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Expired film Stock


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Hi All,

I have about 20,000-30,000' of expired film stock from about 10 years ago, there are a variety of stocks but mainly 5207, 5219, and 5213.. I realize that the best way to determine the quality is to clip test but wondering if anyone on this forum has had experience shooting film thats is that old. I should mention that it hasn't been refrigerated consistently.

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Ten years is really not all that old and if you figure overexposing a stop per decade the stock should be in ok shape.

Also people do like aged stock for certain types of work as it will have more texture.

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7 minutes ago, Shlomo Godder said:

Thanks, thats really good to know. Would you recommend that I do some clip test before using it?

We do them but honestly if you want to use or sell the stock I would not bother.

If you have a production that expects it to be perfect you or they should / would buy fresh stock. Expired stock is great for music vids or ad work that wants more texture.

I shot a MV for my friends and used a can of 16mm Plus-X negative that expired in 1962 and it looked fantastic. We are running a bunch of VNF 16mm as X-Process in ECN now for a pretty serious film that the DP wants the specific look for and it can look amazing with the right touch and that stock is quite expired indeed.

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On 4/7/2022 at 7:06 PM, Robert Houllahan said:

We do them but honestly if you want to use or sell the stock I would not bother.

If you have a production that expects it to be perfect you or they should / would buy fresh stock. Expired stock is great for music vids or ad work that wants more texture.

I shot a MV for my friends and used a can of 16mm Plus-X negative that expired in 1962 and it looked fantastic. We are running a bunch of VNF 16mm as X-Process in ECN now for a pretty serious film that the DP wants the specific look for and it can look amazing with the right touch and that stock is quite expired indeed.

Agree. I rather regret yesterday ?selling a 100ft roll of VNF Ektachrome that had been in my freezer for ages.  I told the chap who bought it,  to rate it lower thn 400iso, though I wasn't really sure what would be a good figure.  Colour reversal obviously more critical than neg.  Also I'm wondering if E6 processing will alter the appearance and sensitivity.

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9 hours ago, Doug Palmer said:

Agree. I rather regret yesterday ?selling a 100ft roll of VNF Ektachrome that had been in my freezer for ages.  I told the chap who bought it,  to rate it lower thn 400iso, though I wasn't really sure what would be a good figure.  Colour reversal obviously more critical than neg.  Also I'm wondering if E6 processing will alter the appearance and sensitivity.

VNF really cannot be run in a linear E6 machine we always do a X-Process in ECN2 for VNF,

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On 4/10/2022 at 8:31 PM, Robert Houllahan said:

VNF really cannot be run in a linear E6 machine we always do a X-Process in ECN2 for VNF,

Thanks for this Robert. I think likely some more VNF in freezer-occupation which I'd like to put through my camera. I liked the look of these Ektachromes in their heyday.  Guess though they'd be a lot less sensitive after many years.

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On 4/10/2022 at 9:31 PM, Robert Houllahan said:

VNF really cannot be run in a linear E6 machine we always do a X-Process in ECN2 for VNF,

Even if you x-pro it it's not great. Same for modern E-100. You have a day or so to scan, and after two weeks magenta toe fade will have noticeably set in if you don't stabilize the film with formaldehyde.

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On 4/15/2022 at 5:44 AM, Ludwig Hagelstein said:

Even if you x-pro it it's not great. Same for modern E-100. You have a day or so to scan, and after two weeks magenta toe fade will have noticeably set in if you don't stabilize the film with formaldehyde.

That has not been our experience with X-Processing VNF in ECN2 and it can look really great once it is graded.

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