So who will take the last Polaroid? (Keeping qualities of various Polaroid stock)

[Frank Petronio]

So which type of Polaroid material will be the best keeper over the long haul?

Estimate how many years out-of-date you could still use it?

What are the optimal storage conditions?

Of the 4x5 (545 holder) B&W materials, which one will be the best keeper? 52 or 54 or ?

What's the most out of date Polaroid you've used and still gotten good results?

And what qualities does it loose the most with age? Consistency, speed, evenness, or what?

We could start a pool to see who can make the best Polaroid in 2013 or so...

[David A. Goldfarb]

I find it gets wonky after a couple of years, but it probably depends on the ambient humidity and temperature. The first problem usually seems to be undeveloped corners from the pods drying out, and then color balance for the color materials.

[Gary L. Quay]

I have a pack of Polaroid roll film from the 1960s. I have the camera it was made for in good working condition. I really don't expect anything, but it'll be a fun hour or so. I'll post here if I get anything.

--Gary

[Steven Barall]

I'm sure that although no one would admit it, one of the fist Polaroids was of a naked woman and I'm sure that one of the last Polaroid will be of a naked woman, hopefully a different woman though.

[BrianShaw]

I find it gets wonky after a couple of years, (to blatently steal a great opening phrase) even when in the factory sealed box and stored in "ideal" conditions. If I were to try my luck, though, I'd bet on T-52... mostly because if it survives storage it is such nice film!

[Eric Woodbury]

I just bought 60 Spectra pix and will shoot it all this summer. That's it for me.

[Frank Petronio]

I rediscovered my SX70 only to learn that they stopped making that film a couple of years ago and old out of date 10-packs are selling for upwards of $100 on eBay!!!

[Bill_1856]

Type 55 has been the worst for me, type 52 the best.

[David Beal]

Two years for type 55, but (1) I kept it on the (cooler) first floor of my house, as far from heating vents as possible, and (2) YMMV.

To keep my remaining Type 55 fresh, I have a box tucked into the vegetable crisper of the 'fridge. The temperature is a uniform 40 F.

Good shooting to us all.

/s/ David

[Vaughn]

I can make images on Type 55 that expired in the late 80's and early to mid 90's...but I would not trust it for one-of-a-kind, never-to-happen-again situations...but it still works, sort of. (Stored in the fridge for the last ten+ years).

Interesting thing happened, though...I underexposed some accidently, cleared them in a tray of water in the sun and some of the negs solarized and became mostly positives. Very strange!

Vaughn