Colour shift with old film

[Clive Alex]

I've been offered some film 2 years out of date, Kodak vision 500T. Will there be a colour shift and can this be corrected with filters, I'll already be using a blue correction filter for outside shooting.

[Clive Alex]

Oh no, I mean a orange 85 correction filter.

[Brian Pritchard]

There probably will be but it is something you don't need to worry about. If you are having a film print grading will take care of any shift and the same if you are going through a telecine where the colourist can make corrections. The only time when you really have to worry about colour shifts is if you are shooting still transparencies that are going to be projected, then you have to be sure that your colour balance is right as you don't have any chance to correct the colour. A greater concern is whether the film has lost speed due to poor storage.

Brian

[Will Montgomery]

If you have a lab near you, ask them to do a snip test. That would usually be free if you are processing with them. They can tell you exactly what shape that film is in. Sometimes the lab guys will be overly cautious however so even if the film isn't perfect it can still be very usable, especially if you are telecining it.

 

If you are shooting something that someone is paying for I would suggest going an extra step and actually shooting a hundred feet or so to make sure or just save that film for your personal "fun" projects and buy fresh film for the paying gig. You don't want to have to explain to a client that you got a good deal on the film then have major issues in production.

[Clive Alex]

Thanks guys, I've never used out of date film, but I got a lot of it cheap so I might use it for a short or something. I always buy fresh for anything important.

[John Sprung]

Two years out of date is nothing if it's been stored at a moderate and stable temperature. Test, it should be fine.

 

 

 

-- J.S.