Expert: Steve Pearson - 6/17/2005

Question
Hi Steve. I run a charity that brings children from Belarus to the UK for a 4 week respite holiday from the aftereffects of the Chernobyl disaster. While they are here, I like to provide single-use cameras for them - their photographic record of the holiday is a favoured posession. I have been offered some Kodak single-use cameras which are 3-6 months out of date - and would appreciate your advice on whether this is likely to result in poor photographs, or whether I should accept with open arms! My prime consideration is to give the children a good record of their trip - and while cost is obviously important to a charity I don't want to cut a corner if it will have a bad impact.  Thanks very much for your help.

Answer
Hi Philip. Go for it. As long as the cameras (film therein) haven't been subjected to extreme heat they will be fine. The 'use by' date on film is normally well in advance of when it is expected to begin any slow deterioration - under normal conditions.  Most of those cameras are sealed in an aluminium foil, air-tight bag. If this is the case, as soon as you get them PUT THEM IN THE FRIDGE. This will slow down considerably the deterioration and extend the life of the film indefinately. Remember though - and this is important - after you remove the camera in its bag from the fridge and before you open the bag to use the camera - allow it to come up to the ambient temperature, and then half an hour more. Because the film emulsion is a chemical, refrigeration will preserve it (a bit like milk I suppose.) If you were to open the bag as soon as you took it out of the fridge, condensation would immediately form inside the camera and ruin things. I have film in my fridge that I bought 15 years ago when it was only weeks away from being out of date. It's still good. It lives on the bottom shelf of the door. Good luck and great work you are doing. Cheers from Down Under - Steve.