Where do you keep your films? Fridge, freezer or room

Mondo1 · Aug 10, 2023

I am just wondering where you keep your films?

I personally don't have a dedicated film fridge but keep hem in our home fridge (as much as space permits albeit) and if I know I'll use them soon (within a month or so) I just keep them on my desk/bookshelf however I read here that some members keep films in freezer for decades and would like to know more about it e.g. how long you should rest the frozen film before you load it to camera/holder? also do you suggest keeping exposed film in fridge/freezer?

P.S. this is my first post here, hopefully it is in the correct category - My question applies to bw, colour and slide but could not find a category that covers all.

Thank you all in advance
Mondo

Ulrik Christiansen · Aug 10, 2023

I keep all my films in the freezer. Then I put a couple of rolls in the fridge and take from there when loading my cameras. If I need one from the freezer, I will put it on my desk the day before use.

I always develop my films right after I have finished a roll, because I want to see my results

As far as I have read, films (at least black and white) in the freezer can stay fresh for many years after the "best before" date on the package.

GLS · Aug 10, 2023

The vast majority of it I keep in a dedicated fridge. Some very long expired colour films I keep in the freezer.

bdial · Aug 10, 2023

I have a small dedicated fridge where most of the film lives. I've appropriated a bit of space in the household freezer and fridge for some overflow. Freezing is better of you can arrange it, but a fridge is better than storing at room temperature.

Buzz-01 · Aug 10, 2023

35mm b&w I keep in the fridge. I inted to shoot it within the next year or so, or at least before its expiration date. My little stash of 35mm color film is in the freezer as I probably won't be shooting it anytime soon.

For 120 film, I'm a little hesitant to put it in the fridge or freezer as I'm not sure what it will do to the backing paper?

Agulliver · Aug 10, 2023

Most B&W and colour print film is kept in various zippy bags in a drawer under my side of the bed. One bag has bulk rolled 35mm cassettes, another has colour film (Kodak Ultramax and Fuji Superia 400), another has 35mm standard retail film, one has 120 B&W film along with a few 127 and 220 films and the final one has 120 colour film (Lomography 400 and Ektar 100).

In the freezer I keep some of the more exotic film where I don't know how long it might be before I use it. Super 8 50D and Tri-X. Delta 3200 in 35mm and 120. Ektachrome in 35mm. It's just one bag in the food freezer as we simply don't have space for a dedicated fridge or freezer.

My bulk loaders, which usually contain various films, also live under the bed. Currently one has Fomapan 100, one has Fomapan 200, one has Ilford HP5+ and one is empty.

At some point when spousal unit and I move to a bigger place I'll purloin the current, small freezer as a film freezer and will store more of my film that way. Then there's more space for gear under the bed

Andrew O'Neill · Aug 10, 2023

I keep the bulk of my films in the freezer. When stock gets low in my film fridge, I take some out of the freezer.

Kodachromeguy · Aug 10, 2023

All my film in the freezer.
1. 120 and 4×5" film is in zip bags.
2. 35mm is in its original boxes without zip bags.
When I plan to use some film, I take the entire zip bag out a day before and keep it out until I am sure I don't need more rolls or sheets.
None of my 1989 Panatomic-X or younger other 120 types has ever had any problem with the backing paper.

Saganich · Aug 10, 2023

Some APX 25 behind the cheese and cold cuts, spooled-out bulk double X in the armoire and a box of 4x5 trix in a -20.

Alan9940 · Aug 10, 2023

All film is stored in freezer bags in the freezer.

Edit: Oops...forgot about Polaroid film. That's stored in a small dorm fridge that runs at about 50F.

Ulrik Christiansen · Aug 10, 2023

Buzz-01 said:
35mm b&w I keep in the fridge. I inted to shoot it within the next year or so, or at least before its expiration date. My little stash of 35mm color film is in the freezer as I probably won't be shooting it anytime soon.

For 120 film, I'm a little hesitant to put it in the fridge or freezer as I'm not sure what it will do to the backing paper?

I have never had any defects with 120 film that has been in the freezer for at least 2 years time. If you take it out freezer and let it acclimatize before opening the plastic packaging and loading the film, I don't think anything will happen.

