Kodak Elite Chrome 200 - expired film

 

<p>Hello there<br>

I recently bought a brick of Kodak Elite Chrome 200 off eBay for a very reasonable price. It expired in 1997 but I bought it off a camera store who said it had been kept cool and dry.<br /> <br />Anyone used Elite Chrome or similar slide film after such a long time past the use-by date?<br>

I do like experimenting with expired film - I've got a few Lomos and similar cameras useful for playing around with such film. But definitely interested if someone has tips for using in my SLRs aswell.<br>

many thanks<br /> <br />S</p>

 

<p>Shoot a roll at box speed, process, and take it from there. What else can you do?<br>

EC200/E200 push processed well and I got nice results from +1 and +2 ratings. Problem now, though, is finding a lab with a tight enough E6 line capable of handling precise push processing. </p>

<p>AgX Imaging will still do E6 push processing. I've been using them for a couple of years (since A&I closed their E6 line) and have been happy with the processing. Shipping is slow, not because the lab turn around time is slow, but because USPS seems to take forever to deliver to northern Michigan. Express shipping would probably address that, but at a high price.</p>

<p>I'll know more on this subject probably tomorrow. I have a couple of rolls of rather ancient Ektachrome 64 that has been frozen for over two decades, which I finally exposed. I'll be using an Arista home developing kit on them. Probably today or tomorrow. And I plan to develop them normally. Or at least the first one. </p>

<p>Prior to this, I've been shooting some expired Fuji Provia 100 and Velvia 100 -- several years past expiration -- and have had it developed normally at a local pro lab. With this film, the only symptom I can spot at all is a slight magenta shift -- which is easily fixed in post processing using Photo Shop or Paint Shop Pro.</p>

<p>Neither of my experiences precisely fit yours, though, so they probably won't apply all that well. That aside, C Watson's offered the most practical advice. What else can you do, really, other than shoot a roll at box speed and evaluate the results? Based on these, you'll know how to move forward. It might be that Dwayne's can do the push-processing you need. The local lab I use (Houston, TX) will do it. You might try contacting them and see if they do mail order: http://www.azphoto.com.</p>

<p>There's more <a href="/classic-cameras-forum/00be89">here</a> as this post also exists in the classic cameras forum; Michael, you can see some experimentation I did with some expired E200. Correction filtration might work for the rest of this batch (I have 8 more rolls left) but there's no easy way to determine how much without spending a lot on filters I'll only use once. Post-processing correction in PS is so much easier! Stephen and Michael, looking forward to see the results!</p>

<p>I think it will be fine, better if actually frozen though. Cool and dry, to me, means left out on the counter at the photo store. I'd try using 200 asa to start. Never hurts to try exposing a roll and see what you get!</p>

Unless you like heavily magenta casted images, you wasted your money. Ec200 has a strong, much stronger than others,

shift to magenta.

You would be much better off, any have much better results using fresh rolls of provia. Won't break the bank, either.

Not much sense in spending money on defective stuff, only to have to fix it in photoshop, IMO. Better off just pulling out

the digicam in that case....

<p>Define "cool and dry." :) If frozen, maybe I'd consider using it, but anything less than frozen and I would consider it expired. Doesnt' mean you won't get images from it but I wouldn't use it for anything important.</p>

<p>If the expiration date is really 1997, then this is not the most recent version of E200, which was not introduced until 1998. The earlier version is based on 3-D AgX crystals, rather than the T-grains, and will be significantly grainier and have somewhat less sharpness. It also will not have the excellent contrast and push characteristics that was designed and incorporated into the last version of E200.<br>

If experimentation is the prime reason for using this film..... go for it. You might see some color shifts and decreased shadow densities as a result of the film aging, but as long as you aren't requiring absolute color fidelity or reproduction, and can accept the resulting changes as a unique characteristic of your film, why not?<br>

Please, post an example of what you get, would you?</p>

<p>Include a grey card in some of your shots. If you shoot in sunlight, clouds and shadow; you will need 3 shots with cards. This will help you adjust your scanning. </p>

<p>Hello all - thanks so much for all the excellent advice.</p>

<p>I'll be looking at taking a roll and shooting as normal, and another cross-process.</p>

<p><strong>Thomas:</strong> I'll be sure to post a link when I upload pics.</p>

<p>Thanks very much<br>

<br />S</p>