If you have old 8 or 16 mm film, one way to check it’s stability is to sniff it!

I know it sounds odd but if you open up the can of film and give it a whiff, you can tell some important things about it. As film degrades is will give off a smell of vinegar. If you find that any of yours has that distinct smell and you would like to preserve it, please contact me ASAP and we can see if it can be salvaged.

There are other types of film that become very flammable, so be careful! Storage of film is very important. Film should be kept at a stable temperature of 70* or lower, with low humidity at 20-30%. They should be placed horizontally and in stacks not more than 8 canisters high.

While this might be hard to achieve in your home, keep them out of the garage or basement to avoid high humidity, and out of the attic to avoid the excessive heat. If you have film that you want preserved, please consider now as the time. Degradation is occurring and sooner is far better than later.