Hey Photogs: Undeveloped film question

[bossass]

So, I've accumulated a bunch of rolls of shot film over the past three years. I've been too poor to get it developed, and I still am, but I feel I may need to start doing this.

Does anybody know the downfall of keeping a shot, but undeveloped, film for a long time without developing it? I assume quality could diminish, but to what degree? This film I have probably ranges from 1.5-3.5 years old (all exposed).

[pechelman]

It depends largely on the type of film, how it was stored, and what events the film has gone through.
I assume its not IR film, otherwise its probably not too happy anymore.
But assuming its just normal old film, kept inside a camera case, indoors, at roomtemp, it should be fine.

[mc_roon]

in HS we found an old undeveloped role of film when they tore down an old building. Developed perfectly, a bunch of shots of nuns in front of a building that didnt exist for the past 20 years. You should be fine.

[summit]

Freeze.

Lower the ISO the more OK you are. The lower and more stable the temp/humidity stored at the more OK you are.

Basically the primary threat is fogging from background radiation (higher ISO is more sensitive), secondarily chemical changes over time (temperature/humidity controls reduce this).

You are probably pretty fine.

[dipstik]

I know this isn't your question, but....


Have you considered getting your film developed at Wal-Mart? The only reason I was able to afford getting into photography was because of the low prices wal-mart charges to develop film. $2.92 for a roll of 24 exp., the only drawback is that you don't get your negatives back unless you pay for the $4 developing option. Still, that isn't bad considering a mom & pop shop costs you ~ $10+ to develop a single roll.


I had about 100 rolls of film developed through the wal-mart service over a 10-month period, and every roll came back perfect. No screwed-up exposures or anything like that. If the film you have is just average consumer film, you might want to do a test run and see if you like the results.

Another thing to consider: just have the negatives profesionally developed, and don't get any prints (getting prints for every exposure is a huge portion of the cost, maybe 75% of it). Then one weekend find a film-scanner (library, local college, whatever) and scan in your negatives to see which ones you want to save/print. It will save you a lot of money.


So, I know that wasn't the answer to your question, and you could be an experienced photog that knows everything I just told you, but if not, I hope I was of some help....

[bossass]

Most of the rolls are slides (velvia or provia) with some BW prints. I ain't think wal-mart do them. Thanks though.

[summit]

Wal Mart will mail out E6 and BW, but I my experience with WalMart's mail out is that they scratch the fuck out of your film.
"dust control" is not in their vocabulary and neither is "cleaning."

If properly stored, RVP and RDP III should exhibit little to no ill effects... if it is RHP you might have a little "fogging" after 3 years exposed and undeveloped but you'd probably need a good eye or a densitometer to notice. Essentially your ill effects would be blacks that aren't pure black. Film is fairly resiliant.

If your B&W is TMZ or Delta 3200, it might be somewhat messed.

I forgot to add, background radiation fogging of higher ISO films over time is worsened by altitude.

[midget]

Well, I'd never take my film to anywhere but my trusted local pro lab, but that's me. You might want to look at some prepaid mailers for your slide stuff. Is the b/w true b/w or the c-41 process psuedo-b/w film?

Well, either way, the sooner the better. Throw it in the freezer till then.

[flatNshallow]

my buddy's wife found an old roll of film... thought it was from a recent trip... dropped it off for developing... sent neice (17) (no pics!) to pick it up... she returns kinda nervous and is all "Aunt Dee? are you sure I was supposed to see these???

Turned out to be a 20 year old roll - 50% his homegrown crop, 50% shots of buddy banging pre-wife gf... apparently more creatively than wifey gets it.

Needless to say, hilarity ensued.

[mtbakerskier]

Walmart has to be the worst suggestion that I have heard.

Anyways,

The two main things that effect film is Age and Heat. Film also becomes less stable after it ahs been exposed. That is why I ALWAYS have mine developed within 48 hours of shooting. However, as long as it has been kept with in normal room temps you will problly be ok for the msot part. There will probally be a bit of a color shift on the oldest stuff, but it should still be ok. Fridge is your best bet to store it. The freezer is a BAD idea. Frozen film becomes brittle, and combined with chemicles that have already begon to agee, and you are asking for problems.

I only trust www.DR5.com with my film. They are bare non THE BEST lab world wide and are very very reasonable. He will also match prices if you have ten or more rolls.

[dipstik]

Walmart has to be the worst suggestion that I have heard.