Nitroplait · Aug 10, 2023

Room. Mostly BW.
I have recently been using some HP5 expired in 2013 kept at room - not planned - but I see no difference from my fresh HP5.
So no need for me to refrigerate/freeze.

bags27 · Aug 10, 2023

In our spare fridge. I don't bother freezing what I'm using within, say, a 5 year period.

Sort of like wine. Everyone makes a big deal of keeping wine at some mystical temperature, like a steady 54 degrees or something. And yet even the best wine stores display most of their stuff at room temperature....

Sirius Glass · Aug 10, 2023

I keep all my factory sealed film in the freezer. If the film package has been opened, then I seal it in Zip-LokTM bag, forcing the air out first, and sealing and put it in the refrigerator.

rcphoto · Aug 10, 2023

this topic has been beaten to death, twice.

I have always kept film I don’t plan to use within a week or so in the fridge. Thawing procedure is very important in my opinion. I like to keep my films in the box and let them thaw in the box at least overnight before use.

I think some issues people have with their films and blame on manufacturer are actually caused by poor thawing.

grain elevator · Aug 10, 2023

Room and as of late, as I've bought a bulk roll, some in the basement. AFAIK no radon threat here. No space in fridge.

Sirius Glass · Aug 10, 2023

rcphoto said:
this topic has been beaten to death, twice.

I have always kept film I don’t plan to use within a week or so in the fridge. Thawing procedure is very important in my opinion. I like to keep my films in the box and let them thaw in the box at least overnight before use.

I think some issues people have with their films and blame on manufacturer are actually caused by poor thawing.

The OP joined in February 2023 and has not had time to read every thread and post. Please have a little patience or suggest a subject search of the website.

MattKing · Aug 10, 2023

All of the above.
The room temperature stored stuff is all black and white, and is stored under the bed.

destroya · Aug 10, 2023

most of the film in a dedicated chest freezer. current use 35mm bulk rolls, opened current use 120 pro packs and opened current use 4x5 sheet film boxes at room temp. if I know im going on a road trip and need frozen film, goes in fridge 3 days before then room temp the night before.

john

abruzzi · Aug 10, 2023

all my sheet film is in a dorm freezer in my darkroom. All my 120 film is in my kitchen freezer on a shelf above the ice cream.

GregY · Aug 10, 2023

In a dedicated small fridge

reddesert · Aug 10, 2023

When you put film in the freezer, put it in a sealed container or bag. Then when you take it out, let it warm up close to room temp before opening the container. A couple of people mentioned this already. The reason is to avoid condensation on the film.

Spending a few hours, days, etc at room temp won't hurt film. It's not potato salad, so leaving it out for a while is better than rushing it from freezer to camera.

I've had good luck with fairly long-expired B&W film even when it was stored haphazardly (in and out of the fridge), less so with color film.

Brad Deputy · Aug 10, 2023

I put it in all 3 places. Confusing, eh?

Freezer: Film I plan to use 4 months or more
Fridge: Film I plan to use <4 months
Drawer: Film I plan to use within the next month or so.

Freezers I prefer to use the chest, so no auto-defrost to mess things up. I had condensation issues on some B&W paper I stored in a auto-defrost freezer; Just the two sheets on the outer sides. Never again

JerseyDoug · Aug 10, 2023

All of my film is bulk rolls of 35mm B&W. Just six rolls. No more than one roll of any film variety. All at temperature and humidity controlled room temperature. No issues.

rcphoto · Aug 10, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
The OP joined in February 2023 and has not had time to read every thread and post. Please have a little patience or suggest a subject search of the website.

It was really meant more for regulars and not a dig at the OP. I realize sarcasm does come through the internet well.

Where do you keep your films? Fridge, freezer or room

Mondo1

Ulrik Christiansen

GLS

bdial

Buzz-01

Agulliver

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

Kodachromeguy

Saganich

Alan9940

Ulrik Christiansen

Nitroplait

bags27

Sirius Glass

rcphoto

grain elevator

Sirius Glass

MattKing

Moderator

destroya

abruzzi

GregY

reddesert

Brad Deputy

JerseyDoug

rcphoto

Where do you keep your films? Fridge, freezer or room

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