Storage of film in holders, Refrigerate or not ?
Michael A. Shia
to 10 4X5 holders (fidelity elite), under conditions to minimize dust,
etc. Many times I do not use all the loaded film, and may not shoot again
for weeks. Can I store my loaded film holders in the fridge or freezer
(sealed in ziplock bags) until I need them next. Would there be a problem
with condensation, or can i just warm up slowly (as I normally do for any
film stored this way. Is this a firm grasp of the obvious or am I missing
something ?? Thank you in advance.
Michael Shia
sh...@bu.edu
James W.(Jim) Simmons
bag, in the freezer) for years and have never had any kind of problem. Just
remember "never open the ziplock bag until you are sure the film has gotten
up to room temperature". Have did this with both 8x10 & 4x5 films, both
color, slide and B&W.
Jim
Michael A. Shia" <sh...@bu.edu> wrote in message
news:wGwq5.13921$pu4.1...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
Richard Knoppow
>I have a question about storage of loaded film holders. I typically load 5
>to 10 4X5 holders (fidelity elite), under conditions to minimize dust,
>etc. Many times I do not use all the loaded film, and may not shoot again
>for weeks. Can I store my loaded film holders in the fridge or freezer
>(sealed in ziplock bags) until I need them next. Would there be a problem
>with condensation, or can i just warm up slowly (as I normally do for any
>film stored this way. Is this a firm grasp of the obvious or am I missing
>something ?? Thank you in advance.
>
>Michael Shia
>sh...@bu.edu
>
There is really nothing to be gained by refrigerating the holders
unless it is very hot there. There can be a condensation problem.
There is probably less risk of damage in leaving the holders out than
in refrigerating them. Refrigerating film will extend its useful life
a little but it really needs to be frozen for very long term storage.
Most film is usable for years if stored at reasonable room
temperatures.
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, Ca.
dick...@ix.netcom.com
Greg Faris
The "ziplock bag" question arises in many areas of conservation study.
In fact, if we assume it is really hermetically sealed, it will lock IN as
much humidity as it locks OUT, so you gain little in safety or quality of
storage. Then, upon return to normal temperature, the condensation problem
will be the same.
Personally, I never put the holders in the refrigerator. I may not be right,
but I'm really not worried about them sitting around for a few days - I
would be very worried by the idea of condensation beading up on the film, or
on the inside of the dark slide, then dripping and running all over
everything. Depending on the relative humidity and dewpoint on the day you
take them out to use them, this scenario is very possible.
G Faris
In article <wGwq5.13921$pu4.1...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net>, sh...@bu.edu
says...
Cor Breukel
: There is really nothing to be gained by refrigerating the holders
: unless it is very hot there. There can be a condensation problem.
: There is probably less risk of damage in leaving the holders out than
: in refrigerating them. Refrigerating film will extend its useful life
: a little but it really needs to be frozen for very long term storage.
: Most film is usable for years if stored at reasonable room
: temperatures.
..probably there is one exeption; Infrared film, the now discontinued
Kodak HIE en the new MACO 820 (now 840) IR 4*5 inch film should be stored
in the fridge according to the manufactures..that said: I have travelled
extensivly in pretty hot conditions with HIE 35 mm version, no frideg but
also no problem..
--
Cor Breukel
http://ruly70.medfac.leidenuniv.nl/~cor/cor.html
C. W. Dean
>
> I have a question about storage of loaded film holders. I typically load 5
> to 10 4X5 holders (fidelity elite), under conditions to minimize dust,
> etc. Many times I do not use all the loaded film, and may not shoot again
> for weeks. Can I store my loaded film holders in the fridge or freezer
> (sealed in ziplock bags) until I need them next. Would there be a problem
> with condensation, or can i just warm up slowly (as I normally do for any
> film stored this way. Is this a firm grasp of the obvious or am I missing
> something ?? Thank you in advance.
>
> Michael Shia
> sh...@bu.edu
Some ice chests (cheap at thrift stores) are mostly air tight and I have
stored loaded holders in one of these for several weeks at room
temperature with good results. I have also seen situations in high
humidity where film in loaded holders swells and welds to the holder. A
good practice is to keep the time in holders as short as possible,
especially with color materials.
--
Best regards & Good Photography!
C. W. Dean
Practicing Professional Photography since 1972
Photography Samples: http://www.erols.com/cwdean/home.htm
Chris Hutcheson
the fridge with film in them, and then having condensation weld the film
to the interior of the holder. Ruined the shot and stripped the black
paint from the holder interior.
I won't be doing that again!
--
Chris Hutcheson
c...@ideaworldhq.com
www.ideaworldhq.com
jjame...@my-deja.com
which in the summer gets up to 85*f at times with no problem. When
exposed and processed/printed it is indistinguishable from fresh film.
James
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
ClaudeDB
Can't resist throwing in my two cents. It's hard to believe that you'd have any
condensation problems if you "press-out" the air from the bag first before you
seal it. Or instead, wrap the holders in plastic wrap. Throw in a silica gel
bag if it makes you feel better. Then just make sure the holders warms up to
room temp before removing them from the bag and/or wrap. Try experimenting with
an empty holder.
