CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Images in this brief survey were all shot from expired Fuji film. I purchased all the rolls from others, who said the rolls were always refrigerated or frozen before selling to me. I keep my rolls frozen, except for a small amount in the fridge, that I expect to shoot in the next 6-months or so.

Pullman National Monument by Paul Sager, on Flickr


I'm now using only an EOS 1v with various Canon EF lenses, typically IS-enabled versions.

Lunar New Year Parade


I use a 'rule' of +1 stop over-exposure per 10 (calendar) years of age beyond the original expiration date. Typically, I override the ISO rating the camera reads from the DX code of the film. Some film types I'd shoot at +1 EC, even if the roll was new, so the expired film would then be shot at +2 EC (Exposure Compensation). I then have the film processed at the box ISO rating. Example, I might shoot 'new' ISO-400 as ISO-200, and because the film is expired by 10-years, I'd then further adjust the camera's ISO setting to ISO-100. The film would be developed as ISO-400.

Lunar New Year Parade


The Flickr pages hosting these images have additional notes and 'complete' EXIF data. The Canon EOS 1v captures exposure data I can extract and merge into the scanned JPEGs, as well as adding lens and camera data, making the images 'look like' EXIF data from a digital camera.

Stop Putin, Stop The War


All these images were processed and scanned by North Coast Photo in Carlsbad, CA. The images are roughly 17MP JPEGs, imported into LR6, and edited to my desired result. I have my own LR Develop Presets for sharpening, saturation, auto-toning, and other default values / triggers I then custom-edit to completion, including any image-specific cloning and cropping.

Shannon Rovers on film


Except for looking at the 1:1 pixel level details, where the (17MP scanned) film resolution don't match to a 24MP digital file, the full-screen viewing of these images doesn't 'say' film vs digital, beyond the film-like color tones.

Shannon Rovers on film


The three Fuji film types (Press 800, Superia X-TRA 400, and NPS 160) are all very fine-grained color negative film. Except for a few of the images that include clear blue sky, there is virtually no film grain in any of the images. The 'expose to the right' approach seeks to minimize the film grain, by seeking to expose all the film grains to a maximum amount of light.

St Patrick's Day Parade on film


The Fuji Press 800 results have all been superb, such as below. In researching this film, it seems it was exactly the same film stock as those placed into Fuji Superia 800 canisters. The only difference was Fuji kept the Press 800 refrigerated during shipping and requiring of the retailers too. My source also kept the film refrigerated before selling to me, where I now freeze until using.

Union Station - expired film


In sunlit situations, I use this expired Fuji Press 800 as ISO-250, below. In all other light, I rate the film ISO-200, such as the indoor shot above.

St Patrick's Day Parade on film


The only issue I've had over the years with expired Fuji film is an occasional red-tint. Our July 4 veteran, below, has a crisp white shirt, but still seems a bit 'red' in the skin tone, even after I've lowered the red and orange saturation in this scan.

Shannon Rovers - July 4

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

These are great shots that truly show off the wonderfulness that is film.

J11 Loc: Ocean Springs MS

Great work Paul and thank you for helpful advice in this section. Can you explain the effects of pushing film and how it would affect the photograph. In the last year I have bought two film cameras and some vintage lenses. Trying to learn film photography. Jim.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Thanks J11. I'm not directly experienced with pushing / pulling film, preferring to just adjust exposure and process the film as normal. In the old days, before stabilized lenses, one might want to shoot at a 'higher ISO' to accomplish a faster shutter speed. Stabilized lenses don't freeze / stop motion, as is needed for a faster shutter speed, but they do let you shoot at a slower shutter speed if you just need 'more time' to get a proper exposure. All the images above are shot hand-held, even indoors, using stabilized lenses. Otherwise, I'd use a tripod, not push / pull techniques.

Personally, if just getting into film photography, I'd focus on proper exposure, sharp focus and interesting compositions, and developing, if desired, over advanced techniques that likely have little relevance to your subjects and shooting situations. Example, you might want to 'push' your 400-speed film to 1600 to shoot HS sports at night. That 'need' went the way of the Dodo bird a long time ago when digital took over general purpose photography.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Thank you Kathy! I like the look of the various older Fuji films, especially how the colors look when even a lot of light (over-exposure).

J11 Loc: Ocean Springs MS

Thanks Paul. Both my film cameras have an EC dial. I’ll keep my film at box speed and use exposure compensation. Jim.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Looking good, Paul. Do you also overexpose up to date negative film?

Ben

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Thanks J11! For the over-exposure, the choice is whatever is easier. I was EC for a long time, then started overriding the ISO that I now find easier and less likely to a mistakenly 'move' of the EC dial.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Thanks Ben, and yes, I do. So the concept of 'exposing to the right' is not just a digital approach. There's a lot of examples and discussion online for individual film stocks and how much to over-expose, not just flexibility for mistakes, but purposefully. I've been working on a post about Tri-X 400, a film that I now have a rich history of images. I can put images that show the film grain at various levels of exposure / over-exposure. Stay tuned as I finish the writing and the image selection.

To your question specifically, most 'new' film I shoot at +1/3 stop over exposure. For a lot of ISO-400 films, I start at an ISO-200 override. There's lots of discussion about use Portra 400 at ISO-200. That's how I shoot it now, always. The Tri-X I've experimented between the 'box' 400 to 200, and have settled on a default ISO-320 override when using.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Thanks, Paul!