Warbird Information Exchange

About a week ago I ordered 12 rolls of Kodachrome 64 slide film from a company in California via the internet. The film arrived today and I was surprised to find the expiration date was 05/07. I have never received film where the expiration date was less than a year away. I now find they do not exchange or refund film. Do you think they should have made me aware of the close expiration date before selling me the film?

How long does the manufacturer say the expiration date is from when the film is made?

Probably why they sent it and why they do not exchange or refund...better start shooting soon or ask Kodak how stable it is past the expiration date. You might be surprised. Have you thought of announcing your dissatisfaction on Internet to warn others? And, how about going digital.....? I finally took the plunge and have never looked back...(still have some Kodachrome 64 sitting in drawers somewhere).

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"I don't think the big stuff is going come down for quite awhile" Caddyshack

I have used Kodak slide and negative film well past the expiration date with good results. If you keep in stored in a cool dry place it should be good for at least a year past the date.

Funny, I haven't shot any slide in at least 10 years, and very little film at all in the past 2-3 years.

All I need now is a Digital SLR...I have run up against the limits of point and shoot digitals..

It's only $$$ right?

Z

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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it will be okay......... look at those "recently found" bogus pearl harbor brownie camera pics!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

National Geographic has sworn by Kodachrome for yesrs to point of ordering entire runs just for them to get utmost on quality. That said, I agree that you're probably alright. I shot a mix of Kodachrome, E-6 and C-41 for years. I would have shot more kodachrome but I was getting the "other" film and processing for free most of the time. Looking back at images, the Kodachrome holds up best and looks the most accurate for color (E-6 seems to have a bluish tint). My favorite shot is a Kodachrome shot that was from an expired roll that then was lost for months in a seabag thrown in a garage and subjected to temperature extremes before processing. The result wasn't off a bit:



VF-102 Tomcat returning to USS America after CAP mission in Gulf of Sidra following raid on Libya (sunrise, not sunset). Photo by HJ

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"I don't think the big stuff is going come down for quite awhile" Caddyshack

Assuming that this is regular consumer film and not the pro stuff that you have to keep in the fridge, your film is the perfect age. All films begin color-shifting the day they leave the factory, unless refrigerated. Consumer film is manufactured under the assumption that it will not be used for several months, therefore it is designed to reach the "right" color balance several months in the future, probably pretty close to the expiry date. Film that has just left the factory will generally be just as "off" in color as film that is a year or two outdated. If you are going to shoot the film this spring or summer, it will be absolutely fine to use.

Indeed, a lot of photographers are wary of using consumer film that is too young for the reasons stated above, and prefer to "age" their film until it gets close to the expiry date. One main difference between pro film and consumer film is that pro film is designed to be at the right color balance when it leaves the factory, therefore no guesswork, you put it in the fridge to retard any color shift and use it ASAP and with confidence.

For that matter, films are more stable now than in the past and Kodachrome historically is one of the most stable. I frequently buy both slide and C-41 films at or after their expiry dates because they are discounted and I know that the colors will be fine. Indeed, if your workflow is like mine (shoot film then scan and print), the scanner or Photoshop will take care of any color balance issues without you even noticing it.

The vendor probably should have disclosed to you that the film was stale, just as a matter of not being deceptive, but no harm no foul.

August