How to Buy Expired Film

Shooting expired film is one of the most unique things about using analog formats, but there's so much of it out there that it can be hard to know what's worth using. Let's look at a variety of things to take into account when buying any sort of expired film, whether it's 35mm, Super 8 or Polaroids.

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00:52 - How Film Ages
02:20 - Film Storage
03:10 - Expired Still Film
03:53 - Expired Cinema Film
05:47 - Expired Instant Film
07:34 - What to Avoid

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[Maidaneh]

"can give you unexpected results"
that's why I want use expired film

[theaviator]

This might be a big help for first time expired film shooters. When getting expired film developed, ask the lab to add 1 or 2 stops. Depending on your expired film. 1 stop= 1 decade expired. Also add 1 or 2 stops when shooting. Again depending on your expired film. 1 stop=1 decade expired. Happy shooting🎞📸

[michaelmason]

I used to own a one hour photo processing lab in Ft. Myers Florida. It was very depressing when digital was causing many of the photo labs to shut down. I want to say there is a big difference in quality between digital and analog film. Analog recording is more labor intensive but it is highly more attractive to the human brain. The brain runs on analog signals, digital images and audio looks and sounds similar to analog, but it is not the same. Analog is more related to the brains responses and sensory interpretations. Analog is more natural and believable to the human mind. Our brains run on analog. We are not digital humans. The attraction some humans have for analog creations reflects an emotional reaction. We react to analog quality. Digital might be cheaper and fast but it is fake. Analog resonates more closely to the human mind and sensory stimulus. I am very excited to see this resurgence of analog.

[Temperos]

I shot an entire 135-36 Exp roll, of an old 1989 made AGFA AP400 in September 2019.
Developed myself using the actual AP-X specs, cause I wasn't able to find the right time specs for the old AP.

I really would like to show you some pics, but let's say that they seems photos made 30 year ago, aged not so well.

I was born in 1989, and to shoot with a film that has my own age, was amazing.
I still have a couple of them to shot, and I think I will use them to make some 'ancient looking' portraits.

[jordanlee-tung]

You're like the Ken Burns of informative youtube content

[FadedHipster]

I live in saskatchewan and have never heard of film rescue before thank you for the info!

[tannerhicks]

I have gotten amazing resulsts from with 1968 polaroid type 47 aka polaroid peel apart roll film, i have found that the older the polaroid film the better results i get.

[bit_cat]

I found a decades old 400f5 reel of 35mm tri x in my grandparents house. Been shooting at an iso of 10 (5 stops overexposed!) and have received some pretty good results!

[nathandewey]

I always like to wait for one of those free eBay coupons. Got 2 rolls of expired ektachrome for $1.5. Just look at seller rating, age of film, and where it was stored.

[TheRenalicious]

I just got an old EOS Rebel XS from a family member, with 20 year old Kodak Max 800 film loaded, 21 exposures left. I'm not sure how well it's been stored over the past 2 decades, so it'll be interesting to see the results once I get the film finished and developed! I do know that while being brought over to me, it sat in a hot car far a the better part of the day.
It's also interesting how high ISO colour film is basically non-existent these days too.

[morrison]

Having recently purchased a few of old Agfa isolette 2's and 3's one of them had a exposed Kodacolor X inside which is c22 process which stopped being made back in 1973 I believe, but I've been told I could be developed with B&W chemicals. I will be interesting to find out when the camera was last used 70's 60's or even the 50's when the camera was made!

[tomjanowski]

I seem to be able to beat the odds. Shot 26 year old Fuji Velvia 50 in a pinhole camera. Rated it at 25 iso and the film provided shockingly great results.

[alfepalfe]

Avoid kodachrome: says the guy that usually sits by a table with serveral kodachrome products in front of him.

[arricammarques]

Informative posting! Kodachrome RIP, Sadly.

[socialist]

What you said about B&W film is not completely true. Old Kodak b&w super8 stock of decades old can still give you perfect results. Ektachrome 160 sound cards from the 80s and 90s are also a lot of fun to play with. Don't forget to find em26 process film for the Ektachrome 160. Those you can process well in e6. Did you ever tried Fujichrome single8 film. R25N is the best :). Although old r25 from the 80s through the 90s can give you green/perfect results depending on storage and your lab.

[andrewbarnum]

What about APS? Its a dead somewhat expired format that is fun to shoot and labs such as the darkroom still develop the film.

[aengusmacnaughton]

Ooops -- one other question -- in this video I did not see your recommendations for adjusting exposure when shooting expired film (adjust the camera ISO setting based on how old the film is) -- or requesting that the lab push/pull the film during developing -- to get the "best" results ("best" being subjective, since of course the unexpected is to be expected!!!) -- thanks!!!

[jaredbergsma]

I have a roll of fujichrome 100D that expired in 1991. Apparently it's been cold stored since the camera store bought it.

I'm curious as to the results.

[مصورفنان-وب]

The development method is wrong.
For example: Don't use Process C41 with the film, Old Negative. You should use the process (AGFA-CNs) as it works at a temperature of 20 ° C, thus keeping the remaining layers of emulsion in good condition without being exposed to heat with the process (C41) operating at a temperature of 38 ° C.
I am sure that the results will be much better and the proportion of color interference in the image will decrease and the color transfer will decrease significantly.
Likewise with black and white films, you need a dual developer dedicated to old films, which was a formula invented by the photographic scientist Mr. Crowley, that restores a complete pause from the dead emulsion.

[ChrisGower]

I don't think you referenced this (might have missed it), but is buying long-expired ISO 100 35mm film a risk - if it's a few decades old, because film becomes less light sensitive, so I'd worry about everything coming out under exposed if my camera won't shoot lower than ISO 100? Not sure if that logic checks out or if I'm just jumping to conclusions? Thanks