of exposing the roll, tweak the ISO dial to 40 and 32, then back to 50 -- make a note of the changes. The difference visually at EI40 will be very slight, and more pronounced at EI32. EI25 is too far out.

destroya · Oct 19, 2017

I just shot some 6 year expired velvia 50, shot at 50. came out perfect. if you want to add some compensation, I would leave it at 1/3 a stop

john

Trail Images · Oct 19, 2017

I've used nothing but V-50 for years in both 120 & 4x5. I've shot it at both ISO40 on the very early original stuff, but had moved to using ISO50 on the later stuff without any issues. Many times outdated but always kept in fridge. One item I do watch out for is long exposures to make sure I dial in the recommended reciprocity times.Not doing that as required has nailed me a few times.

Cholentpot · Oct 19, 2017

I've read in a few places that overexposing expired E-6 is no good. First off slide does not do well with over exposure and something to do with the way slide is you can expect grain and color shift but no true loss in speed.

I have a bunch of expired slide and until I can get a definite answer I've been leaving them be in the freezer.

Pioneer · Oct 19, 2017

Thanks. I was pretty certain that box speed was going to be ok but it is nice to have people who can give you the benefit of their own experience since I have very little. I will use as much of this as I can over the next few months since I do like Velvia, just a bit expensive to process.

I have some really old stuff that will go into the Holga for cross processing when I have more time to play.

Pioneer · Oct 19, 2017

Cholentpot said:
I've read in a few places that overexposing expired E-6 is no good. First off slide does not do well with over exposure and something to do with the way slide is you can expect grain and color shift but no true loss in speed.

I have a bunch of expired slide and until I can get a definite answer I've been leaving them be in the freezer.

Thanks Cholentpot. I had heard that but have not had any experience. I'll keep it in mind for the future.

Many years ago I had used some old Provia (12 or more years expired) and the color shift was amazing. I remember thinking I should have increased the exposure but evidently that is not helpful.

Mind you the colors were not pretty, just amazing. When it gets that old I think I'll just cross process. It can't be any worse than regular processing and since I do my own C41 processing I don't have to pay anyone else to do it.

Poisson Du Jour · Oct 19, 2017

Cholentpot said:
I've read in a few places that overexposing expired E-6 is no good. First off slide does not do well with over exposure and something to do with the way slide is you can expect grain and color shift but no true

Push or pull processing is sometimes done with expired RVP5P and also Provia. This procedure introduces more compromise and uncertainty than the often predictable results from routinely exposing short out-of-date film. At say 10 years expiry and unrefrigerated, casting and loss of speed will be evident. If colour accuracy and speed are important then, it is better to buy fresh film.

Cholentpot · Oct 19, 2017

Poisson Du Jour said:
Push or pull processing is sometimes done with expired RVP5P and also Provia. This procedure introduces more compromise and uncertainty than the often predictable results from routinely exposing short out-of-date film. At say 10 years expiry and unrefrigerated, casting and loss of speed will be evident. If colour accuracy and speed are important then, it is better to buy fresh film.

However in the event that someone has a stock of expired slide what should they do? I have about 10 rolls of slide, I'm not going out and buying fresh. Box speed or adjust exposure?

Huss · Oct 19, 2017

Shoot it at box speed. I've shot old Velvia, Provia, Lumiere etc w/ no issues.

Pioneer · Oct 20, 2017

It's all Kodak's fault.

If they had managed to get Ektachrome out by now I wouldn't have to be asking these questions.

tomfrh · Oct 20, 2017

Pioneer said:
I will be using some Fuji Velvia 50 this weekend that expired in June 2012, about 5 years ago. It has been kept in a cool room but not refrigerated. The individual packages have not been opened.

Normally I don't worry too much about expired film until it is 10 or more years expired. However, I am not a heavy user of color slide film so am curious as to the recommendations from the expert users.

Should I just go ahead and use it at ISO 50, or downrate it to EI25?

Thanks for your help.

Treat it as though it's fresh. So rate at 50 (or 40 which some people prefer for fresh velvia).

trendland · Oct 20, 2017

Pioneer said:
I will be using some Fuji Velvia 50 this weekend that expired in June 2012, about 5 years ago. It has been kept in a cool room but not refrigerated. The individual packages have not been opened.

