shooting and developing out of date Plus-X

[Tom Kershaw]

I have been given several pro packs of out-of-date 120 Kodak Plus-X film (September 2000) and wondered about what to expect when developing it (e.g. fog), if anything. And whether I need to take anything into consideration when shooting?

Thanks,

Tom Kershaw

 

[bobfowler]

I have been given several pro packs of out-of-date 120 Kodak Plus-X film (September 2000) and wondered about what to expect when developing it (e.g. fog), if anything. And whether I need to take anything into consideration when shooting?

Thanks,

Tom Kershaw

The 100 sheet box of 4x5 Plus-X I'm using now "expired" in May of 1998. It came out of the freezer where it had been since "new" about 4 months ago. No noticable speed loss nor fogging...

 

[Konical]

Good Evening, Tom,

Unless the film was stored under the most adverse conditions possible, I'd treat it the same as fresh film. That said, Plus-X is no different than most other B & W films: it will gradually lose contrast, and the fog level will rise, with aging. A couple of years ago, I shot a roll (never frozen or refrigerated) with a 1980 expiration date; it had an unacceptably-high fog level; 2000-dated film I wouldn't worry much about.

Konical

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Check out this this PXP 1973 shot from "huggyviking"--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Thanks for the responses. I'll report back with results when I develop the film.

Tom

 

[MikeS]

I recently got some Plus-X 4x5 film packs that expired in 1967. One of them was totally no good, but the others were all pretty good. I developed them in PMK Pyro and they came out with hardly any fog, or loss of film speed! The one pack that was bad had some fungus growing on the emulsion, but otherwise it was ok too. (The shots were wasted, but if the fungus wasn't there they would have been fine).

I guess it all depends on how the film is stored. Generally film that's within 5 years of it's expiration date I treat as fresh, anything older I worry about more.

-MikeS

 

[Rlibersky]

Becuase of the cost of 8x10 film, I have bought alot of outdated film at half price. I have not seen any problems. I think the oldest was 5yr out.

 

[Dean Williams]

Most films in the speed range of Plus-X will go a long way past their expiration date with no noticeable defects. Plus-X, in particular, ages very well, and unless it's been stored at high temps (say, above the 80 to 85 degree range), your film should work fine.

Fog from normal atmospheric radiation will accumulate over an extended period, and shows up more in the faster film emulsions. Med speed films at just five years out of date shouldn't have accumulated much, if any detectable excess base fog. Run a test roll and see what you think. Normal developing times should work well for the age of this film. I wouldn't expect it to have lost much speed. Try your test roll at +1/2 stop, and work from there.

Dean