Re: [Leica] Film in the Fridge

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

Other Dan...
No dumb questions here- just some mighty peculiar answers, at times!

Actually, storing it in the freezer might be a better idea. Anytime the
temperature of the film is elevated, there is cumulative damage- I can
remember the horrible color shifts in film that was left in the trunk of a
car for only an afternoon; the lab joke was to see if it would print better
as B&W than color!
I carry mine in a small cooler with one of the re-usable re-freezable
ice-packs, and keep it in there when it is not in my camera or vest pocket.
Actually, time and temperature have two deleterious effects on film,
particularly exposed film.
One- staying on topic about the difference between giddy and pumped- is that
the electrons that are hit by photons are displaced in the silver-halide
complex, and are PUMPED as it were to another energy level. They gradually
loose this energy and actually become 'unexposed'. Normally, there are so
many pumped electrons that a few days at normal temps will not effect film,
but over a period of time the laten image can deteriorate. The ratio betwee
exposure and unexposure varies with the intensity of the light. It is one of
the reasons we have what is known as reciprocity failure- if the exposure is
too long, and the light too little, the percentage of electrons that fall
back to their normal energy states leaving others- PUMPED- increases so a
longer exposure is called for. Astronomers counter this when making long
slow exposures of the night sky, where photons can be counted on your
fingers and toes (hyperbole) that they cool the emulsion, used to be with
liquid ntrogen.
Two- heat is represented by the absorption of energy, primarily infra-red,
or with most chemical reactions. Heat excites electrons! Neddless to say,
that even with some of them 'falling' out of their excited state, if enough
energy is added to the film, then the balance of the several emulsions in
color film, and the sensitivity of B&W will be affected.
Thus- heat and extraneous light are film's greatest enemy (Unless you do
your own developing, then the photographer can rank right up there with
'Hazards to Film!')

Now, GO, shoot film, keep a smaller cooler in the trunk of your car or motel
room when traveling, bask in the light, and worry not about heat, but more
pressing matters- like whether to use the 75 Summilux, or the 90 Summicron
on the next shot!

Dan ( one of many, it seems....) Post
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Honemann <ddh@home.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2000 2:16 PM
Subject: [Leica] Film in the Fridge


> Ok, here's a dumb question, but I'm curious....  I know keeping unexposed
> film in the refrigerator helps keep it from fermenting (or whatever it is
> film does) till you're ready to shoot with it, but is it helpful to keep
> _exposed_ film refrigerated until it's ready to be processed?
>
> I have nearly a dozen rolls of exposed film (everything from Kodachrome 25
> to Supra 800) that I won't be able to have processed for another week or
so,
> and temperatures will be in the upper 80's to mid 90's around here.  Does
it
> make sense to store it in the fridge till I'm ready to process it?
>
> How have they stored all of Winogrand's unexposed film?
>
> Dan
>