Freezer for Film

[Tin Can]

Dry food, I keep updating my can stock. Italian tomato paste cans always burst...

The thing is, I'm in downtown Chicago, WTSHTF, I am going to break into the corner bar and drink myself to death.

There will be no escape.

I have one of those 1800 Watt Coleman generators. It has enough power to run my pellet stove, film chest freezer, and food upright freezer without complaint. If I add the sump pump in the voltage drops when it kicks on, but it will keep running. So when I need the need the sump also I unplug the film freezer (it takes days to fully thaw). The nice thing about the small generators is how efficient they are with gas. A 5 gallon can will get me several days.

Still, when the end of the world happens I would want canned or dried food. And I doubt my film will be the first thing on my mind.

[Roger Cole]

Buying a small freezer or fridge to keep some film stock ahead and store nearly expired or expired film is a far cry from trying to stock up for the downfall of civilization - apples and oranges.

As for the point brought up by several people about defrost cycles causing temperature fluctuations, so what? I've never heard any hint that this is particularly damaging for film and in fact mine would get cycled anyway because I take more film than I expect to ever use out of the fridge for each trip out with the cameras, overnight trips especially, don't end up using most of it and back it goes. It doesn't seem to hurt a thing. A constant cold temperature would be better but only because of the tiny amount less time spent warm. If anything I'd think the temperature cycles would be more damaging to food which could spoil, and that doesn't seem to happen.

[Tin Can]

But we need to use that film for the permanent record of our destruction...

My freezer ruins my food, with the defrost cycles.

Buying a small freezer or fridge to keep some film stock ahead and store nearly expired or expired film is a far cry from trying to stock up for the downfall of civilization - apples and oranges.

As for the point brought up by several people about defrost cycles causing temperature fluctuations, so what? I've never heard any hint that this is particularly damaging for film and in fact mine would get cycled anyway because I take more film than I expect to ever use out of the fridge for each trip out with the cameras, overnight trips especially, don't end up using most of it and back it goes. It doesn't seem to hurt a thing. A constant cold temperature would be better but only because of the tiny amount less time spent warm. If anything I'd think the temperature cycles would be more damaging to food which could spoil, and that doesn't seem to happen.

[Roger Cole]

My folks have two refrigerators with freezers plus two large chest freezers. Not one of them has ever ruined food with defrost cycles. Same for my refrigerator freezer. Shrug - I don't get it. But in any case film is not food. It won't be overgrown with bacteria and turn rancid if it "thaws" for a while, it will just age more quickly than while it's cold.

[Tin Can]

All I know is, it is what it is.

I'll just turn the air-conditioning up, or is that down...

My folks have two refrigerators with freezers plus two large chest freezers. Not one of them has ever ruined food with defrost cycles. Same for my refrigerator freezer. Shrug - I don't get it. But in any case film is not food. It won't be overgrown with bacteria and turn rancid if it "thaws" for a while, it will just age more quickly than while it's cold.

[Colin Robertson]

I live on an Island. Every single thing I need (film, paper, chemistry, storage sleeves) I source through the internet. First, delivery costs- it really pays to plan ahead and buy a few things at once. many suppliers will have a 'free delivery on orders over . . .' deal. So it pays not to get caught out needing one bottle of developer, or one box of film.
Also, since I can't walk into a shop and buy film on impulse, I have to act as my own camera store. Right now in my freezer I'm carrying-
5x4 FP4, HP5 and Velvia 50
120 PanF, HP5, Delta3200, SFX200, Velvia 100
35mm PanF, FP4, HP5, Velvia 100, and assorted colour neg.
Why? Because I shoot for pleasure, and I like to be able to look out the window and decide what format and what film suits my mood, and then be able to shoot it.
However, I keep my quantities small, so nothing gets too old (cosmic rays age even frozen film). Also, it's good for Ilford and Fuji if we all buy regularly. Lastly, I'm human, therefore fickle and fallible. At one point I was just gobbling up 35mm HP5, but currently I'm shooting far more 5x4
Suppose I'd spent a fortune laying down a big cache of 35mm? Right now all it would be doing is growing old, and I'd have tied up money which could be buying fresh paper and chemistry. A freezer allows me to manage my stock and maintain freshness, but I'm not (yet) preparing for the Zombie apocalypse.

Hmm . . . probably HP5 in the Minolta for that Gig. Luckily, I have some.

[Drew Wiley]

Heck. Eskimos have been known to eat frozen mammoth meat. And all kinds of people will stuff an elk or deer or butchered cow into a freezer. That's not called
hoarding. What's the big deal with keeping on hand a few years worth of film? Supply has always fluctuated, and this is a simple inexpensive way to buffer things
out without competing with the kitchen fridge. But Randy, it's not CO2 you should be worried about, but carbon monoxide. Enough people die each winter from
running generators or even Coleman lanterns indoors.

[Tin Can]

Yes Drew, I know, CO, and I could care less how much anyone piles up, as you can't take it with you.

In the 60's I woke up next to a dead man in the next van, catalytic heater...he was never cold again.

Sooner or later all hoards are redistributed, even money, whatever that is.

Collectors are simply renters, keeping things clean for the next needy soul.

Some, here, think, having more than one camera is too many.

Nobody ever mentions all the stuff in trash piles, basements and pyramids.

Heck. Eskimos have been known to eat frozen mammoth meat. And all kinds of people will stuff an elk or deer or butchered cow into a freezer. That's not called
hoarding. What's the big deal with keeping on hand a few years worth of film? Supply has always fluctuated, and this is a simple inexpensive way to buffer things
out without competing with the kitchen fridge. But Randy, it's not CO2 you should be worried about, but carbon monoxide. Enough people die each winter from
running generators or even Coleman lanterns indoors.

[Otto Seaman]

If you want to support the film manufacturers so that they keep making film, it is better to buy smaller qualities steadily rather than hoarding....

[Roger Cole]

I take care of my needs. The film manufacturers can take care of theirs. And, for that matter, I order film several times a year. It's hard to see how that's going to matter versus a bunch of tiny purchases spaced out every 2-3 weeks, except for saving me a lot of shipping (usually, absent a free shipping deal.)