Very old, long out of date Kodachrome sound film

[Meirion Harries]

I bought 2x 15 meter rolls of Kodachrome 40 SOUND colour movie film (KMA 594P). These have been in a freezer for a long time. They are dated 11/1982.

 

I know its a long shot that they will work satisfactorally (if at all!) but I'll take that chance.

 

Just wondering about storage options. I've had them in the refrigerator for a week. Is it better to move them to the freezer?

 

Thanks,

from a complete newbie

[Terry Mester]

Are these Super8 "Cartridges" or Double8 Reels? If you look up "Kodachrome" in the Search Engine, you'll find other Threads on this Topic. There is a recent Thread in the last couple weeks. If you live in America, you'll have to pay for developing. Elsewhere the cost of developing is included in the purchase price. You said you're new to Super8. The Threads below will assist you.

 

 

INFO FOR SUPER8 NEWBIES

You can find useful information on Super8mm by clicking the Threads linked below. If you would like to record Sound with your filming, log onto the Website www.geocities.com/filmanddigitalinfo which provides info on recording synchronous Sound. Good luck to you.

 

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=20597

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=20645

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=20939

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=20634

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=23249

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=21857

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...showtopic=24482

[Meirion Harries]

I think you missed the point of the thread. Maybe you saw the word 'newbie' and ignored everything else?

My post was about the storage of out of date super-8 film, I am not specifically troubled by the "sound" issue at the moment!

[Matthew Buick]

Freezing film is probably the best way of preservation abailable. You basically halt all further deterioration. However your films may have been pretty far gone by the time you froze them. Kodachrome is a beautiful stock, and cartridges that old have been known to work fine before, just don't bet on it.

[Alessandro Machi]

Are these Super8 "Cartridges" or Double8 Reels? If you look up "Kodachrome" in the Search Engine, you'll find other Threads on this Topic. There is a recent Thread in the last couple weeks. If you live in America, you'll have to pay for developing. Elsewhere the cost of developing is included in the purchase price. You said you're new to Super8. The Threads below will assist you.

 

I don't think this is true anymore. Since Dwayenes in Parson's Kansas is the only place on the entire planet that still processes kodachrome 40, I assume they are charging everyone. Unless kodak is still shipping them film and covering the processing cost???

 

If time is not an issue and one lives in the United States than there are department chain stores such as Walmart and perhaps target that will take the film in and send it to Dwaynes for you.

 

 

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As for freezing film versus refrigeration, I don't know how old film is affected differently if one has frozen it versus refrigerating it. If you do keep film frozen it's very important to let it get up to room temperature slowly before using it otherwise humidity can form on it.

 

lol, on the other hand, if one thawed frozen film by first putting it in the fridge for a day, in some ways that seems like not a good thing to do because the film would thaw so slowly that condensation would probably form on it???

 

Anyone know the proper way to bring frozen super-8 film to room temperature?

[Mark Dunn]

The Kodachrome cine lab in Switzerland closed last year. Process-paid envelopes are no longer valid.

[Terry Mester]

Meirion, there is a Thread there addressing the matter of Refrigeration.

 

Kodak recommends up to a few hours of thawing depending on how cold the Film is when removed from the Fridge / Freezer. I would suggest a good 6 hours of thawing, and make sure that the Film is in an air-tight wrapping so that no condensation can form on the Film.

 

Qualex Canada told me that they will continue to provide Kodachrome S8 processing in Canada for free. I assume that they cover Dwayne's fees.