8x10 Film Shipping and Heat

[mccormickstudio]

I managed to shoot up all of my 8x10 c-41 film which I ordered in the cool of springtime and now I'm desperate to order some more film to finish shooting for a September show. Does anyone have experience ordering 8x10 film and shipping it in the summertime? I usually order from B&H or Freestyle, but I'm wondering if anyone will ship the film in a cold container (dry ice?) Or does anyone know of a location near Indianapolis that sells 8x10 c-41? Columbus or Chicago maybe? Should I risk ordering in the heat?

Thanks.

[Gene McCluney]

Yes, I have 40 years experience of ordering Large Format film (all sizes) in Color and b/w, in the hottest part of summer here in Arkansas (100+ degrees) and have never experienced any heat related problems. You need to realize that the film is shipped to your vendor from the film factory in common carriers, truck lines, package delivery services or US Mail. No climate control. Film is warranted to be free of defects when you get it. If there EVER was a problem with shipping, the film manufacturers would change the way they ship. You can order your film with confidence, any time of the year.

If you use Ilford, Foma, Efke or Fuji, all these are shipped by boat in large un-airconditioned containers, and it takes weeks to get here. If there was a problem, then it would be widespread. I have never, ever heard of a "heat damage" complaint regarding film shipping to the customer. It is not a day or two of higher temperatures that damages film anyway.

[windpointphoto]

I managed to shoot up all of my 8x10 c-41 film which I ordered in the cool of springtime and now I'm desperate to order some more film to finish shooting for a September show. Does anyone have experience ordering 8x10 film and shipping it in the summertime? I usually order from B&H or Freestyle, but I'm wondering if anyone will ship the film in a cold container (dry ice?) Or does anyone know of a location near Indianapolis that sells 8x10 c-41? Columbus or Chicago maybe? Should I risk ordering in the heat?

Thanks.

Just order it. It'll be fine. The problem was in the past with color neg film. And even then the UPS truck whould deliver it after being shipped for days from Kodak, we'd put it in the store cooler, wedding photographers would come in on friday, do the wedding on saturday and bring it in for processing on monday. Then we'd ship it to the lab in a truck. All year long including August. Never a problem. How do you think it gets to the camera store? Packed in dry ice? Come on... Look where Ilford is made. And it's shipped to the stores how? In the time it took to post this and read the many opinions you'll receive you could have had the film in one day from Calumet. Or here's a thought...test it yourself. Expose a sheet, put in your car for a few days and see what happens. Then you'll know!

[Brian Ellis]

Think about how long it probably sat in some un-air conditioned warehouse(s) or in a box car on a RR siding before it ever was shipped to you.

[mccormickstudio]

OK, I ordered it. I had a tragic experience when I lived in Houston where a box of 50 sheets of 4x5 c-41 was heat-damaged. Something you only discover after shooting and processing, of course. Maybe I'll call my therapist and work through it.

Thanks for the reassurance!

[Gene McCluney]

OK, I ordered it. I had a tragic experience when I lived in Houston where a box of 50 sheets of 4x5 c-41 was heat-damaged. Something you only discover after shooting and processing, of course. Maybe I'll call my therapist and work through it.

Thanks for the reassurance!

If it was heat damaged, then something strange happened to it in some point of its transit from the manufacturer to you. I have never experienced that problem. Usually you know when a package is to arrive, and if it is significantly longer in arrival, then I would suspect issues.