In the Urban Exploration hobby there is a concept of a risk to reward ratio. The idea is that an explorer needs to determine if the risk of entering the abandoned building is worth the reward of what might be seen inside. In my case, if I saw an abandoned house in an active neighbourhood, I might think that the risk of getting caught inside what could be a mundane house is not worth the potential reward of having a perfectly intact time-capsule. Another explorer might think differently. But if I saw an abandoned factory, I would probably think that the risk of getting caught was worth the reward of being presented with a massive factory to poke around and explore. This same principle can be applied to my working with expired film, old developers, and old cameras. Sometimes the risk of having something not work, is worth the reward of having it work and getting to try a developer, film, or camera that isn’t made anymore.
When it comes to using old and expired things, the number one thing that almost every photographer has come across is film. But of all the things to work with that are past prime, the one that often has the highest reward-to-risk ratio is film. You’re more likely to get images out of old films without too much added risk. Of course, there are things to look out for. First, and probably the best thing to check, is how the film was stored. If it’s been stored in a fridge or freezer, you’re more likely to get better results. Also, you’re a lot better off with traditional black & white films than colour film, and in the colour realm, colour negative is probably a safer bet than slide. Now, that doesn’t mean avoiding colour altogether, but you do need to be more cautious. I’ve had good luck with colour film and some bad luck also. Now you should also look at the speed; slower films are less likely to experience bad ageing than faster ones. I’ve had far more luck with films at ASA 100 or lower in their expired state than with ASA 400 or higher. Now you also have to pay attention to the expiry date; the older the film, the greater the risk of failure. There are things you can do to mitigate the risk, such as shooting it slower than box speed; a stop per decade is the general guideline. Also, using a strong developer, keeping temps colder, or adding an anti-fogging agent. These days, I tend to stick to expired films with dates no more than 30 years past the expiry date. Another thing to watch out for is the film’s origin and format. You’re going to encounter fewer problems with 35mm film than with paper-backed roll film. Older paper will leech onto the emulsion, leaving weird patterns. These are more visible in films from Europe, especially those from behind the Iron Curtain, less so in films from North America or Japan. Another problem with roll films is that they can stick together and even have failure in the tape holding the film onto the backs. When it comes to instant film, the older it gets the more problems you’re likely to encounter and they can cause even more havoc than with traditional films. The biggest problem is that the chemical packs are dried out, so you won’t get an even coat. Now there’s nothing that can tell you that a chemical pack is toast until you start to use and process the films. While you do have more wiggle room with traditional films, instant films you probably want to avoid anything over 15 years old at this point. Also with pack film you’re at a greater risk mostly due to cost. One final note, try to avoid spending money and taking time to shoot films where the process is no longer being used, anything Kodachrome, older colour negative and slide films. While you can technically process them in B&W chemistry, it isn’t worth the time/risk/cost.
While with film you have a good chance of getting expired film developed, using expired film developers can prove even more stressful. There are two main types of film developers: those that you mix from liquid. These are ones where you mix concentrate with water to form a working solution (or even a stock solution), and those where you combine a powder with water to form a stock solution. Of these two, the safest is powder. But first, like film, the first thing you can do to help mitigate your risk is to find out how the developer was stored. Powder developer should be stored in a cool, dry place. And a liquid developer likes the same conditions, but also dark. One of the rewards to using old/discontinued developers is that you can get access to developers that aren’t in production anymore and often provide a different look and feel to your film, especially if you’re working with expired film stocks that you want to get as close to the original look as possible. However, there are things that you have to look out for. Like films, developers also have a shelf life, often even shorter. Now the shelf life applies more to the liquid concentrate. For powder developers, it is essential to ensure that the pouch has not been compromised. If it’s completely sealed, there is a good chance the powder will mix and form a functioning developer. For liquid developers, check the concentrate for crystals, sediment, and deep colours; deep yellow and dark red often mean the developer is past its prime. I’ve twice encountered a bad liquid developer, and in both cases I ended up with blank negatives, two sheets of Delta 100 and a roll of HP5+ and Kentmere 200. And again, make sure the containers are perfectly sealed and have no compromised seals. If the bottle is open and partly used, it’s not worth your time. If you are going to give it a shot, try it with a throw-away roll first. With developers, you’re running a significant risk of using them in their expired state.
Of all the old photography things to work with, cameras and lenses can be the best and the worst things to work with. The worst is that they are often the most costly to obtain; many older cameras have not only retained their value but also increased in value as the popularity of film photography and the adaptation of vintage lenses to modern mirrorless and cine cameras has taken off. While market value isn’t always an indication of actual value, buying a Pentax K1000 costs a lot more now than it did when the cameras were new, not to mention the Canon AE-1 Program. But compared to film and developers, a camera or a lens, depending on what it is, can be fixed and maintained to return it to near-new operations; the same can’t be said of consumables. There’s no way to de-age emulsion or revitalise developers. That said, there are still risks associated with buying used gear. The first one is that the seller may try to hide problems with a camera or lens behind the lingo. I’ve gone and purchased cameras from online sellers with good reviews, only to find that certain aspects of the cameras aren’t working. Descriptions can obscure things, so a lens that has ‘minor cleaning marks’ actually had some serious marks on the elements. Like before, you can always mitigate the risk of not getting what you think you are by going to trusted sources. I’m not talking about trusted sellers on eBay (unless you know the person), but about actual stores that sell used gear, or online stores like B&H, KEH, and Kamarastore, plus many more. These are companies that stand by their products and even offer warranties. Another thing to do is if you do get used gear, try to get it serviced as quickly as possible. There are still people out there who work on old cameras and lenses and can get them back to like-new condition. But not all cameras are made equal in this case; some older electronic cameras often are not touched by the service folks today, and the fully electronic cameras of the 1980s to 2000s are gone if they die. Same with lenses: older ones can be serviced, while electronic ones may pose a problem. When you’re looking at cameras with fabric elements (bellows, shutters), check for pinholing and use a flashlight to look for anything that could cause light leaks. While some can be fixed with McGyvered solutions, others are more serious. And there are some folks out there who can manufacture bellows online. Most mechanical leaf shutters are easy to service. And you might even want to buy an older Soviet camera for some practice in home repair. A couple more things: if you’re buying to use the camera, check that you can still get film and batteries for it.
Like anything, there are steps you can take to mitigate your risks and ensure that when you spend money on anything old and photography-related, you’re making a wise investment. The best thing to look for is whether you trust the seller and whether they are up front about how things are stored, and whether their descriptions are accurate. Personally, when it comes to film, I have a small selection of people I’m willing to buy from, and for cameras and developers, that number is even smaller. Trust is the biggest thing in the game. If you trust the person, there’s a good chance they’re not going to risk breaking that trust to make money off you. Like when I was exploring, the best thing to do is trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel or look right, there’s a chance you’re right, no matter what the other person says. And it’s better to walk away than to be burned and lose a pile of money.