Using expired film to test cameras: a lesson

[abdoujaparov]

"I need to see if this car-boot compact works. I'll use this roll of expired consumer film from an unknown source so I don't waste a massively valuable roll of Poundland film".

I'm an idiot, I really am. Massively underexposed, colour-shift. Usable info gained on said compact: the shutter opens and the film is transported. Now I'm going to have to put a roll of in-date film through anyway to see if it's exposing properly and if the IQ is worth keeping.

It's not even just the one compact . . .

 

[abdoujaparov]

Oh, yeah, an example. It actually looks like the IQ would be pretty nice, with proper film. Pentax Espio zoom jobby.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

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No idea if this could be of any inspiration
to you, Keith but I fiddled a bit and got this:

​

 

[abdoujaparov]

Cheers M. Kodiak! Yeah, the lens looks sharp enough, assuming the poor exposure is all down to the crappy film.

 

[RaglanSurf]

That's the thing about testing, you need to control the variables. It's not a pound for nothing.

 

[abdoujaparov]

That's the thing about testing, you need to control the variables. It's not a pound for nothing.

Indeed.

Different compact, in-date Vista. Test: success.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

…assuming the poor exposure is all down to the crappy film.

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Old films will retain their sensibility to light though,
generally, the emulsion will render a nasty cast.

 

[abdoujaparov]

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Old films will retain their sensibility to light though,
generally, the emulsion will render a nasty cast.

The rule of thumb is an extra stop of exposure per decade. I think this one was at least a decade old, and for all I know had been stored on a radiator. I should just throw it all away, there's no excuse for using it when AGFA Vista exists.

 

[Nod]

TBH, if testing an unknown camera, I would use slide film rather than print. The extra steps in the printing process and the extra latitude of print film would allow too much variation from "correct" exposures while slide needs much closer exposure.

 

[Cannyekerslike]

I would use slide film rather than print

I can see where you are coming from but most slide films cost more than I uaually pay for film camera and it takes very little practice to learn how to grade film negatives.....