Expired slide film photos: please send photos. NO XPRO!

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>Hi! I wanna get some slide film, and there is a big difference in price between new and expired.<br />Can any of you put photos on here that you took on expired slide film? I am wondered if there will be major degradation, since slides are designed for professionals, in that they are supposed to be cold-stored, processed promptly, and used before the exp. date.<br />No cross-processing/C41. I'm fed up of always seeing it when I look for answers. Thanks!</p>

[eugen_mezei]

<p>In which part of the word are you located?<br>

You could buy the Agfa repacked Fuji slides. Fresh and cheap. Only 135 format, no 120.<br>

Agfa CT 100 Precisa.</p>

<p> </p>

[larrydressler]

<p>All depends on how it was stored and what brand/emulsion.<br>

Buy fresh, buy new.buy often.</p>

[bethe_fisher]

<p>I've had varied results from the same batch that I stored the same. Some were fine and others were oddly colored. I'd have to go look to find and scan them. But suffice it to say that I believe in buying fresh film for anything where you want the exposure and colors to be predictable. </p>

[larrydressler]

<p>This was Elitechrome 200 10 years expired that was frozen for 9 years of it's life.<br /><br /><br />

 

<I>Moderator note: </I>When posting a URL that begins with "https" delete the "s". The "http" will then become a blue clickable link. Photo.net is funny that way.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Try again</p>

<div></div>

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>Thanks everyone! Just what I wanted, Larry. I wonder how it would look if it had been stored on a shelf instead of in a freezer for 9 years?<br>

When you freeze it, do you put the films in their canister, in the box, and all the boxes in a sealed bag??</p>

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>Even one uncorrected scan of those off-colour pictures you're talking about would be good. I just want to see how the quality can change.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>These were new in the box films and stored in a plastic Shoe box that seals in a deep freeze.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Seeing radom examples of what others have obtained from expired film isn't necessarily going to tell you much because each roll/batch of expired film has a different story -- what kind of film was it (some age better than others to start with), how old is it, how was it stored, etc.<br /><br />I don't have a problem using expired film if I was the original purchaser because I know exactly how it was stored. I've never bought expired film, however, because I have no way of knowing how it was stored. The person selling it might tell you it was kept frozen from the day it was purchased, but unless you know them personally you have no way of knowing whether they're telling the truth. Expired film is usually sold on an as-is basis so if it turns out to be no good, you're stuck.<br /><br />Expired film is always a risk. Whether it's worth the risk depends on how good the price is and how important are the pictures you're shooting with it.<br /><br />"slides are designed for professionals, in that they are supposed to be cold-stored, processed promptly, and used before the exp. date."<br /><br />Slide film is not necessarily designed for professionals. Yes, there are some emulsions that are designated professional, but the majority of slide film made over the past 80-plus years (since Kodachrome came out in the 1930s) was not. And the amateur slides films were designed with the understanding that they would sit for months or a couple of years at room temperature, and mabye sit in the camera for a while before processing. Millions of amateurs shot their shapshots on slide film and subjected friends and families to endless hours of slide shows.<br /><br /></p>

[eugen_mezei]

<p>I don't see any price advantage in buying expired slides. I see them go for more than fresh rolls. Yes, you can/must buy expired if you want a specific emulsion not produced anymore (that means anything from Kodak and Agfa and a lot from Fuji), but if you're at your first steps with slides I don't see the advantage of buying expired, especially not from the point of the price.<br /><br />Another emulsion you can have cheap and fresh is the Agfa CR200. I personally don't like it very much, but de gustibus.</p>

<p>I think the only other options to choose from are Velvia and Sensia. Yes, these are expensive new, but I don't see them offered expired either and when, then they go near the fresh price. Velvia is known for aging bad, even if it has only ASA 50.</p>

<p> </p>

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>oh really, I didn't realise! Maybe there is hope after all. I just wanted to get a feel for what I <em>could</em> expect. Like when you look at xpro'd film, provia can tend to be green, while another may be more blue.. and so on.<br>

I'm fine with expired film, just unsure about slides, because what you see is what you get, while negatives are for interpretation. (that said, a scanner could fix off-colour slides, I'm sure).<br>

OK, let's hear from everybody: what's the most out-of date film you've used, and what were the results?<br>

I used mid-80s expired Tri-X 400 (came in 20-exposures, it's interesting!) and when a photo chainstore (jessops, I'm in UK) developed them; low contrast in quite a few. Odd thing is, I developed the last roll myself a year later, and every picture is <em>perfect</em>.</p>

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>just saw that, Eugen! Unfortunately slide film (new) is really expensive around here...</p>

[glen_h]

<p>In the pre-digital days, I took many pictures on slightly expired film. Stores used to have a box with recently expired film at half price. For ordinary use, I never had any problem with it. Usual for new slide film was about a year or two from the purchase date, so I didn't worry if I had it for a few months more.<br>

Now I have some in my refrigerator, and some in the freezer. Some of those I might have bought slightly expired.</p>

<p>I did have a roll of Ektachrome 100 in my camera for about seven years. After I got a DSLR, I forgot about it for that long. The color came out pretty far off, with a magenta cast even in black areas. After that, I try not to use film expired over a year or so that hasn't been refrigerated. Refrigerated or frozen, I probably would go to 10 years or so. </p>

<p>Black and white is much different. A few years ago, I found some rolls of Panatomic-X that I had shot almost 40 years earlier. (I won't be doing that again.) They came out about as well as I might expect, as they were likely underexposed in the first place. </p>

<p>Personally, I believe in Panatomic-X to about 50 years, Verichrome Pan to about 40, and Tri-X to about 20, stored at ordinary room temperature. </p>

