Rating old consumer C41 film

[tkamiya]

I have some generic C41 film that expired in 1995. These were stored in unknown condition and probably very VERY badly. They are supposed to be ISO 800. Brand is "Walgreen" (a large drug store chain in US) but it means absolutely nothing. Knowing full well the answer might be "well, it all depends...", I have to ask because I have no idea.

What EI should I rate these? Shoot at 800 or rate it half, say 400?

I do not expect perfect results. I'm actually looking forward to seeing wildly shifted colors. What I'd rather not get is awfully underexposed negs.

Are there any collective wisdom on these unknown film?

By the way, I have no ability to do my own processing for color so I'll be taking to a mini-lab place. Anything other than standard C41 isn't an option.

Thank you.

 

[AgX]

As you seemingly have several, why not make some bracketing with one film? You even could do just 10 exposures and re-spool them to an empty cartridge, to save on your found.

 

[railwayman3]

I used up some Kodak "Zoom" 800ASA a few weeks ago, dated 1999 (fridged for part of its life, but not frozen). Best results seemed to be at 200ASA, but rather grainy.

 

[newcan1]

My guess based on my vast stocks of older film is also that this stuff may shoot best at 200ASA

 

[Terry Christian]

This may not help you, but where was the film manufactured? If Japan, then it is probably Fuji Superia. If Germany, then it is probably Agfa Vista.

 

[AgX]

Agfa Vista was not on the market before 2002 or so...

Furthermore I doubt whether Agfa sold film at all to be branded under a house-brand in that period.

 

[Terry Christian]

AgX, I have a few packs of Walgreens "Studio 35" film, made in Germany, expired 2007. Walgreens no longer sells it; their current film is obviously Fuji Superia.

 

[AgX]

The film in primary question was made before 1995 and rated at ISO 800.
There was no manufacturer's brand ISO 800 CN film on the market back then. I also never learned about an uprated house-brand film. So this would mean a downrating of faster films. The next in speed would have been the Agfacolor XRS 1000 Professional.
Or a special house-brand ISO 800 film.

 

[Leighgion]

I'd go with rating at 200 to be safe. That's a good stretch of years and it's better to overexpose C41 than underexpose.

 

[tkamiya]

I just looked. It says made in Germany. It must be AGFA then. I only have 2 rolls and they are 12 exposure each. I don't have a lot to experiment, hence the question....

 

[Les Sarile]

These are the results I got from Kodak Ektar 125 that expired 4/1992 kept in bad conditions - processed normally. I think ISO64 or 32.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

It sounds like you have more than one roll. Shoot a roll at different ISO's. Develop. Like something? Don't? Done.