OrientPoint
Subscriber
It really depends upon the film. As has been well documented, some films are remarkably stable and others age _really_ badly. I have fun experimenting to figure out how the different stocks age. With prices having gone crazy in the last few year it's fast becoming less fun though.
I have rolls of 70mm Technical Pan that expired in 1992 that are essentially fresh. No evident fog and no grain (it's TechPan after all) and shoots at box speed. Panatomic X and Verichrome from the late 60's on almost always work well, albeit with some fog and additional grain. Not as nice as fresh, of course, but it's fun shooting a time capsule. I've also had really good luck with E6 films. I have some 1996 expired Ektachrome 100 in 8x10 that would be a challenge to discern from fresh. In some cases the color shifts arguably improve the film. Kodak Lumiere E6, much derided in the 1990s, has a very pleasing (to me at least) yellow shift when used in 2023.
But that's the lucky part. If the film not stored well, is fast, or is just not stable (like, say, Ektar 25) it's going to be a frustrating waste of time and money.
When expired film was $2-3 a roll the gamble seemed worth it. With expired now going for almost as much as fresh (and in some cases more) I can't see that it makes any sense at all, no matter how sentimental one may be. There are a few expired stocks I'll still buy, like Portra 100t. But my film hording days are basically done. End of an era :-/
I have rolls of 70mm Technical Pan that expired in 1992 that are essentially fresh. No evident fog and no grain (it's TechPan after all) and shoots at box speed. Panatomic X and Verichrome from the late 60's on almost always work well, albeit with some fog and additional grain. Not as nice as fresh, of course, but it's fun shooting a time capsule. I've also had really good luck with E6 films. I have some 1996 expired Ektachrome 100 in 8x10 that would be a challenge to discern from fresh. In some cases the color shifts arguably improve the film. Kodak Lumiere E6, much derided in the 1990s, has a very pleasing (to me at least) yellow shift when used in 2023.
But that's the lucky part. If the film not stored well, is fast, or is just not stable (like, say, Ektar 25) it's going to be a frustrating waste of time and money.
When expired film was $2-3 a roll the gamble seemed worth it. With expired now going for almost as much as fresh (and in some cases more) I can't see that it makes any sense at all, no matter how sentimental one may be. There are a few expired stocks I'll still buy, like Portra 100t. But my film hording days are basically done. End of an era :-/