Using out-of-date film?

<p>I wonder if I can ask from some advice from members here?</p>

<p>I've recently acquired my first film camera for a while. I used to use film SLRs up until about 5 years ago, but then switched pretty much fully to DSLRs, and the film SLRs languished, pretty much. I've fairly recently acquired a Leica and a couple of lenses, and have dig out a stash of various old films bought at various times in the past but never used. All of these films are past their 'process before' dates so I understand that the likelihood is that I won't get anything satisfactory from them. But before throwing them all in the wheely-bin I thought I'd ask opinion as whether or not it's worth trying any of them. The films have been stored in a dark cupboard in a north-facing room in the UK and they're in their original packaging, so they haven't been exposed to light or great extremes of temperature.</p>

<p>Here goes:<br>

2 rolls of Kodak Elitechrome 100, 5/2006;<br>

1 roll Sensia 200 & 1 roll Sensia 400, both 3/2007;<br>

3 rolls Ilford XP2, June 2006.<br>

There were others with dates back to 2004, but I'm not going to attempt to use them.</p>

<p>Any advice as the likelihood of successful results from these films would be welcome. I'm purely an amateur and these would be for casual use only. I wouldn't try to use these films for any 'once only' opportunities that I knew were coming up. I know the correct thing to do is to throw them all away, but somehow that hurts.</p>

<p>Chances of success are very good. I have used older film than what you have and had very good results.</p>

<p>I agree, when I was a student I was always looking for bargains, buying expired film at local camera store to save my valuable money. Generally speaking, I have seen no difference up to 1 year after the expiry and maybe a little magenta shift after that. Up to 2 years I have always used with confidence.</p>

<p>Some folks also use out of date food too.<br>

Either its bought in date and used past expiration; or its bought at a discount past date. With food folks seem to not be so confused compared to film.<br>

One tries the out of date milk to see if its still ok; or is it going south; or horrible/sour. With film folks are typically afraid to run a simple test; thus they ask others.<br>

Unless the application is known; there is no answer. Maybe one is just going to use the older discounted bananas today in a receipe; or the older film with some color shifts for a non critical application; ie not a wedding shoot.</p>

<p> Like food ; film ages by how it was stored; thus another really has no clues as to whether your food/film is still passable as OK.</p>

<p>An actual test thus is what really matters. An jug of milk or roll of film that expires today can be far worse than one thats in date; if it was stored real hot; or opened.</p>

<p>The films you posted that you posted are still probably ok; the color stuff might have some color shift. If its going to be scanned one can back out the color shift(s). Thus IF one wants slides for projection the criteria is tighter than for films that are to be scanned</p>

<p>Don't be too surprised if your slide film comes out a little magenta depending on how warm it got, but your XP2 shouild be fine minus a little possible fogging.</p>

<p>as I posted before<br>

when I moved in 1995 things were hectic.<br>

I discvovered last summer,a roll of iso 400 kodacolor.<br>

and sent it alonhg with 2 other fresh rolls.<br>

I was puzzled by the photos, properly exposed and colors correct.<br>

But who was it?<br>

it was a babe in arms. she is now 24 years old.<br>

I have no airconditioning. and it gets hot and cold here.<br>

it lasted well over 20 years! and it was the faster film, that supposedly has a shorter shelf life.</p>

<p>I've never experienced any problems with "old" film. I recently used the last of some Fuji Sensia that I bought in Feb. 2007 and had never been stored cold. I also used the last rolls of original Fuji Velvia that I purchased in Dec. 2005 and it still looked fine.</p>

<p>Last spring I bought 30 rolls of original Fuji Velvia off eBay - the seller said the film had always been cold stored but lost track of exactly how old the film was. I won the lot for about $2.00 per roll, and the slides look great.</p>

<p>Last summer, I shot a roll of Kodak color negative 120 film with a 1976 date on it. It was no good. The roll with a 1985 date was just fine. One year past date film should be fine as long as it wasn't stored in the truck of your car all summer.</p>

<p>Nothing wrong with any of the dates your'e talking about, even the 2004. I recently finished off several rolls of outdated color negative with dates going back as far as 2000. I think the year 2000 roll of 800 or 1000-speed film came up a little thin and grainy but that might have been underexposure rather than age. otherwise no problems at all. All simply in my basement, not the fridge. If I were shooting a paying job or something personally important naturally I would use new, fresh film. But for snapshots and playing with the camera you can easily use film five years out of date, longer with B&W.</p>

<p>Many thanks for all the positive responses. I shall go ahead and use them!</p>

<p>I once shot an unexposed 120 roll of FP4 that was 10 years past its expiration date. The tones and contrast came out perfectly right but the photos were otherwise marred by a grooved pattern that had imprinted itself into the emulsion, probably from the paper backing.</p>

<p>I got 3 rolls of Fuji 36exp for anyone that wants its since I not longer have a film camera.<br>

2 rolls of NPS with 8-2006 expiration and one roll of NPH 1-2007 expiration.<br>

Its free and I'll even post it free in USA. Just allow sometime for holiday mail service and me having time to drop it off the post office later this week.<br>

first email at toucan@mindspring.com get it. if I dont reply, its aleady gone.</p>