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  #1  
Old 31st March 2020, 03:17 PM
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CambsIan CambsIan is offline
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Default When is out of date actually out of date

Hi All,

Like many others, have been trying to keep myself occupied in part by having a bit of a photographic tidy up.

Just been through my film draw and had a look at the dates on my colour films.

I think my stock rotation has been somewhat lacking as I have unused films in dates that range from 1993 up to 2015.

None have been kept in the fridge, just stored in a light tight box in my photo drawers in the house, no great temperature changes in that room.

As the thread title asks, when is out of date actually out of date ?

Ian
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Old 31st March 2020, 07:18 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Not sure anyone can give chapter and verse on this often asked question, Ian

27 years is quite a long time ago but Photrio is full of examples of threads with titles such as : "Lloyd George gave this colour film to my father and I have just exposed and developed it and all's well"

OK I exaggerate a little but I'd certainly use each one and see

Pete from Brentwood who is a friend here is constantly showing examples of old colour film on Photrio and they all seem great to me

Mike
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Old 31st March 2020, 07:44 PM
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There is a much repeated rule of thumb that film loses speed at the rate of approx 1 stop per 10 years out of date. I have seen a couple of 20-30 ish year old films where this seemed to hold roughly true - most recently here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkD_hS8VL74

I understand (and it seems logical) that slower films last longer, or at least, fog less, but again, I have no personal experience...
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Old 31st March 2020, 09:05 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Expiry Date

There may be some truth in the reason for putting an expiry date on colour film is to protect the manufacturers interests. If say, you use a film for an important job and it is old stock but not marked with an expiry date then litigation could cost the company money.

The dates on film especially B&W are quite generous, so they will expect the film to be used before that date. However, with a dated film used for an important job that fails because of the film, if it is used 'out of date' then the company solicitors can say " Sorry Guv, it is out of date you should have followed the directions of use. Compensation - don't be silly".
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Old 1st April 2020, 09:40 AM
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Many thanks to you all for your replies.

I've not developed C-41 for a long time, but have a Rollei Mini kit on its way from First Call, so will shoot a couple of the oldest rolls and see what happens.

I don't have the ability to print colour but if I get anything that is worth discussing, I'll post a couple of the scanned neg's for everyone to have a look at and offer their opinions on.

Ian
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Old 1st April 2020, 09:40 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
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The date on B&W films is more about stock rotation then actual expiry, the ISO9002 regulations meant Ilford and Kodak had to reduce the expiry times on their films considerably from 5 or 6 to 2-3.

Some films keep better tahn others, the faster the film the faster it'll build up base fpg with poor storage. I;ve been using 10 year old films with no issues, they are stored in my darkroom at floor level which is always the coolest place,

I did the same when living in Turkey where the temperature in our apartment would be 30ºC+ half the year and rising to 40ºC plus for 2-3 weeks late July/August. Film was stored in the bottom drawer and no issue - that's the coolest place. No room in refrigerator, that;s full of food

Ian
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Old 1st April 2020, 10:04 AM
MikeHeller MikeHeller is offline
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I have, in the last few years, used Ilford PanF with expiry date in the early in 90's with no problems, Acupan 200 with expiry date end of the 90's or early 2000's which was OK at ISO 100 but for the most part just printable exposed at ISO 200, but no obvious increased base fog.

On the other hand I have found a higher base fog than expected on Delta400, that was in or just out of date and I thought kept reasonably cool.

It appears to be a lottery and you need to try or experiment. I have some Acupan 800 with expiry date similar to the Acupan 200 I have used that I intend to use but will perhaps have an experiment with first before relying on it.

Mike
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Old 1st April 2020, 05:48 PM
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I just realised that Ian was concerned with colour films. So, I don't know if the rules of thumb that apply to b&w films would still apply.

Is it possible that the different layers will age at different rates? If so, I wonder if that would lead to unworkable colour-shifts in the different layers? IDK.

I suspect it is suck-it-and-see time. If it is 35mm, you could run a few frames through the camera and take it in the darkroom and cut the exposed film out (reloading the remainder) and process those few fames?

I do have a few rolls of long expired colour film myself but no means to process it for now.
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Old 1st April 2020, 06:12 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I habe used colour films way out of date, anything up to 15 years, sometimes I have had slightly muted colors, but the effect was rather nice, so realy the only way to find out is to try them, as far as black and white goes, again I have used films way out of date just for fun, Last year I used a Verichrome pan film 120 dated 1961 and developed it for a little longer than normal in Rodinal, and again, the results were not that bad, Take a look at Pentax petes album's, pretty much all he uses is outdated film, both colour and black and white, perhaps drop him a PM, he seems to be pretty expert about using outdated film
Richard
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Old 1st April 2020, 07:51 PM
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Thanks to everyone for your replies, all read and very much appreciated.

Richard - thanks for the tip about contacting Pentax Pete, think I'll send him a quick PM see if he has any particular hints or tips.

Ian
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