A few months ago, I purchased a pack of 8 expired Kodak Max 400 film (24 frames) for a very cheap price. Until now, the pack is still my go-to for “everyday” casual shooting. Since I’m down to my last roll, I thought it’s a good time to share what a whole roll of expired film looks like so you’ll have a general idea of what to expect. My batch expired in 2007, and as a rule of thumb, you should shoot at one stop overexposed for every decade the film has expired. So technically I should be shooting the film at iso 100 but instead, I shot it rated at iso 200 to get a little more versatility. So here you go, 24 frames of expired goodness.
P.S. Always manage your expectations when shooting an expired film.
Wait! Just a quick tip when buying/using an expired film. First, it is better to consider how the film was stored. A cold-stored film tends to hold its quality much better than one that is stored in a humid environment. Though it’s practically impossible to know how the film is stored especially if it has been expired for decades, the next best thing to do is to store the expired film in a refrigerator as soon as you get it. Second, if you buy it in bulk, be sure to test 1 roll first and have it developed to see how the photos come up. Considering that the bulk is stored the same way, the result will most probably be the same with the rest of the films. Third, don’t buy an expired film if it’s not at least 1/2 of the price of a fresh film, a bit more if it’s expired more recently and you know it is stored properly.
And now, to the photos:
As you can see, it’s not bad for a 2 decade expired film. There is definitely degradation when it comes to the quality but hey, you get what you pay for… right? The most obvious fault for me is the color shifts and grainy images, but turn this into black and white and you are golden. Or don’t, some black and white films are as cheap as expired films nowadays. I wouldn’t use expired film on more serious works, especially if you’re building a portfolio or a serious film photographer, but for casual shoots, I’m more than happy with the results. Another observation is that the film performed best in good light, mainly outdoors. The faults are more pronounced when shooting in low light conditions as seen on the next set below.
Although this wouldn’t stop me from shooting expired film in low light, I would highly recommend just shooting it in broad daylight. More light = better results.
So there you have it, shooting expired film will yield some results but it all comes down to taste. Some people will like it, others won’t. Also, there is always a risk of getting a bad batch and just wasting a whole roll for nothing. Still, if you’re still at edge on whether expired films are for you, I’ll say just go for it and have fun with the mystery. I know this wouldn’t be my last roll.
Again, thank you for reading my blog and please don’t forget to comment or share if you like what you’ve read. Also please follow me on my socials. And as promised, here are more photos to complete the 24 frames. Paalam!
King 