Developing Expired? 35mm film. Suggestions? (Page 2): I found rolls of film from my daughter taken when she was in college. She died is car crash 11 years ago...so the film was at...

Pine Warbler

I found rolls of film from my daughter taken when she was in college. She died is car crash 11 years ago...so the film was at least 15 years old. I took it to a camera store to be developed. I was able to explain the age of the film as well as the emotional connection. They did a great job. I guess my suggestion would be to find some place that is not a Kmart, Walmart, Walgreen type store where the film just gets sent in to a large processing plant. Thanks for sharing your story.

Bill P

The only process that I can think of for B&W that differs in any way from just plain old high quality workmanship would be development by inspection. Don't know anybody that does that today, and I don't know if you can still get the special safelight filter required. It may be a lost art.

But basically, you need someone that does pro quality [photofinishing, And there's nothing magic about doing it on a reel ina canister, a well controlled and monitored dip and dun line might be just the thing. I wouldn't worry, B&W film is very resilient. As for color, there's only one right way to process color, you can't massage it like B&W processing, But you will need to use the correct process for the film. There have been places that still do things like E4 and C22, bu t don't know if they are still in business.

Retina Loc: Near Charleston,SC

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.

Good idea to start with a few. At the risk of boring the members with personal experience, I found a roll of color print film a few years ago which I had developed into prints. There were dark with a strong green cast, but after scanning and simple correction the pictures were almost as intended. They mean a lot as they were of my children when they were little with my dad on a long distance visit taken 20 years prior. Your film may not be as old so they might be just fine. If they need correcting, I recommend scanning the negatives and going from there. I am very saddened for your loss although I cannot possibly know how it feels.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Black & White film has very possibly not suffered. Color may show color shifts. But negatives of either could be corrected-for in printing.
Color slide film doesn't give that flexibility.
If you have exposed and unprocessed film, definitely get it processed so you can cherish what's there.
Unprocessed film.....if there's a lot of one kind,you can try a roll to see if it's worth using the rest.

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

My vote is to process them. Even if they aren't 100% they could hold priceless irreplaceable mementos if your son, plus you may get some insight into his life that will enrich your memories. And with today's digital you can sometimes improve on the original.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

nadelewitz wrote:

Correction in capitals:

Black & White film has very possibly not suffered. Color may show color shifts. But negatives of either could be corrected-for in printing.
Color slide film doesn't give that flexibility.
If you have exposed and unprocessed film, definitely get it processed so you can cherish what's there.
UNEXPOSED film.....if there's a lot of one kind,you can try a roll to see if it's worth using the rest.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

If there that old your picture wii look like crap ones the film has been exposed it will start to tranfer photon on your film next to the fim it is touching and will turn green and fusey color is worse than B and W.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

carl hervol wrote:

If there that old your picture wii look like crap ones the film has been exposed it will start to tranfer photon on your film next to the fim it is touching and will turn green and fusey color is worse than B and W.

Wow. I had trouble reading your post. To your point: Nothing will "transfer" from one layer to another on the film roll. Colors will "shift" and be unnatural because of age, not because of film touching itself.

1963mca

I saw absolutely no transfer of the type mentioned, from one picture to another, in the 60 year old WW-II film I processed. The one thing I did see had nothing to do with the film. I wish I knew what type of camera he used, as there were a good half dozen double exposures where it looks like the film was only partially wound so two pictures would overlap, one portion looked normal, another potion on the same negative was a double exposure composite of the first negative and part of the next negative. Two pictures, but clearly not a result of film to film "transfer".

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

1963mca wrote:

I saw absolutely no transfer of the type mentioned... (show quote)

Any "type" of camera will do that if its film advance mechanism isn't working well.

Gallopingphotog

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.

So very sorry for your loss. Just a couple of thoughts: If I were you, I'd start by taking just one roll to the local developer to see how they do! Also, I'd reach out to the newspaper in your area and see if the photographer might know of a reputable place. A photographer on the paper where I worked did film and photo restoration as a kind of hobby and he did some wonderful work on photos for me. If you like, I could check with my old photo editor and see if he has any ideas.

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

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 own a pro B&W lab in Culver City Ca. I have on occasion had to develop film that has been 30-40 years old and there has always been images. If your film is Black and White the odds are that there will be images. I am so sorry for your loss.

Dutchhgt

nadelewitz wrote:

Any "type" of camera will do that if its film advance mechanism isn't working well.

You might wonder how many of the cameras of that age did not have a coupled shutter cock/release and film winding. So double exposures were just a matter of accidental forgetting film winding before exposing the next image.

1963mca

nadelewitz wrote:

Any "type" of camera will do that if its film advance mechanism isn't working well.

I mistyped, I should have said what "brand/model". I've short stroked 35mm cameras before and had similar results. Just curious what camera was used, not that it was the camera itself that was at fault. Also wondering if he was an assigned "combat/documentary" photographer, or just taking pictures for himself. My friend had no idea what his father did, or what camera(s) he had.

Retina Loc: Near Charleston,SC

Gallopingphotog wrote:

So very sorry for your loss. Just a couple of thoughts: If I were you, I'd start by taking just one roll to the local developer to see how they do! Also, I'd reach out to the newspaper in your area and see if the photographer might know of a reputable place. A photographer on the paper where I worked did film and photo restoration as a kind of hobby and he did some wonderful work on photos for me. If you like, I could check with my old photo editor and see if he has any ideas.

I was going to suggest just starting with one roll, too, until it occurred to me that maybe not all the rolls have the same storage history. Two or three few rolls might be a better judge of the lab. But definitely choose a reputable lab, and not necessarily a local one.