Silly question for 4x5 film storage and use.

[mattk]

So I won an auction for 3 boxes (50 sheets each) of E100 for my 4x5. Question is: I doubt I will use more than 10 sheets or so a month. What is the best way to store the film and then remove 10-20 sheets for use. Seems like refrigerating and taking out a few sheets then returning the box to the fridge/freezer would set up problems with condensation.

 

[Les Newcomer]

There are people out there that insist that once you open the foil envelope your doomed to condensation problems. I say fooey!

Just pull the box of film out the night before or at least a couple of hours before and let it warm up.

Oh and always keep the film in a ziplock bag, double bag if paranoid, and don't open the bag until the film is at room temp. If the photo gods are even mildly nice to you, you won't have any condensation problems. In the 20+ years I shot large format I've never had a problem with condensation.

Les

 

[Murray@uptowngallery]

Another condensation question...

I got a roll of 5" aerial film & stuck it in a refrigerator in the garage until I could figure out how to cut it with minimal stress (on me, not the film).

Asking Kodak Aerial people questions, they were kind enough to send me a 100' roll of pre-exposed developing test strips in 35 mm size for the same emulsion.

I got in the habit of unplugging the refrigerator in the winter & one year forgot to plug in back in until May. I took the 35mm can of test strips to my local lab (I don't have a dark room, part of the 5" film handling problem) to get some development times for it.

They told me the unopened can was rusty & full of slime when they opened it. They processed a strip anyway & it came out blank. I had them pitch the can. I was surprised by this extreme outcome. Temperature change in the refrigerator would have been gradual and the film was room temp when I took it to the lab.

I have been too depressed to check the 5" roll -

I thought you got ferrotyping with condensation, not decomposition.

I just thought, what if they ran that film thru color processing? Would 'blank' be the expected result?

The 5" roll had been opened but placed back in its bag, retaped & back in the black plastic cannister. I guess the only valid answer to "what is the chance it's trashed too?" is to check myself...but does any of this make sense?

 

[Jim Noel]

I agree with Les. I have followed a similar pattern for many years with no problems.

 

[marsbars]

you could always use a vacuum sealer to keep things as moisture free as possible.