Freezer full of LF slide film, time capsule

[Tin Can]

I first heard of a freezer full of LF film a year ago. Sounded good, so I offered $100 sight unseen and without any real description. Never heard back. Today I get a text, come NOW and get it for free. Still no description, but told to bring a car, and come in 30 minutes. I was still in bed. I don't own a car. I said OK, got a ZipCar and just made the deadline.

Into an huge old photo-district studio, with tons of gear, like 50 Mole hot lights on stands in a row. The guy was in a hurry, he offered the freezer and all contents. I took only the contents. Took 30 minutes.

I got LF color slide 8x10, 4x5, quick-loads and all size Polaroid and Fuji. No B&W. Didn't have a chance to think or choose.

Got it home and let it thaw as some boxes had ice on them, others had mold...some were pristine.

Tonight I sorted by type. I started checking boxes. The film that had been opened from the inner paper/foil packs was ruined by being stuck together. Many boxes, all NG. I opened some sealed 4X5 and that film was not stuck together and easily separated, so maybe OK.

The film is old, either 2002 for the slide film and 2005 for the Fujiroid. The Fuji 4X5 and 3X4 may be OK as it's in foil packs. The quick-loads are dry and sealed. The 8X10 Polaroid is junk, too bad. The Polaroid 59 is dry and looks good.

The end all is, I have 100's of 8x10 Ektachrome 64 and Fuji RTP 64T sheets, most still sealed. And the same in 4x5.

I know this stuff mistreated, it may be all garbage, but some say never toss film, so I won't. I will shoot a few soon and have it pro developed to give it a chance, if that looks good I will set up for color processing, as this could add up! I know color will be odd, but it's Art. Maybe.

The moral of the story is, I'm not so sure freezing film is the greatest long term method, especially the way these guys did it. I just refroze all the sealed boxes, but the loose stuff is in the refrigerator. The film I keep like that is never water damaged from frost, remains loose and usable.

Nothing is for sale, do not ask.

Just a story.

[koraks]

I'm looking forward to the results! If it turns out to be usable, you'll spend all the money you saved on E6 chemistry seriously though, you may end up with some gorgeous 8x10 transparencies. How cool would that be?

[analoguey]

Nothing is for sale, do not ask.

Most amusing line in that story :-P

Didn't you take any pics?

(what's zipcar btw?)

[480sparky]

Free stuff is great, but sometimes can get quite expensive.

By the time you characterize old film, you may end up spending more time and developing than what fresh stuff is worth.

And it sucks to go out and shoot a bunch of stuff, spend the money to develop it, then end up with a box of crap.

[Paul Cunningham]

Congratulations and good luck!
I'm pretty sure this is the LFF equivalent of a Penthouse letter.

[Steve Goldstein]

I just used some always-frozen Provia dated 2002 and it was fine. If the Polaroid was frozen it's likely ruined, Polaroid always used to say that freezing would damage the chemistry. But give it a try.

[vinny]

That film is fresh in my book!
I emptied a guys freezer several years ago in a similar fashion and filled my entire subaru. Most of it was/is good and far older that your stuff. One man's junk is another hipster's gold. Sell that polaroid.

[jp]

2002 isn't that old if it was kept sealed. I shot some early 90's ektar25 this fall that was stored in an unknown manner. It still have the same quality and consistency, plus a little extra base fog which was easy to scan just the same. You could potentially ebay some of this stuff once you test it for serious $.

[diversey]

Amazing story!

[SergeiR]

Randy , i am with you. I do not deep freeze my film. Hell - i most of time don't even fridge it, to be honest, but then i rarely have it around for longer than couple years