Well-Expired Film

[Sirius Glass]

I've shot plenty of expired film, all of which fall "unkown storage" category to an extent, come out fine. The films I've shot so far have been:

3M Scotchchrome 1000 (Expired: Unknown)
FPP Retrochrome (AKA Kodak Ektachrome 400) (Expired: 2004)
Kodak P3200 (Expired:12/2014)
Fujichrome RF 50 (Expired: 10/1988)
Fujichrome Sensia II 100 (Expired: 10/2000)
Fujichrome Sensia 200 (Expired: 10/1998)
Fujichrome Provia 400F (Expired: 12/2003)
Ilford HP5 400 (Expired: Unknown)

The only rolls of slide film I had issues with was a roll of 3M Scotchchrome 1000 (no idea when it expired, came out very grainy & had major color shifts), Fujichrome RF 50 (expired 10/1988) came out but VERY faded.

For the b&w films, the Kodak P3200 didn't do well when pushed to 3200 & 6400, the Ilford HP5 400 came out fine (I exposed it at 100 & had it developed normally).

That is an impressive list. Thank you.

 

[Agulliver]

I'll pitch my tent with those who say that the film is likely going to yield usable results, especially the slower films you have. If they are still in their foil wrappers that should minimise or even prevent backing paper issues. Assuming room temperature or lower, the 100 ISO stuff may well perform like new. I'd be tempted to shoot the 400 at 200 just in case.

In theory everything we do is wasting time. I'd rather waste my time doing something I enjoy. Shooting expired film sometimes falls into that category. I'd love to uncover a stash of Efke lurking in a cupboard.

 

[Huss]

Even free expired film is a waste in chemicals and time.

I agree.

Everyone send me your expired film. For free of course.
Thank you.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I agree.

Everyone send me your expired film. For free of course.
Thank you.

And you expect the sender to pay the postage too, I would expect since you are doing them a favor.

 

[Don_ih]

And you expect the sender to pay the postage too, I would expect since you are doing them a favor.

Actually, the sender should also include some packages of developer and fixer. Maybe a tank, too. And some clips for hanging. And PhotoFlo.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Actually, the sender should also include some packages of developer and fixer. Maybe a tank, too. And some clips for hanging. And PhotoFlo.

Mea culpa I forgot to include those plus the photographic paper, Dektol, stop bath with indicator and Rapid Fixer.

 

[OrientPoint]

I scored a 100' roll of 70mm Plus-X recently for a low price. The catch is that it's very old. Judging from the labels on the can probably the late 1960's or early 1970's. There was no printed expiration date. On the plus side was it was allegedly sitting at the bottom of a freezer for decades, but who knows really. Regardless, I just shot some and it worked out quite nicely with surprisingly little base fog and acceptable grain. It's now an ISO 50 film, not ISO 125, however. Totally worth shooting. I also have large rolls of 70mm Tech Pan that expired in 1991 that are indistinguishable from new. (These were definitely frozen the entire time as they came from an astronomy lab). With black and white film, if it's relatively slow speed (<= ISO 100) and hasn't been baked in a car in summer your chances are quite good. With color, it's definitely more hit and miss.

 

[Disconnekt]

Anyone who doesnt want their expired film can send it to me too, I'll put it to good use

 

[nosmok]

I scored a 100' roll of 70mm Plus-X recently for a low price. The catch is that it's very old. Judging from the labels on the can probably the late 1960's or early 1970's. There was no printed expiration date. On the plus side was it was allegedly sitting at the bottom of a freezer for decades, but who knows really. Regardless, I just shot some and it worked out quite nicely with surprisingly little base fog and acceptable grain. It's now an ISO 50 film, not ISO 125, however. Totally worth shooting. I also have large rolls of 70mm Tech Pan that expired in 1991 that are indistinguishable from new. (These were definitely frozen the entire time as they came from an astronomy lab). With black and white film, if it's relatively slow speed (<= ISO 100) and hasn't been baked in a car in summer your chances are quite good. With color, it's definitely more hit and miss.

IIRC, when TechPan was discontinued, Kodak revealed that they hadn't actually made any of the stuff for more than 20 years prior to that time-- it was all frozen, and all as good as new.

To the original poster's question, I find Verichrome Pan expired after 1964 to be very workable and predictable, it's only the pre-1964 dates that get dodgy. Rate it at 50 or 60 and fire away. In fact, most of the stuff he listed, if I had it, I'd overexpose by a stop for the first roll and see if that wasn't in the ballpark. Maybe try some antifogging agents for the faster stuff.

 

[VinceInMT]

Like others, I’ve ended up with expired film. The photo shows some of it. One of the 5 packs of VPS 220 is unopened but expired in 1986. The C116 expired in 1975. The Ektachome slide duplicating film expired in 1977. I might shoot some of it but maybe not. The Ilford will at least be worth it for the reusable canister. Then again, I have oil filters for cars I no longer own.

 

[AnselMortensen]

That Ektachrome Slide Duplicating film is E4 process, not E6.
If you send it to an E6 lab, they will have a BAD DAY.

