Speed loss in expired Elite Chrome 400

[pharmboycu]

Hi everyone!

I did a search for this topic but didn't find anything that answered my question. I have a relatively large quantity of (presumably) expired Elite Chrome 400. I do not have an expiration date, but I am under the impression it was frozen before I obtained it and has been in the refrigerator since I obtained it (app. 1 yr).

Assuming this batch of film is from the last production run of EC 400,

1) Does anyone know what this expiration date might be?
2) The amount of speed loss I might expect in this film?
3) The amount of overexposure necessary to compensate for this speed loss?

If it was negative film I wouldn't be concerned, however, knowing that slide film is much less forgiving I'd like to get the best possible result from this film. It's quite a sizable quantity (app. 50 rolls), so it's worth it to me to try and use it for good results.

Thank you in advance!

 

[lhalcong]

Elite Chrome 100 was one of my favorite Slide film for portraits. (did well under studio conditions for me). I presume that it will be hard for anyone to guess-timate an expiration date on your film. A few years at the very least. Assuming they all came from the same batch and they will all kept int he same storage conditions, (aging is unpredictable). I would dedicate one or two rolls for tests only. Shoot many frames at slightly different ISO (say from ISO 100 -> 800 ) preferable with third or half stops difference, and see which one gives you the best results under similar conditions where you may be planning to use the film. Nature is more forgiving than if planning to use for Portraits. If film is badly fogged , then that would be a different story. I personally hate fogged film that generates muted colored low contrast pictures .

 

[MattKing]

The most recent data sheet for Elite Chrome 400 I have been able to find was last updated in 1998. There isn't even a reference to the film in the "Discontinued" section of the Kodak website.

I expect that it will exhibit both a speed loss and a magenta colour cast. So you may want to consider using it with some light green filtration.

 

[pharmboycu]

Thank you both-- that's VERY helpful information. If I suspect best case scenario in storage, at 1 stop per decade that should mean this film would be ISO 200. I think I'll shoot a roll at both 400 and 200 and see what I get.

Follow up: For the test of effects due to the speed loss I would shoot at 200 and process normally (at 400), correct? It doesn't seem too complicated, but I often make mistakes when I have an overly simplistic understanding.

Follow up 2: "Light green filtration." I need to do some reading to determine what filters would be appropriate for this. The only green I currently have is a green filter for use with B&W film. I suspect this would be way too much filtration, correct?

Thanks again!

 

[MattKing]

I would shoot a roll with a fair amount of bracketing - 1/3 stops between EIs of 64 and 400.

A green filter designed for black and white film would most likely be too strong.

Something like the filters that were designed for using tungsten film with fluorescent lights might be in the ballpark.

 

[Athiril]

I think you're likely to get base fogging before speed loss, which makes overexposing a bad idea, but you wont know until testing.

 

[benjiboy]

I would shoot one roll bracketing in half stop increments keeping a record of the exposure details of each shot and have it processed uncut so you can evaluate them in sequence to determine the true speed of the film.

 

[lhalcong]

Follow up: For the test of effects due to the speed loss I would shoot at 200 and process normally (at 400), correct? It doesn't seem too complicated, but I often make mistakes when I have an overly simplistic understanding.

You process normal. Introduce only one variable at a time. first test the bracketing, then after seeing the results, decide what green filter is needed if any, and if overexposure is an issue due to levels of fog. But bottom line is do one thing at a time of you will not know what did what .