To me the $64 question is does it really matter if the film is left
unrefrigerated for even a few months? Personally, I really doubt it, unless
you're in a bad heat wave. Maybe someone can comment otherwise.
Claude
Martin.Glader
>
> I recently wrote off three film holders as a result of leaving them in
> the fridge with film in them, and then having condensation weld the film
> to the interior of the holder. Ruined the shot and stripped the black
> paint from the holder interior.
>
> I won't be doing that again!
>
> --
> Chris Hutcheson
> c...@ideaworldhq.com
> www.ideaworldhq.com
>
> C. W. Dean <cwd...@erols.com> wrote:
>
> > "Michael A. Shia" wrote:
> > >
> > > to 10 4X5 holders (fidelity elite), under conditions to minimize dust,
> > > etc. Many times I do not use all the loaded film, and may not shoot again
> > > for weeks. Can I store my loaded film holders in the fridge or freezer
> > > (sealed in ziplock bags) until I need them next. Would there be a problem
> > > with condensation, or can i just warm up slowly (as I normally do for any
> > > film stored this way. Is this a firm grasp of the obvious or am I missing
> > > something ?? Thank you in advance.
> > >
> > > Michael Shia
> > > sh...@bu.edu
> >
> > stored loaded holders in one of these for several weeks at room
> > temperature with good results. I have also seen situations in high
> > humidity where film in loaded holders swells and welds to the holder. A
> > good practice is to keep the time in holders as short as possible,
> > especially with color materials.
What's the big difference (from a condensation point of view) between
keeping the film in the fridge (which I always do with colour material;
no zip lock bag) and coming in from the cold in wintertime? I've never
had any condensation problems so far.
Brian Ellis
normal room termperatures (air conditioned) for a couple months or
thereabouts. I also store film in boxes the same way without problems, once
for up to a couple years. The films are mostly HP5+ and T Max 100. The box
stored for a couple years was T Max 400.
Martin.Glader <martin...@kolumbus.fi> wrote in message
news:39ACC281...@kolumbus.fi...
Greg Faris
says...
>Can't resist throwing in my two cents. It's hard to believe that you'd have
any
>condensation problems if you "press-out" the air from the bag first before
you
>seal it. Or instead, wrap the holders in plastic wrap. Throw in a silica gel
>bag if it makes you feel better. Then just make sure the holders warms up to
>room temp before removing them from the bag and/or wrap. Try experimenting
with
>an empty holder.
OK - I'll buy that. Assuming you "create" a dry atmosphere in which to store
the holders (by removing as much air as possible, then using silica gel to dry
what remains) - then you must be sure to leave the bag sealed until the
whole thing reaches room temperature. I wonder though how many users are
actually going to this extent in the practice. Failure to follow all of these
steps methodically can lead to a condensation problem.
Remember, the water vapor that condenses is water vapor in the ambient air
into which the cold film holder is introduced. If the film holder is sealed in
a plastic bag, the water vapor will condense on the outside of the bag, and
will not reach the film holder. If the atmosphere inside the bag is dry, you
will be OK. Open the bag though on a humid day, before the whole thing has
reached air temperature, and all of your precautions will have been for
naught.
G Faris
C. W. Dean
> What's the big difference (from a condensation point of view) between
> keeping the film in the fridge (which I always do with colour material;
> no zip lock bag) and coming in from the cold in wintertime? I've never
> had any condensation problems so far.
High relative humidity in the air is the culprit, mostly absent in
winter.
c._downs
observed with sometimes sadness...:o) }
In real hot weather you must remove E6 from holders or reheat them
to 120 before removing the film.....that is in summer Grand Canyon
temps!
I lost 12 holders when E6 "melted and buckled on a 7 day hike across
the bottom of the Canyon in July......Better idea would have been not
doing the hike.....All the Mrs's roll film melted together also except
some Kodachrome....Go Figure! These film holders were stored inside
backpacks with reflective silver covers } E6 makes great glue!
If you are out in the cold and bring in shot film then a short warm
up will work fine before processing.
If you bring in unshot film from the cold watch for any chance of
condensation as it can cause an almost invisible fog or moisture layer
on the film that until 100% dry will cause a loss of sharpness if shot
before drying. { I lived in the bush of Alaska for a while and this
was a real problem } It might cause a swelling of the emulsion ....I'm
not sure but you can't feel it or pull out a sheet to check as it is
very difficult to detect but once there WILL degrade the film. A
couple of hours in a cozy room will do wonders for you and the film.
Long term storage of Chrome films and B&W in the holders seems to be
of little worry as I have had transparency and B&W holders in an
unairconditioned part of the house remain fine for 8 months including
a southern USA summer with continuous 90+ degree day temps.. Not sure
about color neg film as I don't shoot any.
B&W film in holders will grow tiny fungus spots in several months if
the humidity is too high but maybe a ziploc plastic bag and a silica
gel pack would work for this.....I have the same problem with multi
coated lenses ....strange that some of my older angulons have never
had the problem but I'm sure the tech minded folks on the group will
know why.