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Developing Expired? 35mm film. Suggestions?
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Apr 21, 2019 08:23:11   #
ArtzDarkroom Loc: Near Disneyland-Orange County, California
 
My son left behind some 35mm film, I found it in his belongings. Some of it is in undeveloped rolls others are the throw-away camera type. I figure the date of the 15 rolls of film ranges from 10 to 17 years old. What should I expect from its quality if developed through regular commercial options?

Any suggestions?

Did I post this in the correct section?

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Apr 21, 2019 08:43:34   #
ELNikkor
 
You'll get images. You don't say if it is color, negative, slide, or B&W, but, unless any are Kodachrome, just have them processed normally; E-6 for slides, C-41 for color negs, B&W - HC 110 dil. B or many others

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Apr 21, 2019 08:43:54   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
ArtzDarkroom wrote:
My son left behind some 35mm film, I found it in his belongings. Some of it is in undeveloped rolls others are the throw-away camera type. I figure the date of the 15 rolls of film ranges from 10 to 17 years old. What should I expect from its quality if developed through regular commercial options?

Any suggestions?

Did I post this in the correct section?


Results will depend on how the film had been stored. If not subjected to high heat conditions you can expect to get reasonably good images but the colors will probably be a little off.
If any are Kodachrome you will have to get the processed as B&W.

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Apr 21, 2019 09:14:44   #
wishaw
 
Here is how to do it. https://www.dpreview.com/news/0772516271/craft-brewery-partners-with-kodak-to-create-a-beer-that-doubles-as-film-developer

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Apr 21, 2019 09:51:55   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
To me, any results would be better than no results.

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Apr 21, 2019 13:26:41   #
speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho
 
ArtzDarkroom wrote:
My son left behind some 35mm film, I found it in his belongings. Some of it is in undeveloped rolls others are the throw-away camera type. I figure the date of the 15 rolls of film ranges from 10 to 17 years old. What should I expect from its quality if developed through regular commercial options?

Any suggestions?

Did I post this in the correct section?


I suppose they have not been kept in freezers over the years, I would not expect to get anything worthwhile out of them!

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Apr 21, 2019 22:59:29   #
ArtzDarkroom Loc: Near Disneyland-Orange County, California
 
Thanks to all of you for the information. I am now optimistic about the possibility of seeing the images. My son passed away in 2016. He was hit by a drunk driver. My son was on his motorcycle that night, as usual. These images hold an emotional component for our family. I'm going to find a local place to get them processed, a few at a time. 17 rolls sounds expensive. Thank you once again.

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Apr 22, 2019 05:30:00   #
riderxlx Loc: DFW area Texas
 
ArtzDarkroom wrote:
Thanks to all of you for the information. I am now optimistic about the possibility of seeing the images. My son passed away in 2016. He was hit by a drunk driver. My son was on his motorcycle that night, as usual. These images hold an emotional component for our family. I'm going to find a local place to get them processed, a few at a time. 17 rolls sounds expensive. Thank you once again.


My deepest sympathies to your brother that must be a hard loss. See if you can find a photo lab they can process the rolls in a very professional manner and try to extract the best pictures obtainable hopefully those rolls of film Are in good shape And you should get some nice pictures hopefully keep us all posted please

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Apr 22, 2019 06:24:14   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
ArtzDarkroom wrote:
My son left behind some 35mm film, I found it in his belongings. Some of it is in undeveloped rolls others are the throw-away camera type. I figure the date of the 15 rolls of film ranges from 10 to 17 years old. What should I expect from its quality if developed through regular commercial options?

Any suggestions?

Did I post this in the correct section?


If B&W, should be no issues. Color is a different animal, but if the color is off you can have the negs. scanned and then they can be corrected digitally. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

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Apr 22, 2019 07:01:22   #
awis01
 
ArtzDarkroom wrote:
Thanks to all of you for the information. I am now optimistic about the possibility of seeing the images. My son passed away in 2016. He was hit by a drunk driver. My son was on his motorcycle that night, as usual. These images hold an emotional component for our family. I'm going to find a local place to get them processed, a few at a time. 17 rolls sounds expensive. Thank you once again.


Sorry for your loss. No parent should have to deal with that. I have had very old (10 yrs) film developed.
The images were acceptable but the colors were a little off. If the film wasn't stored in extreme conditions you should be OK

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Apr 22, 2019 09:14:34   #
1963mca
 
15 or 20 years ago a coworker who knew I did my own processing asked me if I'd develop some film he found while cleaning out his fathers attic. Turns out he had 8 rolls of 120 agfa film and I said I'd try it but no promises. All the film developed and from the photos it appears that they were taken by a German soldier (his father was a German soldier and most likely the photographer) and began with photos of the Dunkirk shore, and carried thru across Europe with the last roll of photos taken in the Ukraine in a village called Shitomir (http://www.blackseagr.org/pdfs/konrad/Life%20in%20the%20German%20Villages%20around%20Shitomir.pdf). None of the picture show actual combat, it is mostly photos taken after the battle, showing the occupation of areas, POW's (mostly soviet), interaction between the soldiers and local inhabitants, and just general life of the soldier when not in battle. There are no offensive photos, although there are a few that depict the Nazi emblem. I've posted a few here. If anyone thinks the entire collection (roughly 50 photo's) would be of interest I'll add them with a link to them. The idea is that here is some film (B&W) that was exposed beginning in 1940, stored in an attic for many years and was still able to be developed and printed some 60 years later. I returned the negatives and prints but he permitted me to make scans. The scans aren't great, the actual photos came out much better.


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

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Apr 22, 2019 10:37:32   #
StanMac Loc: Tennessee
 
Check out theses guys . . .

https://www.filmrescue.com/old-still-film-developing/

Stan

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Apr 22, 2019 10:48:27   #
TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
Film is amazingly resilient. B&W is likely to be fine. Color may have faded/changed colors, but can be partly corrected in scanning and post processing. I once processed about 20 rolls of film that had been in a car glove compartment for 10-20 years, and all came out though the colors were faded. As was mentioned previously, Kodachrome will have to be developed as B&W.

My condolences for the loss of your son - I can’t begin to imagine the pain.

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Apr 22, 2019 11:22:43   #
awis01
 
Great stuff historically. Did you ever consider seeing if some war museum or similar organization might be interested?

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Apr 22, 2019 11:30:21   #
1963mca
 
awis01 wrote:
Great stuff historically. Did you ever consider seeing if some war museum or similar organization might be interested?


I left that up to the owner as I returned the original negatives and photos I made to him. All I have are the "poor" scans.

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