Using expired slide film

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Dec 29, 2017

So, anyone out there ever tried expired slide film? I've successfully shot four roles (following the same principle of expired color- 1 stop over per decade), but I've been hearing first hand some conflicting exposures for them.

first my idea: I got a lot of 2 Ektachrome 100s, expired 1992, I used one at ASA 16, and it turned out (I'd show you what it looks like, but I can't seem to compress my scans enough for this site)

Second: I've been told I should under expose expired slide film- but at the same time I've been told that's a bad idea.

Third: I have a Velvia 50, expired 2006 that I've been told will work with either ASA 50 or 25 should work.

So, what are your advices/ experiences with using expired slide film?

Cholentpot · Dec 29, 2017

I've read not to pull slide film. Expect color shifts and grain but negligible speed loss and fog.

I have a stash of expired slide film in the freezer. I have to get 'round to shooting them some day...

dmtnkl · Dec 29, 2017

The first thing you need to take care of, is the actual exposure selection process itself. Either you are pretty sure of your eye and judgement for manual exposure, or you select a camera/meter combination that gives consistent results. Over/under exposing means nothing if the base readings of your meter are off or your camera speeds are drifting.

I have had perfect results with Nikon's matrix and center weighted meters shooting at box speed Fuji Sensia 100 expired since 2004-2005. Bright, vibrant colors, no color shifts and no apparent increase in grain.

The same goes for Sensia 400 expired since 2010, with the only difference being some extra base fog noticeable in the shadows. But for bright scenes, the images were very pleasing and with tons of character.

I also shot some velvia 50 expired since 2013 without any compensation, also great results.

The only film that has given me trouble was a Kodak Elitechrome Extra Color 100, expired since 2013, presumably from the last batch. Shot at box speed and processed together with other rolls that came out great, this one exhibited too much of a magenta shift.

So to sum up, i shoot at box speed, but i have never shot anything older than 10-12 years... hope this helps

MattKing · Dec 29, 2017

TheGreatGasMaskMan said:
I'd show you what it looks like, but I can't seem to compress my scans enough for this site)

Resize each file down to ~900 pixels on the longest side.

crumpet8 · Dec 29, 2017

I was gifted some e200 that expired a decade or two ago. The first I shot at 100 and had e6 processed at a lab. Results were good.

The rest I’m shooting at 200 and cross processing as c41 with a two stop push, the first of these was fogged, I think I may have screwed up the processing on this roll though as I’d just swapped to a Jobo machine,

the others look better, but I haven’t been able to print yet as our colour ra4 machine is broken.

The bus stop is scanned from the fogged roll. The positives are the Instagram shot and the building is the most recent. Will try to upload one pic of the negs from this batch, just have to reduce it first.

removed account4 · Dec 29, 2017

i hope pentaxpete sees this thread ( you might want to post your question in the expred film group too )
he uses a lot of expired materials, slide cn and bw .. i am guessing he will have advice too !
i'd suggest something, but i shoot it like it is negative film and process it in print developer as bw film, it works great.

crumpet8 · Dec 29, 2017

Latest negs.

crumpet8 · Dec 29, 2017

jnanian said:
i hope pentaxpete sees this thread ( you might want to post your question in the expred film group too )
he uses a lot of expired materials, slide cn and bw .. i am guessing he will have advice too !
i'd suggest something, but i shoot it like it is negative film and process it in print developer as bw film, it works great.

Care to elaborate or post an example? I have a lot of Ilford multigrade lying around, how would you develop with that?

removed account4 · Dec 29, 2017

a problem is the mask that is on the film when you process it as b/w ... c41 there is an orange mask and e6
there is a yellow mask ( i think ? ) i use a coffee based developer so it stains everything brownish and i throw a little dektol
or ansco130 that i might have lying around to boos the contrast a little bit. it will give you a dense stained negative that
you can either contact print or enlarge .. and depending on how you processed it you might get away with an OK exposure or something
that needs a TON of light...
if you go to my gallery / media page here you can see stuff i did
Dead Link Removed
aroud that time period ...
i shot a bunch of E100 and fujichrome like that...

crumpet8 · Dec 29, 2017

jnanian said:
a problem is the mask that is on the film when you process it as b/w ... c41 there is an orange mask and e6
there is a yellow mask ( i think ? ) i use a coffee based developer so it stains everything brownish and i throw a little dektol
or ansco130 that i might have lying around to boos the contrast a little bit. it will give you a dense stained negative that
you can either contact print or enlarge .. and depending on how you processed it you might get away with an OK exposure or something
that needs a TON of light...
if you go to my gallery / media page here you can see stuff i did
Dead Link Removed
aroud that time period ...
i shot a bunch of E100 and fujichrome like that...

