Buying Film

Although I've been buying film from B&H for a while because of its low prices relative to stores in San Francisco, I recently bought a 20-pack of Velvia 50 from someone else (found on the internet and who I'd never bought from before) because B&H was out of stock. I got the film and checked the expiration date and found no problems there. I e-mailed them to find out if they kept their pro film refrigerated and to my surprise I actually got an answer, but the answer was in the negative. Then I wondered if B&H refrigerates. I've never had any weird film problems, so maybe it doesn't matter. Any thoughts?

I think B&H states they do refrigerate their film (I'll be surprised if they didn't). Either way, if the film is fresh and unless it was subjected to very extreme heat I wouldn't worry about it.

Guy

I have been shooting Velvia 50 which hasn't been refrigerated in about a year. No problems.

And if anyone is wondering, it is the last of my film, which I am trying to get rid of. I don't consider it sellable since it wound up swimming in Lake Superior last summer. Just in case any of it was damaged, I don't want to unload it on someone else.

Related question...

I have an unopened five-pack of Astia 100F in 120 that expired in June of 2005. It has always been refrigerated. Do you think it is OK? If so, do you think it might have lost some effective speed? ( usually shoot it at ISO 100)

I'd hate to have to round-file it.

Thanks!

-PB

On a related note I must say I'm surprised people can still buy the Velvia 50. I was told by a dealer here that Fuji has stopped manufacturing the 50 and that they reccomend the Velvia 100 instead - which according to them is now up to par with the Velvia 50.

Anyone Know where I can get Velvia 50 Downunder, Please inform me if you Know.
Charles.

Preston--

I think your film will be OK. I've used unrefrigerated film that was a year out of date with no problem. Remember, for the kind of photography we're doing the tiny color shifts don't matter much.


Kent in SD

Preston, my experience is that as long as it's refrigerated it's not a problem. I've used several types of Fuji film that were out of date but always refrigerated and they seem to have worked fine! CJ

Thanks for the info, gents. I'll try a roll and see how they look.

Regards,

_PB

I've only run into problems with out of date E-6 a couple of times. In one case, some much abused 4x5 velvia 50 lost saturation compared to the fresh stuff. But it was only two years out of date, and had only been in and out of the refer for a week at a time a couple of dozen times over the years.

In the other experience with some old Astia, I got a slight blue color shift in skin tones. You wouldn't notice it in a landscape, but sharing the business with my super-picky wife (wow, does she know skin tone!), I had to reshoot with fresh film.

I've had a very slight magenta shift in old Velvia (expired 2 years), but easily corrected after scanning. I haven't noticed anything "off" in other film that's been expired up to a year or so. I keep my film in the fridge except during trips.

I'm with the others Preston. If it's been refrigerated it should be fine.

John, B&H does refrigerate their film I believe. There've been a couple times when they've had to go to the back to get film that wasn't on the shelves up front and when I paid for it the boxes were pretty cool.