Refridgerator versus Freezer

[neil poulsen]

I searched the archives, but could find much that had both "refrigerator" and "freezer" in the same thread.

As to the question, what are the relative merits of using a freezer versus a refrigerator for preserving film and black and white paper?

One advantage of a freezer chest, is that it's easy to store 16x20 paper in it, versus the expense involved in finding a refrigerator large enough to hold same.

Other advantages, disadvantages of either?

[Steve Goldstein]

Most (all?) chemical reactions slow down with decreasing temperature. My film, paper, and select chems (Amidol and Glycin powders) live in the deep freeze, around -30C last I checked. I have a separate stand-up freezer - while a chest would be more efficient, it doesn't fit the available space, and a stand-up makes my bad back happier too. Everything lives in zip-type plastic bags so if there's ever a long-term power failure they won't get ruined by thawing, dripping food.

Polaroid and, I presume, Fuji instant films should not be frozen.

The cost issue is another matter entirely. Modern freezers are pretty efficient, but two appliances certainly use more energy than one. On the other hand, the increase in storage volume provided by a dedicated freezer is impressive.

[Sal Santamaura]

Read this thread:


http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/100448-freezer-film-storage.html

[C. D. Keth]

Modern freezers are pretty efficient, but two appliances certainly use more energy than one. On the other hand, the increase in storage volume provided by a dedicated freezer is impressive.

Remember that the efficiency of a fridge or freezer increases as it gets more full. ;)

[neil poulsen]

Interesting Apug thread. Thanks for mentioning it. (By the way, a single counter-example does not disprove the (null) hypothesis.)

It seems reasonable that lower temperatures reduces activity that much more. Plus, there was only a single case in this thread of someone losing frozen film, and that could have been the result of a different cause.

The question I'm interested in exploring is whether or not freezers might be too cold for film or paper.

[Steve Goldstein]

I have never noted a problem with freezer-stored film, either black-and-white or color transparency, some of which has been frozen for years and is well past the expiration dates. It would be interesting to do sensitometric studies on B&W materials as a function of time in freezer storage, but I'd rather do other things ;)

I recently shot some 2004-dated always-frozen Provia and the colors and exposure were dead accurate. And I've never had an issue with any black-and-white film I've pulled out.

You might post this question over on APUG, or send a PM there to user "Photo Engineer". That's Ron Mowrey, who worked at Kodak for many years, and freely shares his vast knowledge with the film community.

[BrianShaw]

I have never noted a problem with freezer-stored film, either black-and-white or color transparency, some of which has been frozen for years and is well past the expiration dates. It would be interesting to do sensitometric studies on B&W materials as a function of time in freezer storage, but I'd rather do other things ;)


... and same for me, except substitute "refrigerator" for 'freezer'. :D

[BrianShaw]

Here is a good source to use for reference material on this and other storage topics... but, beware, there is a LOT of information:

http://www.wilhelm-research.com/

He seems to prefer freezing based on his considerable research.