Fuji velvia 50 handling

Few questions about Fuji Velvia or transparencies in general.
should be stored in teh fridge
let come to room temerature before opening.
Now, once they are loaded into the holders, do youput back in a cold place, and if so, are you not worried that youll get condensation once you take it out on teh field to shoot?
how about after you shoot? do you store it in a cool place?
how about in transit to the lab?
how high of a temperature is safe?

I made a mistake and opened a packet right out of the fridge, so Im not sure if I should even try to shoot with those films.

any help would be appreciated.

Gevork

Never used that film but in general, cold storing of film is to make it last longer in terms of years...Film can get quite hot without it being damaged.

Yes, in general, you should probably wait a bit after taking it out of the fridge. But if it was in the fridge and not the freezer, I bet you are totally fine. Even if it was in the freezer, I think you'd likely be ok.

Standard joke around here: mail it all to me and I'll test it all for you. Ha! Not that funny.

I am not sure what best practice is, but over the last 2 years I have stored mine (Velvia 50 and black and white film too) in the fridge and have loaded a few sheets at a time and then put the rest back in the fridge and reloaded in the same way when I needed them. After that I have left the loaded sheets in the holder at room temperature for weeks at a time and put the rest back in the fridge. I have had no problems so far. This could just be pure luck however, and I am sure someone with more experience will be able to give you a few pointers as to what would be best. I think you should be o.k personally based solely on my experience.

I keep my Velvia (and other films) in the freezer until I know I'll need them.

Then I remove the boxes and let them come to room temperature (at least 24 hours) before opening them.

After the film warms up I do not return it to the freezer or fridge. I just leave the boxes in the darkroom, which is cool.

Chilling film that has been exposed to the air, even briefly, will certainly cause condensation.

- Leigh

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Leigh

I keep my Velvia (and other films) in the freezer until I know I'll need them.

Then I remove the boxes and let them come to room temperature (at least 24 hours) before opening them.

After the film warms up I do not return it to the freezer or fridge. I just leave the boxes in the darkroom, which is cool.

Chilling film that has been exposed to the air, even briefly, will certainly cause condensation.

- Leigh

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so the packet that I opened up without waiting, likely had condensation. Are you recommending that I do not use them? I put them back in the fridge since that time. I have not developed those two that I used, because I figured they will be blothchy due to condensation. didnt want to waste money on it. I have 8 in the opened packet. What a waste! It was fairly an expensive lesson I learned.

Gevork

I would not hesitate to use them for practice.

Go ahead and get the two processed. You might find out that they're fine.
It's difficult to predict condensation because you don't know what the humidity is inside the film envelope.

I always err on the side of caution. You can't get burned by doing so.

If you have a critical job for a client that can't be re-shot, like a wedding or some such, I would use new rather than these.


- Leigh

I've used LF Velvia for over a decade and have never frozen or refrigerated it. I've used it at least 2 years past expiration, with no noticable difference in quality. I would not bother to freeze unless you are buyong a bunch and anticipate storing for many years (which may be necessary if they stop making it).

I have always stored my unused Velvia in the fridge.

The stuff I don't plan on using, I freeze.

The secret is in the defrosting.

When you remove your film from the freezer, put the box/canister into a Ziploc bag.
Then put that into a tight sealing plastic container, the condensation will form around the bag and not the film.

You have to be patient and give the film several hours to defrost. (Just like a steak).

Done this for years and years, never once had a problem.

Also remember to remove it from the oven before it is fully cooked because it will continue to cook inside.

Oh... Wait... Sorry... The cooking instructions was for the steak :rolleyes:

The biggest problem with condensation is how much easier it is to scratch, mark or fingerprint the film while damp, or for the emulsion to stick to something else... With that in mind, used your film as you see fit.