<p>It costs about $10 to develop a roll of slide film. Balance the cost of it being bad against the cost of newer film. </p>

 

[craig_shearman1]

<p>B&W has much more tolerance for aging. I've used Tri-X that might have been as much as 10 years out of date, stored at room temperature, with no problem. But again my own stock, not something bought from a stranger. With B&W, you might get a bit less contrast but that's easy to fix in printing or scanner, much easier to fix that colors that shift significantly.<br /><br />What Glen describes in an out-of-date box at a store would be OK. In that case, you're talking film that maybe hit its expiration date last month and maybe it sits there a couple of months at half price. That's no worse than if it were sitting in your own house. It's the years-old stuff from a stranger on the web that I would not bother with.<br /><br />Glen also makes a good point that with slides it costs $10 just to find out that a roll is bad. There goes your savings right there.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>I've been given loads of Kodak ColorPlus 200, expired 8 years ago and not stored in a cold, non-humid place. So far every roll has been as good as can be expected (this is very cheap C41 film, and not great). Which is a pity, I was hoping for decently unexpected results, actually :-)<br>

Been given some older C41 films (expired 2003-2005), yet to try those. But for me, the whole point of using the expired films is getting something unexpected, taking the risk for some fortunate incident.</p>

<p>For what you're after, it's probably more interesting to contact online stores that sell film, and ask if you can get recently expired rolls at some discount - minimal risk for you, and they'll have trouble selling expired goods. But I guess you'll not be the only one to try, so it's a long shot. eBay might work, but it's always more of a gamble.</p>

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>I just can't reason with how expensive slide film is. Here: over £100 for 10! http://www.ffordes.com/product/13021214292281 It's a shame that slides are so 'niche'. There are barely any available these days, so the price is too damn high. You could get 50 Fuji Superia 200s for that price.<br>

I'm always on the look for some 400 speed film (Uk = grim weather), since 200 is kinda slow. Anyone know any names?<br />-----<br />As for the 8 years expired film, what do you get? A slightly weaker image? <br />I had a load of Jessops film. People can complain, but I bet it's re-branded stock. I used Diamond Max 400, and the grain was quite beautiful. Really gave it character. ~ Exactly, the risk makes it more interesting. One of these days I'll try putting a roll in a low-heat oven, or on a radiator. See what happens. But I need to have enough C41 rolls (20 or so) before I can buy a Tetenal kit. <br />What you suggested is a <em>great</em> idea! I just need to work up the courage :D<br /><br /><br>

Currently I have bought some battery acid (32% sulphuric acid), potassium permanganate, sodium bisulphate (something like that) and will try making B&W transparencies out of Foma 100 stock. I'm excited to try!</p>

[ciaran_mcmenemy]

<p>Wow, Pana-X lasts half a decade by your estimate? That's immense! Can save some for the grandchildren, hah.<br>

A question: do the names of the films mean anything? Kodak: 'Ultra', 'Panatonic', 'Tri-X' (three what???) .. Ilford: 'Selochrome' (even though it's B&W), 'Delta', 'HP5', and so on</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p><em>As for the 8 years expired film, what do you get? A slightly weaker image?</em><br>

No, just perfectly fine pictures, actually, most of the time. It seems Kodak changed the ColorPlus emulsion within that 8 years, and the the expired one (marked 200-7) is actually nicer than the current one in my view. That's despite, or thanks to, being expired. But it really just works the same; some rolls seem to need a bit more exposure as the negatives come out a little thin, but nothing dramatic.<br>

I was/am hoping for messy colour or uneven colours, but no such luck. For example, <a href="/photodb/folder?folder_id=1074861">all these photos</a> (except the B&W ones) are done with expired film, and could do with some lucky accidents, in my view.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>At one time, there were black and white films with X in the name at ASA 125, then there was Super XX at 250, and Tri-X at 375, rounded up to 400. Super XX still exists as a movie film, but not as a still film. Royal-X pan at 1250, not Deca-X. </p>

<p>Panatomic-X seems to be pretty old, though Verichrome (not yet Pan) goes way back to about 1908, even before Kodak bought the company. Kodak Verichrome came out in 1931. Panatomic-X to about 1933.</p>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_discontinued_photographic_films#Kodak_Verichrome_Safety_Film">5.1 Kodak Verichrome Safety Film</a></p>

<p>In slide films, there were Kodachrome-X and Ektachrome-X, both at 64, and color negative Kodacolor-X at 80. </p>

<p>In the transition from K12, C22 and E4 to K14, C41 and E6, all the films were renamed, often with the ASA or ISO speed as part of the name: Kodachrome 64, Ektachrome 64 and Kodacolor II. The black and white films kept their X, but not the color films.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>Provia 100F 135-36 is about USD10.00 in Seattle, so GBP10.00 does seem high.</p>

<p>You might mail order some from the US, though with shipping it might end up about the same.</p>

[eugen_mezei]

<p>Ciaran,<br>

As far as your price comparison goes:<br>

Provia = professional grade film (it's amateur grade correspondent was Sensia)<br>

Superia = amateur grade film (pro correspondent was Reala and some wedding films)<br>

So you are comparing apples with oranges. Look at the price for Fuji Pro 160NS or 400H and the price difference is gone. Or look at the Potra or Ektar range from Kodak, same thing.<br>

On the other hand the two slides I recommended you to buy fresh are as cheap as Superia 200. I still don't know where you live but am a bit surprised that you can get Foma but not the two slides. (Btw, better would Foma 100R for slides. As far as I know the normal Foma has no transparent image support.)<br>

Well... maybe in some next posting I would tell stories about my experience with expired color slide material. Both good and bad.</p>

<p> </p>