Not if you're so broke that you've been unable to afford film processing for the past 3 years.

[summit]

MBS: Freezer makes the film brittle while frozen, so don't juggle frozen film, but freezing doesn not damage film on its own.

+1 DR5 is an AWESOME lab.

[mtbakerskier]

MBS: Freezer makes the film brittle while frozen, so don't juggle frozen film, but freezing doesn not damage film on its own.

+1 DR5 is an AWESOME lab.

Freezing also makes internal condensation in the canisters way more likely.

I have tessted almost every one of the top E6 labs in the country. The only other two that come close is AI and cusome color both near LA. So if you got to ship your stuf anyways, you might as well send it to the best. The DR5 guy has the cleanest E^ process around and it is dip and dunk so there is no way for the film to get torn, or for streaking to apear.


dip stick, walmart maybe cheap, but if you saw everyday the effects of its processing on your negs and the prints you would be blown away. Customers are always bringin there walmart crap into us to get pritned, and the diference is night and day. Walmart almost never balances there chemicles paper, or calibrates there machine, so when the pritns are often 2 stops off, how are you going to tell if you are improving as a photog?

[lemon boy]

They are bare non THE BEST lab world wide

not naked the best lab? what kind of photog are you?

[summit]

Freezing also makes internal condensation in the canisters way more likely.

I have tessted almost every one of the top E6 labs in the country. The only other two that come close is AI and cusome color both near LA. So if you got to ship your stuf anyways, you might as well send it to the best. The DR5 guy has the cleanest E^ process around and it is dip and dunk so there is no way for the film to get torn, or for streaking to apear.

Are you sure Custom Color isn't in KCMO? I used Custom Color/E6 City and was continually impressed by their work... I'd mail stuff there. I'd heard bad things about A&I.

Freezing makes condensation very likely when shooting in an above freezing environment while the film is still cold. This is why film should be removed from the freezer 3-4 hours before shooting in warm temperatures. Additionally, film stored in the freezer should be stored in its containers and then in a freezer bag for good measure.

There is nothing wrong with freezing film. It greatly extends the shelf life and stability of the film.

-----

Dipstick you should definately take heed of what MBS is saying. To reiterare, why try to improve by shooting C41 then ahving a subpar lab scratch the crap out of your negs, screw the chemicals, hit the auto button on the printing machine, etc. It is not much more to get any time of film develop only at a decent mom & pop or a pro lab. You can then get contact sheets cheap, get good at looking at negs, or get a $200 film scanner for better analysis than a walmart 3.5x5. Then you get the ones that are worth printing printed.

[mtbakerskier]

Are you sure Custom Color isn't in KCMO? I used Custom Color/E6 City and was continually impressed by their work... I'd mail stuff there. I'd heard bad things about A&I.

Freezing makes condensation very likely when shooting in an above freezing environment while the film is still cold. This is why film should be removed from the freezer 3-4 hours before shooting in warm temperatures. Additionally, film stored in the freezer should be stored in its containers and then in a freezer bag for good measure.

There is nothing wrong with freezing film. It greatly extends the shelf life and stability of the film.

-----

Dipstick you should definately take heed of what MBS is saying. To reiterare, why try to improve by shooting C41 then ahving a subpar lab scratch the crap out of your negs, screw the chemicals, hit the auto button on the printing machine, etc. It is not much more to get any time of film develop only at a decent mom & pop or a pro lab. You can then get contact sheets cheap, get good at looking at negs, or get a $200 film scanner for better analysis than a walmart 3.5x5. Then you get the ones that are worth printing printed.

There are several labs names custom color, the best is in Irvine. AI is quite good. If it is good enough for the Powder, Surfer, snowboarder mag staff then I would say its prety competent. I have never heard of any problems with them, and they do exclent wrok, but for E6 and BW trans, DR5 is the best.

As far as freezing film goes, ask any pro film rep and they will tell you film is actually best stored at around 36 degrees. It is an age old myth that freezing is going to offer any advantages over the fridge.

[pechelman]

What exactly is it about 36 degrees that makes it best?
From a materials standpoint, the lower the temperature, the higher activation energy required to start a chemical reaction, or in this case, degrade the emulsion. Having said that, the difference of ~36 degrees from fridge to freezer doesnt seem like it would effect that activation energy all that much.
It might just be a compromise between stress on the emulsion due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients, condensation issues, and time to shoot from removal.