Normally I don't worry too much about expired film until it is 10 or more years expired. However, I am not a heavy user of color slide film so am curious as to the recommendations from the expert users.

Should I just go ahead and use it at ISO 50, or downrate it to EI25?

Thanks for your help.

Pioneer if you use expired Fuji E6 you don't have to care about anything.
If they are extremly expired to One point
they are sure to waist.
But modern Fuji E6 are amazing.I ve seen this with Astia 100 - I suppose Velvia is the same : No color shifts, no reduction of speed. AND THIS with 6 years expired dates.
Longer as 6 years expired dates I noticed more and more pale colors.
(Astia has "neutral colors" so you also may describe the whole color characteristic of Astia as "pale" from the first day).
With Velvia you may notice the same effect after 10 years : a little less saturation.
So it is amazing I would say : No color shift with E6 within the first 10 years ?

But it seams to be exact this way.

with regards

trendland · Oct 20, 2017

Pioneer said:
It's all Kodak's fault.

If they had managed to get Ektachrome out by now I wouldn't have to be asking these questions.

Ektachrome has a tendency to shift colors.EPN in the same way as EPP (no wonder about)
With modern Ektachrome (E100G) I can't say - I did not see color shifts but I
have also no expired new Ektachromes.
As Kodak reformulate Ektachrome and optimized reciprocal issues by the way - they may have closed the gap in regard of longer stability also.
with regards

phrons · Oct 20, 2017

I came into a bunch of expired velvia, provia, and ektachrome from a garage sale.

The climate of the storage was San Diego, but inland San Diego so not much moisture. It was stored in a garage, about 5-10 years expired.

My first couple of test rolls I gave a full stop. I found that they were slightly overexposed if shot outdoors. If shot at dawn, dusk, or softer light conditions it seemed to be just right. The colors did not seem to be as saturated as maybe fresh film, but the color was nice. I spot metered with my Nikon DSLR. This is all 120 film.

So this is at least from my personal experiences.

Hope this helps.

lantau · Oct 21, 2017

The Fujichromes seem to be quite resilient. In April 2016 I was in Hong Kong finishing a roll of Acros 100 and it was getting darker. Having forgotten my Tri-X at the Hotel I looked up a shop that was on my way to buy some Tri-X and what did I see there on the shelf in large numbers? Provia 400X 135/36. It was expired by two years, and since I'mn not sure that the aircon was running 24/7 I have to assume that storage wasn't perfect. I bought 5 rolls and shot one right away. The result looked good.

Back home I had two fresh rolls in the freezer. I had recently bought them from Maco, which imported a batch from Japan. I used a fresh roll on a trip to Taipei, pushed to 800 at dusk out in the streets before flying back. Didn't look any different to me. Maybe I should shoot the last fresh roll at 400 to have reference.

Earlier this year I bought 10 rolls of 400x 135 on Ebay. I don't normally buy (expired) film on Ebay. This and a purchase of three rolls of Portra 160NC-2 220 are the exception. Price was okayish and expiration was in 2012. The seller claimed they were bought fresh and in the freezer ever since. It was a sealed brick, and wraped in another two layers of foil by the previous owner. Almost paranoid. But the film worked just fine. Surprisingly good in high contrast light on a trip to Tallinn. Downtown with the sun pretty low, giving deep shade on street level and the upper parts of the buildings sun lit.

The later pictures had a blue cast in the deeply shaded areas. But that is the light and I found online somewhere that Provia 400X is quite prone to that. I.e. it had nothing to do with age.

If the 400X is doing fine, you'd think Velvia 50 will be ok if not extremely expired.

Pioneer · Oct 27, 2017

Thanks for all the response.

I have 8 rolls of Velvia 50 exposed from the past few days. All metered at box speed.

I will likely get it sent to the lab in a week or two so will hopefully be able to post a few examples when the slides return.

Trail Images · Oct 27, 2017

OP, thank you for keeping us updated on this thread. Look forward to any results you might have to share after the processing.

Alan Edward Klein · Oct 27, 2017

I keep my Velvia 50 in the refrigerator at 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Curious, what would I gain if anything if I kept it in the freezer at 0 degrees?

ISO for Expired Fuji Velvia 50??

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