Re: [APML]: Film

[mark.kaye@sympatico.ca]

>1 - Is there a limit to the length of time, after exposure, that you can
>keep film prior to developing?  If so, what is it?  If there is a limit,
>can it be extended by controlling factors such as temperature or
>humidity?

   With any film, it is best to develop it as soon as is possible.  Of 
course, this is not always practical.  Once I start to shoot a roll, I try 
and finish it as soon as I can.  However, I have in the past exposed film and 
then left it for a long time (months) before finishing a roll and the images 
were fine.  It is hard to say how they would have been if the film had been 
developed immediately.  Now I store our camera bodies in the fridge in an 
airtight plastic bag once I start a roll as keeping film cool is the best way 
to preserve both the film and an image.  Be sure to "thaw" your camera in the 
bag before taking any pictures, humidity is also bad for film.
   If the film was gas hypered, that is another matter entirely.  It should 
be used as soon as humanly possible and developed right away.

>2 - Since astrophotography consumes a lot of time, several hours per
>shot for deep space exposures, do you normally use full rolls of 24 or
>36 exposure film?  Do you try to shoot the entire roll in one night or
>combine several nights of shooting on one roll. Can you cut the film to
>just a few exposures to avoid wasting?

   I combine several nights on one roll of unhypered film.  Cutting and 
developing is really only an necessary if you are using hypered film.  Then, 
you have to process it yourself, unless you know your dark room specialist 
well.  One hour photo huts tend to balk at anything off the beaten track and 
waiting for film to be sent out imposes stress on hypered film.
   Clear skies!
               MK

http://www3.sympatico.ca/mark.kaye/