Kodak Ektachrome from '86

SoulfulRecover · Dec 20, 2015

I got my 4x5 today with all sorts of goodies (no instant back though

) and there is an open box of Ektachrome that expired in 1986. Big 50 sheet box of it and it feels very heavy still. Probably close to 50 sheets left. Anyway, the guy said all the films been in the freezer. Any idea if it's worth trying? The other two boxes of Portra 100T expired in 2011 and 7 rolls of Kodak 400NC 120 that expired in 2009.

480sparky · Dec 20, 2015

The 0nly way to know is to shoot it and have it developed.If it has been properly stored, then it should still be

Color negative film has a bit of exposure latitude in it, but far less than b&w. Transparency film has virtually zero exposure tolerance. You need to get those exposures perfect, dead-on. I'd suggest to toss 'em into your freezer until you're comfortable with the camera.

Most people write how many sheets are left in the box right on it. Is there a series of subtractions somewhere on the box? (i.e., 50-6=44-8=32-2=30 etc)

Lookin' forward to your results. I got out this afternoon before the rain and finished up a box of Tmax400 that had 5 sheets left in it.

SoulfulRecover · Dec 20, 2015

150 50 w/3200k

+80 A Fill

Not sure about the fill. Maybe a fill light? The rest is probably 150th of a second rated at 50 ISO for a 3200 k light?

480sparky · Dec 20, 2015

LF lenses usually don't have a 1/150th shutter speed. About the only 'odd' speed they might have is 1/400.

150 is a common focal length for LF lenses.

80A is for shooting 5500k film under 3200k lighting.

SoulfulRecover · Dec 21, 2015

480sparky said:
LF lenses usually don't have a 1/150th shutter speed. About the only 'odd' speed they might have is 1/400.

150 is a common focal length for LF lenses.

80A is for shooting 5500k film under 3200k lighting.

Thanks for the info. Neither lens I have is 150mm but given the box is ~30 years old, who knows. Ill try shooting a sheet and see what happens. I just would hate to spend the money on E6 processing for 4x5 when I have no idea if its gonna work haha.

limr · Dec 21, 2015

Remember for expired film, you might want to rate it slower than box speed. I think the first few exposures might require some bracketing. I know, it's kind of hard to think of all that E6 processing. I can't remember - do you do your own C41? There are 4x5 daylight tanks and you can always cross-process.

SoulfulRecover · Dec 21, 2015

limr said:
Remember for expired film, you might want to rate it slower than box speed. I think the first few exposures might require some bracketing. I know, it's kind of hard to think of all that E6 processing. I can't remember - do you do your own C41? There are 4x5 daylight tanks and you can always cross-process.

no I don't do my own color processing. Barely do my own B&W haha.

There are just so many sheets in the box. Its hard to let go hahaha

desertrattm2r12 · Dec 21, 2015

I'd certainly test a couple of sheets. You wanna play ya gotta pay. You could have a small gold mine there. If the film is good think of how many of use out here are gonna be p*ss*d because we'd like to find such a treasure. It's worth a few bucks to find out.