storing exposed film

[cs_foto]

Hi all,

I need some advice, I've been shooting some colour negative film but I'm waiting to have 8-10 exposed rolls in order to mix some chemistry and develop myself (at home)

What is the best way to keep the exposed but undeveloped rolls? at the moment I have them in the fridge, but I was wondering if there is a time limit or am I worrying too much?

Is it the same for colour and black+white negatives? what about slides?

Thanks a lot

[Stew]

I put my films in plastic ziplock bags and store them in a freezer, not a fridge. When I'm ready to develop them I let the bag warm up to room temperature before opening to avoid condensation.I leave them a day just to be safe. Exposed film stored this way should be ok for a few years. As far as unexposed film goes, I've used 10 year old colour film that was frozen that didn't look any different from new stuff. Black and white can last just as long, if not longer. Not sure about slides since I don't use them.

[cs_foto]

Hi thanks for the reply!

I'm not sure about freezing, someone told me some years ago that freezing/unfreezing (specially exposed film) alters the structure of the emulsion - and also the latent image....

But maybe he was wrong.. I would like to know what the experts have to say about this...

Cheers

[tbeaman]

If you look around, there should be enough discussion about this on this site or around other places on the net. All I remember from my reading is that I came to the conclusion to keep exposed film in the fridge if it was going to be more than a week or two before I got it processed.

[puptent]

I bought a case(!) of expired Kodak Gold from a camera store owner several years ago. His advice to me was to store the unexposed film in the freezer, and move rolls from the freezer to the refrigerator for a day, and then at room temp for a day before use. Exposed film, according to him, should be refrigerated as soon as possible if waiting for processing. All film should be stored in the snap tight plastic cans to protect against moisture. I have found an exposed roll in the camera bag after several months and it processed just fine. I think that if you're air-tight; original can, tupperwear, zip-lock baggie, the fridge should be fine. I keep mine in the original cans, and then in a baggie, and have devoted the "cold cuts" compartment in the 'fridge to all film.