Does unused film go bad?

7 years 1 month ago #520528 by Amy Porter
Happy Friday.

Any film shooters here?  Can you tell me if film isn't used, will it ever go bad?

How long will film remain usable?  


Photo Comments
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7 years 1 month ago - 7 years 1 month ago #520556 by effron
Depends how its stored. If kept cool  and dry, it will last quite some time, many years.

Why so serious?
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7 years 1 month ago #520623 by Shadowfixer1
Film will color shift over time. Keeping it in the fridge slows the process making it last longer before changing.
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7 years 1 month ago #520640 by Meskill
I could swear it was 5-7 years.  


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7 years 1 month ago #520663 by Shadowfixer1

Meskill wrote: I could swear it was 5-7 years.  

Don't recall the timeframe being that long without refrigeration. Most people stored their film in the fridge or the freezer which made it last a lot longer.
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7 years 1 month ago #520714 by Camera Diva
You'll be lucky with 3 years

At the beginning of time there was absolutely nothing. And then it exploded! - Terry Pratchett
Photo Comments
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7 years 1 month ago #520756 by Harrison J
If you freeze it, very long.  Much longer than refrigerating.  I know if you refrigerate, you are looking upwards of 6-7 years past expiration date with no issues.  If you want to freeze it, you need to put it in freezer bags or you can wrap up well in aluminum foil. You'll want to get as much air out as possible before you seal it.  Try one of those vacuum sealers. When time to use, let it thaw out for 1-2 days at room temperature.  In fridge you'll want to keep moisture out, so keep in sealed container.  All you need to do is set out for 1-2 hours at room temp prior to using.  


Photo Comments
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7 years 1 month ago #521407 by Chris Yates
Depends on what you categorize "going bad" as...just as shadowfixer said, color will shift over time. However, it will still do a perfectly good job of recording an image even after several years, so long as there isn't any sort of light leaks happening.


Photo Comments
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7 years 4 weeks ago #521471 by Trisha.M
So is there a way to know if film is bad after so many years before using it and finding out the hard way?


Photo Comments
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7 years 4 weeks ago #521617 by Shadowfixer1
You could go old school and do a test clip of part of the film.
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