This slide film is almost as old as me, and slight more stale, do I bother?

October 3, 2007 3:08 PM

Kodachrome 25, expired 1988, un-used. Developing is prepaid, bother using it and sending it away? If so, what special attention should I give it?

I'm a fairly 'experimental' photographer... most of my film stock in the freezer currently is expired about 6 - 7 years ago and I enjoy getting pretty creative with it, messing with emulsions, using old cameras, holgas and the like.

Was clearing out a draw and found a roll of Kodachrome 25, expired 12/1988.

Normally I'd bin it, or make it into a mantle piece type thing, but on the off chance I could get something pretentious out of it, and because the processing has been pre-paid I might as well take it for a spin right?

_{(Spoke to Kodak and they said they'd handle it for me and honour the mailer, though I presume that means send it to Dwaynes)}

It wasn't frozen/fridged, it was in a draw in the back of the house, I think the humidity and temperature are fairly constant in there... but regardless, not the best environment.

If I do bother with it, should I push it? and by how many stops? If anyone else has bothered with 20 year old unfrozen slide film and got workable results, I'd be keen to know!

_{(the alternative method of developing I've read, is to process it as b/w in a longer process, but the chemical would probably cost as much as the postage)}

posted by chrisbucks to media & arts (8 comments total)

Wow, free developing for Kodachrome in 2007? That's amazing! :D

Push it by a stop and have a blast. The problem with Kodachrome isn't that it's slide film, it's that the process has nothing to do with the current E-6 so I really have no idea how to go about it. Expect the emulsion to crack... On the other hand, I'm thinking, I've shot 15y/o ORWO b&w stock and, other than some spotting, it looks ok.

Don't process it as B/W, that'd just be a waste of the film.

Also, ask over at the APUG forums, if anybody knows about Kodachrome right now, it'll be them.
posted by jedrek at 3:18 PM on October 3, 2007

The result should be interesting -- but it won't look the way fresh film would look. I'd save it for spring and use a lot of it to take pictures of flowers!
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 3:34 PM on October 3, 2007

I'd shoot it normally but then make sure to tell the processor (maybe put a note in the mailer, taped to the film can) how old the film is. They may know things that you don't about processing it, when it's that old.

And if you have the film and the processing is paid for, why wouldn't you shoot it? Don't use it at your best friend's wedding or kid's graduation or whatever, but go out and have an afternoon of fun with it, and see what comes out.

Kodachrome negatives, once processed, are about the most stable color photographic medium devised. Stored safely, your grandkids will probably be able to look at them just fine. (Which brings me to a thought ... maybe use the film to take pictures of yourself and the rest of your family? Speaking as someone who has virtually no photos of my parents, you never know who might appreciate a photo of you or someone else, down the road.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 3:43 PM on October 3, 2007

If it's free, why not? You will likely get some subtle to dramatic color shifts, which might be interesting.
posted by edjusted at 4:35 PM on October 3, 2007

agreed on go for it. push it or make double exposures. you might get some interesting effects with this stock.
posted by krautland at 6:13 PM on October 3, 2007

I have no suggestions other than I have used 5 year old color slide film that had not been kept cool and it was fine. This is another kettle of fish, I think.

What I really want to say is PROMISE TO POST AN UPDATE IN META WITH LINKS TO YOUR RESULTS. Please? xoxo
posted by SassHat at 7:15 PM on October 3, 2007

Weird - I was just talking to a photo nerd friend of mine with an almost identical story - Eight rolls, Kodachrome, expired 1987. They had been stored in a fridge. He just got them back (after shipping to kansas, free, by the local photo place) and said they were perfect - no color shift at all. Go for it.
posted by aquafiend at 7:32 PM on October 3, 2007 [1 favorite]

I've never shot it but it is supposed to be beautiful - what I have seen makes me think of Portra NC rated at 320, soft subtle blues and grays. And it scans well. If you are the experimental type and this is almost free to try, well, have fun!
posted by roygbv at 2:35 AM on October 4, 2007