 

[markjwyatt]

Some people like expired film for the challenge (and sometimes interesting rewards) of shooting expired film. I shoot expired film occasionally to shoot a film that is otherwise not available anymore. Recently that includes some Arista Premium 100 in 35mm (Some of the last Plus-X available) and Agfapan APX-100 in 120. Both turned out really well, but also were not long expired (16 years for the Agfapan and I think less than 10 for the Plus-X). I also got some Rollei IR400- made in Belgium by Agfa. I am not sure it is any different than the current version (Inoviscvoat?).

 

[tokam]

I bought over 400 feet of film from a user here on APUG in mid 2014. Loaded most of it into cassettes and place in zip lock bags in the fridge. It was frozen when I got it and most of had 2016-2017 expiry dates. I still have maybe 40+ rolls to go. Still seems to be shooting nicely. The only film that has a bit of increased base fog is TMY-2.

 

[Agulliver]

A few years ago my local camera shop did an inventory of it's basement storage area and found some wonderful stuff....they were selling off 400 foot cans of HP5+ motion picture film for £20. Of course I don't have a 400 foot 35mm bulk loader so I was loading by hand but the film had expired in 1995 and was still perfectly good at 200, 400 and 800 ISO some 23 years later.

Around the same time I acquired a bulk loader with a mystery film in it....I shot some and worked out it liked 50 or 64 best....it was an Ilford film and after consulting with Harman about the edge numbers they concluded it was FP4 motion picture film from the early to mid 70s.

Of course now expired film is sought after by the Lomography enthusiasts and fetches a pretty penny....not so long ago one could get real bargains which were fine for general purpose amateur photography.

The very first 127 film I shot was an unfamiliar brand name which expired in 1971, shot in 2018 giving almost perfect results

My first foray into bulk loading was circa 2000 when I bought a loader from an online auction which had a nearly full load of Tri-X in it which had expired in the mid 90s. I didn't really get into the bulk loading as much as I thought I would and the loader ended up in my garage for a decade...experiencing all manner of heat, cold and humidity under a metal roof....by the time I cane back to it in 2013 the film was perhaps just beginning to show some fog. But was still very nice to work with. I laugh as I now usually have three bulk loaders on the go with different films.

Of course I shoot film which is "in date" 95% of the time, and 4% I shoot film I have personally kept frozen since new....but just occasionally I come across a bargain or a film that comes with a camera I purchase. I've never shot a B&W film or glass plate which was totally useless. Colour film does sometimes fog and lose sensitivity too much to be really useful.

 

[epp]

I shot the open-box roll of Verichrome Pan (exp. November 1997) this morning, in the Holga with defective aperture (always on cloudy, regardless of switch setting).

Weather was cold, 30 F, skies were extremely gray due to the impending blizzard.

I used one of the cardboard tricks to add tension to the take up spool and it was found to be tightly wound when removed.

I don't think it's a candidate for push/pull processing, since the Holga doesn't have a film speed setting. But if any of the pictures taken, actually come out, I'll upload some.

 

[moggi1964]

I have a roll of this that has been transferred to 120 holders. I had planned to shoot it last September but life got weird.

It will be shot in the next few months and probably metered as ISO1.

 

[Huss]

I have a roll of this that has been transferred to 120 holders. I had planned to shoot it last September but life got weird.

It will be shot in the next few months and probably metered as ISO1.

View attachment 296896 View attachment 296897

Originally ISO 80? Will be interesting to see the results!

 

[MattKing]

What was the Z 20 format? Is it a modified version of 120? That's an interesting piece of photographic history. And was Selochrome color?

I think Z 20 is 120.
And Selochrome was B&W.

 

[moggi1964]

I think Z 20 is 120.
And Selochrome was B&W.

It was a 620 film. 120 films/spools are slightly longer and wider than 620 films.

And yes, B&W.

My plan is to bracket the exposures and shoot three frames per shot at ISO1; ISO5 and ISO10. This will give me four shots and hopefully one of the three exposures will give me something to work with. If not then it will have been fun trying. Harman labs will carry out the developing.

I have some ideas of what I want to shoot (as much inherent contrast as possible) so when I can make the plan come to fruition I will share the results with you.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

A friend sent me some Verichrome Pan 120 film that expired in 12/1987. It performed perfectly. I used the roll on an unusual snowy day: https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2021/03/another-expired-film-treasure-kodak.html
I have ordered two more rolls from a seller on the 'Bay.

 

[MattKing]

It was a 620 film. 120 films/spools are slightly longer and wider than 620 films.

Thanks. In the interest of pedantry and clarity, for those who didn't know, 620 film and 120 film are identical, but the spools they are loaded on differ.

 

[moggi1964]

Thanks. In the interest of pedantry and clarity, for those who didn't know, 620 film and 120 film are identical, but the spools they are loaded on differ.

Thank you, I hadn't realised that as I didn't do the re-spooling myself.

 

[epp]

The film came out, all 12 exposures! Eastman Kodak Company rocks!

Thus also discovering that the Holga I used (my original, with the aperture that ultimately does not change), is broken. There are no light leaks. The negatives are perfectly square.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...a-120n-shots-here.174174/page-16#post-2518006

 

[juan]

I have some 2x3 Ansco film that expired in 1942. I keep thinking I’ll load up a few holders and try it.

 

[moggi1964]

Great news.