Thawing Sheet Film (again)

[domaz]

And what about the rest of the film in the package? You're advising a relative newcomer to risk ruining expensive film when he doesn't have to, and your logic is specious.

If you leave the rest of the film in it's plastic bag and just quick take out one sheet at a time and close the plastic bag then the amount of air you are exposing it to is very small. If your changing bag is bone dry (I always make sure of this before I load frozen film) then the amount of humid air is tiny. Sure it's a risk but it's about the same level of risk as having a light leak develop in my changing tent IMO (low but possible).

[E. von Hoegh]

If you leave the rest of the film in it's plastic bag and just quick take out one sheet at a time and close the plastic bag then the amount of air you are exposing it to is very small. If your changing bag is bone dry (I always make sure of this before I load frozen film) then the amount of humid air is tiny. Sure it's a risk but it's about the same level of risk as having a light leak develop in my changing tent IMO (low but possible).

My changing bag is a darkroom.
A couple guys have survived jumping off the Brooklyn bridge, should I jump? No, didn't think so. I'm glad you can afford to risk throwing away film, and possibly irreplaceable images.

[Kevin M Bourque]

"...and your logic is specious."

I'm curious to know what part of my argument is invalid. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

As I said, I've never had a problem putting cold film in a holder and waiting a little while. You're welcome to disagree, of course.

[E. von Hoegh]

You guys are too funny.

And Kevin, it's your entire argument that is specious.

[Vaughn]

Since the factors that can cause problems vary -- specifically, film temperature, room temperature and Relative Humidity -- one must be careful on giving advise based on owns own personal experience since the those factors might be significantly different for someone else.

The RH of my house can run from 50% to the upper 70%'s. However someone in Sante Fe in the winter might be in the teens or lower percentage...and it would hard to suck any moisture out of the air then!

Vaughn

[Drew Wiley]

I had the habit of cushioning and insulating both my camera and film boxes by wrapping
them up in my goosedown coat inside my backpack. Sometimes the last day of a trip
I'd pack the whole thing up early AM at 12000 ft in the high country, then down the
trail I'd go, right down into the desert. I could be 105, but when I pulled my camera or
film out, it was still completely cold. Everything would instantly fog, even six or eight
hours after it was packed. Goosedown is a great warm to keep a soda cold too! But
funny how every film mfg out there tells you to let things acclimate for at least three
hours before opening. Hmmm ... are they full of bull too??

[Nathan Potter]

"...and your logic is specious."

I'm curious to know what part of my argument is invalid. Seems pretty straightforward to me.

As I said, I've never had a problem putting cold film in a holder and waiting a little while. You're welcome to disagree, of course.

I don't think Kevin is relating an argument to us but just an experience. We draw our own conclusions based on his experience and what others have said. IMHO the propensity for condensation on film depends on the dewpoint of the ambient air, and of course, the actual temperature of the film when exposed to the air. I double bag partially opened film in polypro bags (from ULine) and just let them thaw overnite. No problems yet with that approach.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I don't think Kevin is relating an argument to us but just an experience. We draw our own conclusions based on his experience and what others have said.

I agree.

So, to be on the safe side, keep your film in ziplock bags when in the freezer and let them sit for a couple of hours to get used to surrounding temperature when you take them out. It has a lot to do with your room's RH. I found that out the hard way when I lived in Japan... very very humid...very very bad. Here, much drier, but I still wouldn't take the chance. This is based on my experience.

[Drew Wiley]

Please reread my last anecdote. I was getting condensation in desert afternoons where the humidity was probably under 5% simply due to the sudden temperature
change. You might argue that there was more moisture inside the camera or inside
the holders - possibly, but the higher mtn air itself is generally very dry too. So I
learned to wait a few minutes before making any exposures. And that's a best-case
scenario. Last month I actually had a couple of sheets pop during a long exposure
in the rain due to humidity or temp change. It happens. I prefer adhesive holders for
critical work, but generally use them only for color. But I have had condensation form on the film a few times and have the resulting dev film basically look like little
water droplets contact printed on it, which was essentially the real case. And around
here at least, the microclimates can change dramatically within a few miles or less. I'm not trying to deny instances when people have gotten away breaking the conventional recommendations, or ascibe it merely to luck; but change the working
parameters a bit, and you might not be so lucky next time!

[Brian Ellis]

I think you're making too much of a simple thing. Take it out of the freezer, let it sit for a while (nothing like overnight, an hour or so at room temperature will be plenty), then load it and use it. I've often used 120 film straight out of the freezer without any problem. I don't think I've done that with sheet film though.