Shelf life of film

[Doc W]

I have a chance to buy some 8x10 film - black and white negative and reversal. Although the boxes have not been opened, the film is quite old. The b&w is dated 2010 (Adox) and 2008 (Kfke). The reversal (Velvia 50) is dated 2009.

Will it still be useful?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

No worries, especially for the black and white. I'm still using 1967 4x5 HIE...only a bit of fog. Your film is still young. Do you know how it was stored? If the price is decent for the Velvia, I'd go for it depending how it was stored.

 

[railwayman3]

Film reasonably stored (kept cool and dry, and particularly if carefully frozen) will usually last quite a few years beyond the expiry date, though. IMHE, colour is less reliable, being susceptable to colour shifts. It's inevitably a bit of a gamble, though. (I quite enjoy experimenting with ancient films, but always keep this separate from my "serious" picture-taking.)

Depends a lot on the price being asked....if it's not too much, I might, personally, take a bet on the B&W, but wouldn't rely too much on the colour film ?

 

[Doc W]

Correction: Efke, not Kfke. But you knew what I meant . . .

 

[wiltw]

The Kodak statement abot film past expiration date is that cosmic ray accumulation will cause fogging of film, particular films of higher ISO, and this can take decades to manifest itself. One of the results of quite old film is the loss of sensitivity of the emulsion.
Storage in freezer of refrigeration with NOT STOP any cosmic radiation from passing thru film...cosmic rays can to through the Earth, so there is no means to preverent accumulation of cosmit rays, even by storage underground, although that storage does slow the accumulation, which is why Kodak used salt mines for ISO 3200 emulsion.
Refrigeration or feezing is primarily meant to minimize color shifts in color emulsions. Pro emulsions are less tolerant of color shifts than emulsions aimed at the amateur market, which accounts for pro films typically having shorter expiration periods.

It is sad that so many Kodak Technical References are no longer retrievable! What I could pull up in 2005 is largely gone now.

 

[removedacct1]

How it was stored is going to play a role in how well the film performs. However, I can attest to the fact that I was given an unopened box of FP4 last summer, dated expired in 2008, stored at room temperature all its life, and it performed as if brand new: no speed loss, no misbehavior of any kind.
That said, if the film you're being offered comes anywhere near close to the cost of brand new film of equivalent type, then there's no point in buying it. If its half the price of fresh film (or less) then by all means.

 

[MattKing]

From an old roll of VPS - probably 25 - 35 years old before exposure.
Not properly stored.
Developed normally, after exposure in a pinhole camera.
The negatives (note the fog):

One of the pinhole images (after a bit of digital wizardry)

Blue Swoosh!

• MattKing
• May 2, 2021
• 7

WPPD this year was grey and slightly drizzly. So I headed to the playground, and loaded 25+...

 

[braxus]

Hi guys. Its my film he is considering. The Efke is both 100 and 25 ISO speed. The Efke 100 was tested with two sheets and was perfectly fine. The reversal is Velvia 50 and I've used rolls of that 20 years expired with very little color shift (slightly pink). My Velvia is from 2009. Its a very stable film.

All the films I bought I was told were at least stored in a fridge. I cannot remember which one were fridge and which was freezer.

 

[cmacd123]

slow films tend to keep quite well, higher speed, (say over 250) not so well. but the older it is, the more chances it has to react with the pakaging, the atmosphere etc.

 

[Down Under]

As in mostly everything in life, the answer to this is, "it depends".

With old films, there are too many variable factors to safely comment on. Case by case situations apply.

I recently found two army surplus metal ration cans with 40 rolls of B&W and a few C41 films I had stashed away and forgotten for - gosh, at least ten years, likely longer. Tucked away at the back of a cupboard. Summers can be scorchingly hot here in rural southern Australia and our winters, while mild to an expat Canadian, are also known for their seemingly unending cold spells.

Anyway, I took two test rolls, one B&W and one color neg, and ran them through my Contax G1s, making images under variable light conditions. Processed both. Surprise! No fog at all. The C41 seems to have survived best of all in terms of film speed, the TMax 100 and FP4 lost a bit of ISO/EI speed but will shoot well at say 80 or even 64 given what light conditions I am dealing with.

So in the summing up, the ONLY way to safely determine what is what is to shoot a roll and see.

As for buying expired film, well, you pays your money and you takes your chances. Ebay sellers for the most part tend to be non-photographers who seem to place ridiculously high values on everything they buy (or else live in perpetual hope of that big sale). I do buy now and then if something mouth-wateringly tempting comes up, like Kodak Panatomic-X (which nowadays seems to be worth its weight in pure gold), but I try to avoid auctions and look for Buy It Now sales or, best of all, those asking for Best Offer. I always pay reasonable money and so far have not lost any purchases by too low prices.

Now to find the time to shoot all the stock I have in my film freezer. Maybe if I live to 107...

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Correction: Efke, not Kfke. But you knew what I meant . . .

Ya I knew what you meant... and I'm still envious. Efke 25?

 

[Tel]

I have (the remains of) a 50-sheet box of Efke 100 in my fridge. Beautiful stuff! I'll be very sad when it's gone.

 

[braxus]

Well if original poster doesn't want the film, I'm open to others for the sale. I've used Efke 25 in 4x5 dated 2004 and today it still comes out fine.

To be clear- the Efke 100 film I have is actually Maco Up 100 Plus. The Efke 25 I have is Adox CHS 25 Art.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I have a chance to buy some 8x10 film - black and white negative and reversal. Although the boxes have not been opened, the film is quite old. The b&w is dated 2010 (Adox) and 2008 (Kfke). The reversal (Velvia 50) is dated 2009.

Will it still be useful?

most likely yes but, it may need some extra exposure

 

[braxus]

The OP declined the film. If anyone else wants these, message me and I'll give you more info. The Efke 25 (Adox CHS 25 Art) film is 50 sheets, so not cheap.