How light-tight is the Kodak box?

[Bob McCarthy]

I have always assumed the envelopes are, but

I also believe the triple boxes are the primary source of excluding light. I actually trim off the end of the paper envelope so I can pull out each sheet easier to load holders.

Has worked since early 80's. Then again my film and boxes are never out in the bright of day. Just in subdued light.

The envelope is never removed from the box unless its in darkness.

bob

[Noah A]

Do you really think Kodak or any manufacturer would put film or paper in a package that wasn't completely light-tight. In 40+ years of shooting LF I can't remember ever having an inner bag with holes or tears. Sounds like a fluke, are you sure the box was "factory" sealed, perhaps the box was new but a return from a customer who mishandled the film. Most stores don't give refunds on film and paper for this very reason but perhaps there was an exception. To answer your question: Yes, the inner envelopes are completely light-tight but once they leave the manufacturer anything can happen.

Of course Kodak wouldn't ship film in packaging that's not light-tight. But the three-part box IS light-tight on its own, and the envelope may be light-tight in a perfect world but it's made of coated paper with folds in the corners, and with only slight rubbing I don't see why it's surprising that the corners could wear out.

The film was from Calumet, who do not allow returns on film. In any event I know that the film had just arrived at the store--it was the new Portra film so I asked when the shipment had come in.

The box was still factory sealed. I opened the three-part box in the dark, opened one end, took out the film and loaded it into holders. I then took the envelope into the room light and looked inside. There was clearly light coming through both corners of the intact side of the envelope.

It could have been a fluke, in fact I hope it was. I don't remember having a leaky envelope before either, but then I never took the time to look. The reason I checked was because I plan to do some traveling with film and I was wondering how bad it would be if, say, an airport security agent opened my film box. I came to the conclusion that I don't want anyone opening my film boxes outside of a darkroom or changing bag.

[John Kasaian]

I hate to bear bad news, but...

I had always assumed those envelopes inside Kodak films were light-tight. I was wondering, though, so AFTER I took the film out of one of them I looked at the envelope carefully in room-light.

The material itself seemed to be fairly light-tight, as did the seam (on the intact end, I had opened the other end). However, the corners clearly were worn through and they let lots of light through. It was sort of like corner pinholes in a bad bellows. But I could clearly see light passing through as the material had worn in the corners. The envelope had not been handled a lot. It was a ten-sheet box that I loaded all at once into holders.

So, hopefully you're ok, but in general I assume that the Kodak envelopes are NOT light-tight.

I'd definitely test a sheet or two before shooting anything important with the film.

How old was the film? What condition were the outer boxes? Kodak packaging, IMHO is second to none.I 'd suspect that either your film is either a veteran of Bataan Death March or The Great Yellow Father in Rochester is starting to jump the shark on packaging.

It just dosen't sound like something Kodak would let leave the factory.

[Vlad Soare]

Personally, I prefer Ilford's black plastic envelopes (identical to those used for photo papers). Those are much easier to handle in the dark and don't need to be ripped open, so they can be reused over and over.
But, of course, the type of envelope is not necessarily a good criterion for choosing one film or another.

[Sal Santamaura]

Personally, I prefer Ilford's black plastic envelopes (identical to those used for photo papers). Those are much easier to handle in the dark and don't need to be ripped open, so they can be reused over and over...

The Kodak vapor-seal envelopes are best cut, not ripped, open. Their major advantage is that the film is packaged in low relative humidity conditions, then hermitically sealed in the envelope. This permits placing unopened packages directly in a freezer without being concerned about film damage, something one can't do with Ilford's product.

The Ilford black plastic envelope and hinged stiffener inside are definitely easier to handle. Whenever I use Kodak film, it gets placed in spare Ilford packaging after the vapor-seal envelope is cut open. Not fair, but more convenient.