Topic: How much do you compensate for expired film?

[sapata]

I had used some expired films in the past...some with great success and some with not but always using toy cameras so the only way to compensate was during the process.

I've recently got a roll of an 1964 expired Ilford 35mm 400 ISO and I was wondering if you guys have any tricks when shooting with such an old film. This time I'm using a "proper" camera so I'll be able to play a bit more.

Today I went out and took about 10 shots using whatever my hand held meter was reading, should I compensate a few stops?

Thanks !

[moominsean]

the only thing i try to make sure of is that there is a decent amount of contrast in what i am shooting. you don't really know what you are going to get until you develop, but an overall loss of contrast or more even greys (and increased grain) is common, so the more darks and lights you shoot, the more likely you will be to have a decent image.

[sapata]

the only thing i try to make sure of is that there is a decent amount of contrast in what i am shooting. you don't really know what you are going to get until you develop, but an overall loss of contrast or more even greys (and increased grain) is common, so the more darks and lights you shoot, the more likely you will be to have a decent image.

Thanks Sean,

It looks like this project will be shelved for a few months until the summer starts around here...

[astrobeck]

I usually just shoot it like normal,
but expect more grain so take that in consideration and veer away from anything that has intricate detail that I might want to capture.

I always hope for a vintage "look" when I have a roll of very expired (over ten years) film to play with.

 

[original_ann]

check with Francois.  He had shared a wonderful little app that converted the 'true' film speed of old films, if I recall correctly.  Worked really well for me.

[LT]

Ann is correct - Francois has a natty little programme that calculates the compensation needed to counteract time deterioration - find it in this thread:

http://www.filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=2580.msg29546#msg29546

[Phil Bebbington]

The  download has now expired, but, I bet if we asked François nicely he'd make it available again! 

[sapata]

check with Francois.  He had shared a wonderful little app that converted the 'true' film speed of old films, if I recall correctly.  Worked really well for me.

Oh yes...
I have on my PC and use all the time when mixing chemicals... I thought it was only for processing compensation...

Just plying with the app now gives me a recommended meter setting of 25, which I believe I have to rate the film as if it was 25 ISO... am I correct ?

[sapata]

The  download has now expired, but, I bet if we asked François nicely he'd make it available again! 

Thanks Phill... but I've been using the app since it's first post

[Francois]

Actually, I've corrected a few bugs in the applet as it kept saying the film wasn't expired after some time... it was bad programming from my part as I had combined multiple errors into a single message by accident...

It actually gives an ISO of between nothing and 25... with a recommendation at 15 which is the lowest DX compatible value.

[gregor]

depends on the film. polaroid p/n - 2 stops per every 5 years
roll film - 1 stop per every 10 years or in development I usually increase the time by 5-10%

either way it's a crap shoot since I have no real idea if storage conditions in most cases....

[Suzi Livingstone]

It looks like this project will be shelved for a few months until the summer starts around here...

That could be a while... 

[Francois]

Actually, Winter can be surprisingly bright. The sun reflects off the snow and can make it up to 1 stop brighter than simply full sun...

[sapata]

Actually, Winter can be surprisingly bright. The sun reflects off the snow and can make it up to 1 stop brighter than simply full sun...

I just google the word "sun" you mentioned in your estatement above Francois, that big yellow ball I saw in the sky today is definitely called sun!

[Francois]

Oops, I forgot... sunny merry old England