Film & Processing

Q. What is the best way to store film? Is it OK to refrigerate or freeze it?
A. Avoid storing film in hot places, such as on your vehicles dash board or in the glove compartment. If you are storing film for several months before shooting it, then refrigerating it in a moisture-proof container will help slow down the aging process. Freezing is fine--just let the film warm up to room temperature before opening the package.

Q. Why are some color films labeled professional? Do they have better color or finer grain?
A. Pro films are manufactured to tighter tolerances and are shipped from the factory when they are close to their optimum color balance. General consumer films are shipped from the factory earlier, to compensate for unrefrigerated storage and delays in shooting the film and getting it processed.

Q. What does film speed mean and how does it affect picture quality?
A. ISO (International Standards Organization) film speed numbers indicate how sensitive film is to light. The higher the number, the greater the sensitivity. Slow films have the richest color and best sharpness, while fast films are better for stopping action, shooting in dim light without flash, or extending the maximum range of your flash.

Q. What film speed is best for typical family and travel snapshots?
A. For mostly outdoor shooting, use ISO 100 or 200 film. For indoor shots requiring flash, ISO 400 is recommended to extend the flash range out further.

Q. Does slide film produce higher quality photos than print film? Most pros whose photos are published in photo magazines shoot slide film.
A. It depends on how the photo will be used. If you want the final result to be a print, then shoot print film. If you are shooting for publication, then slides are generally preferred. It is possible to make prints from slides, but the cost is higher and there is usually a loss of image quality. On the other hand, the vibrant colors and sharp details of slides projected on a screen are spectacular.

Q. I was given some very old color film that uses obsolete processing. Is there a way to get it developed?
A. Yes, some specialty labs will do it, but the cost is very high and the labs can not guarantee the quality of the results because of the film age and the potential for damage caused by improper storage. You may just want to keep the old film unprocessed as memorabilia.

Q. I have some old slides that I would like to have printed. Is this possible?
A. Yes, labs can make prints from slides.

Q. I have been asked to put on a slide show. Some of the photos I would like to use were taken on print film, not slide film. Can I get slides made from the negatives?
A. Yes, some photofinishers can make color slides from negatives. Or you can use a copystand outfit with a 35mm SLR to copy the prints, with slide film in the camera.

Q. Film processing cost varies quite a bit. What can I expect by having a more expensive lab process my film?
A. Consistantly good quality. A good lab will adjust each negative for color and exposure, not just the first negative on the roll. A symptom of poor processing is color failure, where a large area of a strong color causes all of the colors to shift. For example, if a close-up shot of a lady wearing a red dress results in the red being weak instead of vibrant and the skin tones look greenish, then color failure has occurred. Washed out skin tones in flash photos and dark faces with backlighting outdoors are two other instances where a quality-oriented lab can make good prints, but a low-quality lab probably will not take the time to correct the photos.