Yes, expired film can work, although the results may differ from using fresh film.
When film passes its expiration date, the light-sensitive emulsion begins to degrade over time. This degradation affects how the film reacts to light and chemicals during development, leading to potential changes in its characteristics.
Using Expired Film
According to available information, if the expired film is only a few years expired, you may get away with using the exact same settings as normal. However, the outcome is not identical to fresh film.
Using expired film typically results in noticeable changes:
- Slightly Desaturated Colours: Colours may appear less vibrant or faded.
- Increased Grain: You can expect a little bit more grain in your images, which can sometimes add a desirable vintage look.
The reference indicates that the longer film has been expired for, the more unpredictable your results may be. Film expired for decades will likely show more significant shifts in colour, contrast, and grain, and might even have base fogging or other anomalies.
Expected Results
The results you get from expired film depend heavily on several factors, including:
- The age of the film (how long past expiration).
- How the film was stored (cool, dark storage preserves film better than heat and humidity).
- The type of film (colour negative, slide, black and white).
While using the same settings as fresh film is suggested for film expired only a few years, photographers often experiment with exposure compensation (e.g., overexposing) for older film to account for sensitivity loss, though this wasn't explicitly detailed in the provided reference.
In summary, expired film does work, but be prepared for potential variations in colour and grain, especially as its age increases.
