Gareth Blackstock Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 G'day, I have been keeping an eye out for expired 16mm stocks so I can practice shooting film, getting my head around things, experimenting etc. I have been focusing on B&W stocks as I am of the belief that less sensitivity is still workable, whereas with expired colour stocks I figure the dyes must degrade in a haphazard way, like having a red or blue streak running through the film. Of course these are uneducated assumptions, is there a web site that details how stocks degrade? I imagine a few people rely on expired stocks to actively remain shooting, and knowing how some stocks will degrade will help purchasing decisions of auction sites. Any ideas on where this info is? Cheers, Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) The info is in the heads of filmmakers who use outdated stock. B/W can still be fine after decades if it has been stored in cool, dry conditions. Colour stock doesn't usually degrade in the way you imagine- the fog level goes up, the sensitivity drops and the colour shifts, but it can be corrected somewhat in post. You'd test it first, of course, before shooting anything critical. Edited December 14, 2014 by Mark Dunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Sponsor Robert Houllahan Posted December 15, 2014 Site Sponsor Share Posted December 15, 2014 Older color stocks = add more light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heikki Repo Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 My rule of thumb with expired color negative is 2/3 stops overexposure by default, add one stop for every decade of expiration. Some Fuji 250D from the early 90s or late 80s: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Blackstock Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 Thanks for the good tips guys, they will be helpful when it comes to buying old stock. What about reversal stocks, can the same allowances, ie: increase stops of exposure be applied? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny N Suleimanagich Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Ektachrome shifts towards blue a tiny bit over time. I've box-rated 10 year old ektachrome (EPP) and been fine, but did have to dial back a bluish tint (very slight). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny N Suleimanagich Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Here are examples. When shot, the film was 6 years past expiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Tuohy Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Thanks for the good tips guys, they will be helpful when it comes to buying old stock. What about reversal stocks, can the same allowances, ie: increase stops of exposure be applied? No. There is no in camera compensation you can make with old film that is to be processed as reversal, at least with regards fogging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Overexposing reversal plows out the highlights and one the detail has gone, it's gone, Neg is the other way round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I mean 'blows out'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregg MacPherson Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Here are examples. When shot, the film was 6 years past expiration. ..... Kenny, sorry if I missed the reference to it... but what format is that Ektachrome? It looks very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny N Suleimanagich Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) Thanks Gregg! It's 6x6, remarkably scanned on a flatbed! They're so crystal-clear because they're MF, but even with 35mm EPP was a beautiful emulsion. I wish Kodak gave Alaris the stills division before ektachrome and the old portras were killed off. It also raises the question - why can't they also offload MP production to Alaris? Edited December 18, 2014 by Kenny N Suleimanagich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 Kodak still makes the films that Kodak Alaris markets. The division was quite specifically sold off separately and bought by Kodak UK's pension fund. MP wasn't offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny N Suleimanagich Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 (edited) I know that, but I'm saying that I would hope something like that happens with MP business. Edited December 18, 2014 by Kenny N Suleimanagich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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