| Photography Forum: Medium Format Photography Forum: |
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Q. Outdated Film
Asked by Nathaniel Siegel
(K=55) on 2/3/2009
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I have bounced between film and digital and want to spend more time with 120 and 35 mm film...particularly B&W, 120. I have a lot of outdated film, i.e., 5 yrs past date, stored in a basement darkroom. I have never used outdated film but some people obviously do. Am I best off forgetting about it or are there some advantages (other than economic ones) to using it?
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Stephen Lentz
(K=46) - Comment Date 2/4/2009
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In my opinion, it depends on what you want to do. If you are on a really special trip and are after perfect, predictable results, then invest in fresh film; perhaps Ilford Pan F plus or Rollei R3, after all, it's really not very expensive.
Use your outdated stuff for messing around and experimenting; it is probably fine, assuming that it's been kept cool... in my experience, film storage time is much more important after exposure...
BTW, personally, I wouldn't mess with 35mm anymore, 120 equipment is so inexpensive these days and the results are far superior
Cheers and good luck
Steve
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Jeroen Wenting
(K=25154) - Comment Date 2/7/2009
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It also depends on the film.
Silver halide based black and white is less likely to show signs of decay than does colour film (which often starts to show discoloration, purple haze, etc. a year or so after the list date).
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Nathaniel Siegel
(K=55) - Comment Date 2/15/2009
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Thanks; too many things to worry about with outdated film...so into the trash it goes...and I will get some fresh stuff.
Nat
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Kurt Driver
(K=65) - Comment Date 6/7/2009
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"often starts to show discoloration, purple haze"
It may be, Nathan, that you're looking for a purple haze effect. Kurt
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Rashed Abdulla
(K=163889) - Comment Date 6/7/2009
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It is still exceptable as long as you do processing of your film, give the first Dev. one mint extra, I sitll work with 120 films which are more than a year expired.
Of course for me those 120 film are now rare to buy here, they not been ordered by the shops any more as no much people are using films.
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