Film Storage!

**PBimages** · 16-Jul-2008, 02:41

I have got a little bit confused, can anyone help me out!

When I was learning how to use the darkroom some 16 years ago, the gentleman that was teaching me was old school and mixed all his chemicals himself, he was in his early 70's back then.

But he always insisted that everything from Film to Chemicals should be stored in a Fridge if they are being used regulary, but for long storage then they should be stored in the Freezer!

But when I recently brought some chemicals after 8 years away from the darkroom, I was advised by a young lady at RK Photographic, that soring film and chemicals in a fridge went out of practice with the dinosaurs!

Can someone please help me clarify the situation, as I still store my film and chemicals in a fridge and I have never had any ill effects I just got everything out of the fridge around an hour or two prior to me using them, sometimes longer!

Should I still be living with the Dinosaurs...

**Ole Tjugen** · 16-Jul-2008, 02:54

You're in good company.

Most of us here are dinosaurs, with a freezer full of film.

**Richard Wasserman** · 16-Jul-2008, 06:56

Another dinosaur here!

**Maretzo** · 16-Jul-2008, 07:18

no more room for food!

**Jan Pedersen** · 16-Jul-2008, 07:28

Tell the lady that you are not young enough to know it all and therefore will continue to do as the dinosaurs. I'm one of them with an extra fridge/freezer.

**Gene McCluney** · 16-Jul-2008, 07:33

For black and white film, refrigerated or frozen storage is absolutely not needed if you are going to use the film within a reasonable timeframe. I have never heard of storing chemicals in a refrigerator. I have b/w film that I have kept in a drawer in my air conditioned darkroom for the last 10 years, and it is still just fine.

**reellis67** · 16-Jul-2008, 08:12

Film can be safely stored in either the fridge or the freezer, as stated above, if you are going to be storing them for some time. Just remove them an hour or so before use so that they have time to come up to room temperature before you open the packaging.

Chemicals can precipitate out at lower temperatures, and may not dissolve again properly, so I would suggest storing them at room temperature. I've never encountered any problems with storing chemicals at room temperature as long as the bottles were full.

- Randy

**Ralph Barker** · 16-Jul-2008, 08:54

As implied by the previous responses, film "ages" - hence the expiration date. Refrigerating the film slows that aging process, and freezing essentially stops it. (Note that Polaroid films should not be frozen, as doing so adversely affects the chemical pods.)

Thus, whether to refrigerate or freeze depends on how much film one keeps on hand, and how rapidly one plans to use it.

As many of us keep a fair amount of film on hand, rotating the stock for usage, many have refrigerators and/or freezers partially or completely dedicated to film storage. Others simply store the film under "reasonable" conditions, and don't worry too much about the aging. In the end, it's a personal choice, of course.

Also as noted above, I wouldn't cold-store chemicals. Pre-mixed liquid concentrates in their original, un-opened containers typically last for at least a couple of years. Opened containers and mixed-from-dry chemicals will last for shorter periods, varying based on the chemical, concentration, etc. Since much of the degradation, particularly with developers, relates to the air/oxygen content in the container, and the solution's reaction to the oxygen, longer life can be achieved by replacing the air with an inert gas. There was a recent post about a wine-storage device that might be handy for that purpose.