How long can you store a 35mm camera film without processing it?

Question

I've found a roll of 35mm film that I know I took 15 years ago, is it worth having it processed, will it come out?

Answer 1

35mm films have an expiry date but if you are lucky they will come out OK.

Answer 2

my mum has had those films for years and got them developed and they came out fine as long as they werent exposed to sunlight etc

Answer 3

If it wasn't exposed to excessive heat you should get some images, they will not be the highest quality but you will see the images.

Answer 4

It depends on the conditions under how the film was kept. Outdated film generally shows color shifts. If the film was not exposed to light, or high humidity, heat.......or extreme cold, it may come out half decent. Of course, the mentality of the lab operator helps enormously too. If the lab technician cares about what he/she does, and YOU selected the BEST processing they offer, he or she could make the difference between good and bad results.

Also keep this in mind:

A lot of casual/occasional snap shot takers, in many instances, used the wrong film for the occasion. Many people never educated themselves as to how film speeds work, and how to apply them.

Long story short, if the "user" used the wrong film speed for what he/she shot, no lab technician can fix that. You may end up disappointed. Not because of the lab tech, or the condition of the film.

I'm not trying to beat anybody up here. Experience has shown me that too many people looked for the cheapest way out during films most popular days, and selected a film that was completely unsuitable for what they were about to do. Then, they selected the cheapest processing. When the pictures came back horrible, they blamed the camera.

Good luck. I hope the "user" used the right film and it's in good shape. I also hope you select the best processing & get a good lab tech.

More complicated than you expected? I understand.