Best Storage

[Lucky8]

Wondering how filmmakers on this form store their reels of processed Super-8 so as best to preserve them?

Mini-freezer, anyone?

(Most of mine are Kodachrome 40).

Thanks again from this newbie!

[Will2]

The most important thing is to keep exposed film at a fairly constant and non-extreme temperature and humidity. Basically keep your films inside and not in your attic or garage.

You have a great advantage in using Kodachrome which seems to last forever. I have slides from the early 50's that were kept under questionable conditions look perfect if they were Kodachrome and look horrible if they were Ektachrome or AGFA or some other brand/type.

I've seen some people use those food vacuum sealers to suck out all the air and others actually freeze processed film which seem a little extreme; especially when you think about keeping them frozen for the next 100 years.

One transfer house sent back a ton of super 8 footage they transferred for me on a giant reel in a vacuum-packed container that I probably won't open again until the next direct-to-brain transfer technology becomes available.

Another thing to think about is perhaps storing a digital file with the actual film... like a data DVD with an HD transfer or even just a standard-def video DVD in the same packaging so your kid's kids can figure out what is on the film without having to run it through a very old projector. Yes, those DVD's probably won't last very long compared to the film but you can always update the media every 10 years or so.

[Shanec8mm]

I was reading some place that the newer Ektachrome films are processed better and will also last a very long time up to maybe 100 years. I am not sure where I read that but saw it some place.
For storage I have my processed Super 8 films in metal canisters that are in a small cardboard box, on the top shelf of my bedroom closet.

[BAC]

I don't think keeping them sealed is a good idea. I have read in several places that you want the film to breathe to avoid Vinegar Syndrome. The newer film reels have holes in the cases for this reason.

[nickrapak]

Right now I have all of my reels in chipboard boxes in the (humidity-controlled) basement. I am considering moving the more important ones into vented plastic boxes, but that's more of a future project.

[mattias]

those dvd's will probably last a hundred years too, the previously considered short life expectancy of optical media has since long been proven wrong. i have commercial cd's that are over 20 years and 15 year-old burnt ones that work just fine. finding a machine to play them might become a problem though since everything seems to be cloud based now...

[David M. Leugers]

I store all my film in the basement and have a small dehumidifier to eliminate excess humidity if and when it arises. Cool, dark and low humidity are films friends. I just ran some Ektachrome S-8mm film shot in 1978 for the first time in about 20 years and the film was like I shot it yesterday. Kodachrome and B+W film stored like this will outlast your kids...

To me, storing film in cans is not the evil creator of vinegar syndrome (VS) that some people make it out to be. What I think is that films that are going to develop VS storing them inside cans will hasten the onslaught of this disease.
Yet, if the film will not develop VS, then storing them in cans will not only protect them physically, but will also keep harmful vapors, moisture, dust etc. from damaging the films. Films stored inside cans stay pliable much, much longer than films stored in the open. Dry, brittle, shrunken, cupped or twisted film can be just as unable to be projected as VS film...