Looking through some film stock I have in my fridge not freezer, I found a box of Tmax 100 with an expiration date of 11/1998. It is unopened and has been stored at 45 degrees. I hate to trash a 100 sheet box of film. What kind of image loss can I expect if any? Thanks.

-- Pat Kearns (pat.kearns@coopertsmith.com), October 23, 2000

Answers

None. The film would be fine even if already loaded and stored at room temp. B&W is much less sensitive than color over long periods of time.

-- E.L. (elperdido65@hotmail.com), October 23, 2000.

I've been using, occasionally, some TMX in 35mm I found, rolled from bulk, circa 1993 (exp. must have been around 1995), frozen part of that time, part of the time--who knows? Contrast is a bit less than fresh film, but otherwise I get normal results.

-- David Goldfarb (dgoldfarb@barnard.edu), October 23, 2000.

Pat, Last year I've used TMAX 100 and TriX that expired in 1988! It wasn't critical zone work but it still produced some great pictures. I think expired film is great in that it feels "expendable" maybe even "disposable" and as a result this carefree attitude can produce some creative images. I love expired film, especially when it's given to me for free! Dave.

-- Dave Anton (daveanton@home.com), October 23, 2000.

Better that you check it with a few exposure/development tests before relying on it for anything important. It could be just fine. But, I have some Ilford Delta 400 a year out of date, cold stored, that is flatter then the mind of a frazzled schoolteacher. No contrast at all even with way too much time in the developer. At the same time I have some TMax, both 100 & 400, of the same date and it looks just fine. Films vary as do results. By running an exposure or three through the camera & testing it you will find whether or not it suits your needs.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), October 23, 2000.

I have some Pantomic-X Aero that expired before 1975 and was cold stored for all that time. It is some of the best film I have ever used, even though it is slow, (ASA 40) it is 5" by 2500 feet. Great film. Pat

-- pat krentz (patwandakrentz@aol.com), October 24, 2000.

I've used Tri X dated 1983 stored in a basement. The film base is somewhat fogged but is still useable. I have some T-Max 120 film, dated 1997, stored in the fridge and it too have some base fog. But the out-dated film is still good, especially for high contrat landscapes. Because of the reduced contrast, the tonal range remains very printable.

-- William Levitt (light-zone@operamail.com), October 24, 2000.

You might notice a slight increase in grain size compared to 'in-date' film, but with Tmax100's fineness of grain, it'll hardly be the end of the world.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), October 24, 2000.

A bit benzotriazole in the developer wouldn't hurt but the film should be ok.

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), October 24, 2000.