Thanks! Great gallery it’s late here so I’ll check it out tomorrow.

removed account4 · Dec 29, 2017

thanks !
just realized you've member status and you might not be able to see
the images well ... sorry about that, they aren't handy-files at the moment !

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 29, 2017

TheGreatGasMaskMan said:
Third: I have a Velvia 50, expired 2006 that I've been told will work with either ASA 50 or 25 should work.

If RVP50 has been refrigerated or frozen over that time, it can be exposed normally.
If it has been shelf-stored, a loss of speed and casting will be expected and additional exposure matrices must be considered.

I do not recommend pushing or pulling any Fuji E6 films, as this effectively compromises the film's response (highlights, shadows) and leads to inaccurate assessments about its capability, very much so if you are dealing with expired to very-expired film. With your roll, start with 50, then dial in EI40, then EI32. Take notes of what you are doing. Then swing it the other way to EI64 and EI80. Process normally. Lay out the resulting slides on the lightbox and compare with your notes. Do not rely on memory for what you are doing.

Film cool-stored around 5-6 years out of date is not a problem; this includes Velvia 50 and Provia 100F, though higher speed films (e.g. 400X are not so tolerant of poor storage conditiions and out-of-date shooting); I am slowly working through two boxes of RVP50 (120) that expired in 2012. One of these rolls spent a very hot summer's day on the back seat of the car (17th December) when it reached 43°C. Not to matter: bung it in, use it, process it and ... nothing to speak ill of it.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Dec 29, 2017

MattKing said:
Resize each file down to ~900 pixels on the longest side.

Yea, thanks. I'll make a separate reply for my results.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Dec 29, 2017

OK. Here's a sample of everything I've shot- it's two images per roll.
1- Ektachrome 200- expired 02-1987, shot this August at ASA 25/12
2- Fotomat 100- expired 10-1990 also shot this August at ASA 12
3- Ektachrome 100- expired 01-1992 also shot this August at ASA 16
4- Ektachrome 64T- expired 07-1997 this October at ASA 16

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Dec 29, 2017

Also, Here's my complete expired stash (I have yet to actually try fresh slide, though I may look into the return of ektachrome).
1- the above mentioned velvia 50 (220)
2- a second 1992 expired ektachrome 100 (220), and I can say metering at 16 will be fine
3- an ektachrome 100 I have no idea how old it is, though I'm assuming 20 years (135)
4- an ektachrome 64 expired 5-1985. (also, bought off ebay saying for display only, but I'm still going to try it). (120)

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Dec 29, 2017

jnanian said:
i hope pentaxpete sees this thread ( you might want to post your question in the expred film group too )
he uses a lot of expired materials, slide cn and bw .. i am guessing he will have advice too !
i'd suggest something, but i shoot it like it is negative film and process it in print developer as bw film, it works great.

I'll actually post this there too.

crumpet8 · Dec 30, 2017

jnanian said:
thanks !
just realized you've member status and you might not be able to see
the images well ... sorry about that, they aren't handy-files at the moment !

That’s ok, just a nice reminder of why I should get a membership I guess

Minoltafan2904 · Jan 19, 2018

I just got a 5 pack of Velvia 50 expired April 2015.
However i know it's good because i was shown the results of a developed roll of the same batch with the same expiration date.
It's in my freezer now and i will use it up over this year.

Troy Grilli · Jan 19, 2018

I shoot a whole lot of expired slides. I shoot Ektachrome 4x5 expired in 1994 and 120 expired in '88. First thing I do is shoot some calibration shots. I shoot at box speed and then one stop less, then one stop less, etc. I develop completely normal. Find what speed the film has degraded to and shoot it as that. As long as its in the same batch, I've had good results.

Im not sure if this is just normal Ektachrome behavior or expired ektachrome behavior because I've never shot unexpired ektachrome but I find that if you underexpose it, the contrast is very high and if you over expose the contrast is very low. So you can use that information as you will.

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