Expiry date on film carton, but not on film roll can inside cartone

[roy_ramavarapu1]

<p>I searched for applicable information on the subject, but was unable to find information.<br>

I notice that the expiry date is printed on the (thin) cardboard box (carton) containing the film roll, but the expiry date information is not printed on the actual (metal) casing of the film roll. Is this always the case?? <br>

I bought a box of 10 expired film rolls; three of them were in their cardboard boxes, and each box has one film roll in a plastic container with a cap; the rest came only in their plastic (with a cap) containers. I can read the expiry dates on the cardboard boxes, but none (=10) of the film rolls have any expiry date information. Is there a way to determine (the expiry date) by looking at the print information on the film roll (metal) casing?? (I am not sure if the bar code on the film roll (metal) casing would have expiry date; however, I don't know how to read the bar code).<br>

Thank you all for any information on this subject.<br>

Roy Ramavarapu, 04 Jan 2014</p>

[chrisnielsen]

I have never seen an expiry date on the film itself. Also,the bar code you are talking about is the big black and silver

series of squares on one side? That is the DX code which your camera uses to determine film speed, it does not have the

expiry date

[mukul_dube]

<p>Only the carton carries the expiry date -- whether it holds a single roll or many, or a hundred feet of film. The film itself may have the batch number.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Always been on box ever since I remember. Some vendors will sell individual rolls from a pack (like Kodak's Propak) but will attach a sticker with emulsion number and expiration date to the plastic can that contains the roll of film. Rollei doesn't even box individual rolls, they just put them in a plastic can with all relevant information on a label attached to the can. But to respond to the original question: if the unboxed film is the same kind as the boxed, look at the printing on the actual cassette. If it is the same there is a fair chance that the unboxed film has a similar expiration date. If the artwork on the cassette is different for the same kind of film, the unboxed film might be of a different age.</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>Interesting that on 120 film rolls (at least my Velvia 50) the expiry date is on both the box and the individual foils wrapping each roll. I haven't shot 35mm film in years so I don't recall for those.</p>

[randy_boren1]

<p>In my 45 years of photographing I don't remember ever seeing the expire date on any 35mm cassette, of any brand. The only expire dates I remember on individual 120 rolls are the ones from the Pro-packs from Kodak and Fuji. It is irritating to be digging thur the freezer and find some rolls without the date on them. Recently I have taken to using a Sharpie to write the date on the can (35mm) or roll (120) before putting them in the freezer.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>Personally, Tri-X to 25 years, Verichrome-Pan to 35 years, and Panatomic-X to 45 years, stored at normal (not tropical) room temperature is fine for my non-professional use.<br>

The designs of the rolls and cartridges change faster than that, so you can usually tell.<br>

I had two rolls of 35mm Tri-X in cartridges with removable ends. (That makes them over 40 years old. I bought them along with some other old film.) Thinking it was exposed, I developed one, but it wasn't. Came out clear enough that it is probably usable. I haven't tried the other one yet. I have had 40 year Tri-X fogged enough not to want to use it.</p>