8mm Forum: Super 8 Film in Heat and Humidity?

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Topic: Super 8 Film in Heat and Humidity?

Harrison Rice
Junior
Posts: 1
From: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Registered: Oct 2019

posted November 02, 2019 02:15 PM

Hello everyone!
This is my first post here! I’m relatively new to Super 8 film and have an interesting situation which I would like some advice on.
So Im currently doing Peace Corps in Paraguay and really wanted to bring my camera and some film along. My accommodations unfortunately don’t provide much relief from the heat and humidity that comes with the Paraguayan summers. I won’t be able to develop any film for quite some time as I’m a little skeptical about mailing internationally and won’t have any visitors for a while. Lately Ive just kept all the rolls I’m not using in their packaging and in the darkest corner of my room. However as I said my room still gets quite hot and humid.

Does anyone have any experience w film in these conditions? Is there anything I could be doing differently? I did bring some dry bags and some ziplocks along which could help.
Thanks so much! I’m happy to be a part of this community and to learn from you all.

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Dominique De Bast
Film God

Posts: 4486
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jun 2013

posted November 02, 2019 02:43 PM

Hello Harrisson. I brought twice a camera in Paraguay (a 9.5 one and a super 8 camera) but for a very limited time and in big cities [Smile]

I only shot at the Iguazu falls (in Argentina and Brazil). Hope you will be able to use your camera.

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Dominique

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 02, 2019 02:44 PM

Hi Harrison,

Film comes in sealed envelopes: very well protected from humidity, so already that's not a problem.

If you have access to a refrigerator, that takes care of the temperature problem.

Post-exposure you could ziplock the film and then put it back in the 'fridge. If nothing else, when you take the cold film out of the refrigerator the sealed bag will prevent condensation on the film if the room air is humid. Even here I let the film warm up before I unseal it.

(We had a ditzy house guest a while back. She asked my wife: "Why do you keep all this cheese in the bottom of your 'fridge?!"...The brand name of that particular "cheese" was "Kodak"!)

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1131
From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005

posted November 03, 2019 08:00 AM

Ha Ha

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 03, 2019 11:26 PM

Fresh films would not have any significant impact to regular humidity (room temperature) as long as you use it under the expiration date. They are still OK although you do not keep them in freezer. The bad things is today's cart does no longer the expiration date so you need to exactly know when the cartridge was manufactured.

Normally the expiration date is 2 years since the manufacture date. But many evidence shows that 5 years old cart kept outside the freezer performed the same quality with a brand new one. After that film will be gradually degrading where you will see some fogging on the result (loose contrast) but not much.

I have shot 15 years old film kept outside the freezer. It sill gave acceptable result.

Hope that helps.

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Winbert

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Dominique De Bast
Film God

Posts: 4486
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jun 2013

posted November 05, 2019 11:39 AM

This article advises to keep the unexposed films in a metallic box closed with tape but says it's more efficient in a special hermetic box with silica gel. That said, it speaks about films in general, not specically super 8 cartriges that comes often in a sealed bag that, in my opinion should do the job. The trouble is when the film is exposed. It should be process as soon as possible. If you have no other choice than keeping your exposed fims for a while in a tropical weather, the article advises (and I take no responsibility for what follows) to dry the filmstock by putting them in a hermetic box together with silica gel or if you haven't any with dry tea or rice leaves (I'm not sure that rice leaves are easy to find, maybe the author means just dry rice ?). After the filmstock is dry, the article advises to put it in a well sealed box and then put it in fridge (which you won't have…). For a limited time, the article suggests you just put the exposed film in a box but without tape to avoid trapping humidity inside. I hope you will be able to pass your films to Americans who are volunteers in Paraguay for them to post yous precious footage from Ascunsion or better from the US if you find someone going home, that would be easier. Good luck anyway.

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Dominique

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