Archival lives of the E-6 chromes vary. The following assumes dark
storage, about 70F (21C), 30-40% RH, and at least some minimal [natural]
air circulation. This means not up against an outside wall of your
basement near the furnace, in a taped up cardboard box (which won't stop
the humidity), on a shelf next to your pool chemicals. I don't recommend
ferrous boxes either. All the figures given below were estimated from some
published esoteric accelerated life testing results using the 80-year life
for Kodak VPS as a benchmark from which to extrapolate. In other words,
the numbers are rather approximate, and YMMV!
Following Kodachrome (all speeds ~215 years) are Kodak's (current)
Ektachromes (much, much better than the very early Ektachromes). They are
still ahead of everything else. Here are some of the E-6's:
Ektachrome, all: ~84 years
Fujichrome, except Velvia: ~69 years
Fuji Velvia: ~50 years
Agfachrome 1000: ~28 years
Scotchchrome 1000: ~17 years
With the exception of a few E-6 chromes, they will do better than most, but
not all C-41 color negative. There are a few of them that will archive
well, just under that of the Ektachromes, down to about that of Fujichrome
(some are no longer made!):
Kodak VPS: ~80 years
Kodak Ektar 1000: ~74 years
Kodak Gold 400: ~65 years (amazing!)
Other C-41's start out about the same as Velvia and go down from there:
Fuji normal neg films: ~48 years
Konica 100: ~41 years
Kodak VR films: ~41 years
Kodak Ektar 25: ~33 years
Fuji Reala: ~31 years
Kodak Gold 100: ~31 years
Kodak Vericolor HC: ~31 years
Agfa various: ~28 years
Kodak VPL: ~11 years
While I've seen horrible degradation of some 25-30 year old C-41, YMMV
depending on the film, and you could get as long as 50-80 years. Based on
the other half's and her mother's negatives, I think the old Kodacolor II
is similar or less than Gold 100 (20-25 years). Hmmmm, how long did all
those marriages shot with VPS last? This may help Lex with a few film
choices (the Fujichromes are about two decades better than Fuji's color
negatives).
For more on archival and preservation of color films, *the* book is:
The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs by Henry Wilhelm
-- John
who continues to use a *lot* of Kodachrome!
At 23:39 9/23/00 , Lex Jenkins wrote:
>Good question - one which I myself have asked and explored - with no simple
>answer.
>
>The advice of folks I respect for their expertise leads me to conclude that
>there remain the three familiar (color) films:
>
>1. Kodachrome for best *dark storage* archival properties;
>
>2. Most E6 process slide films for surprisingly good *light storage* or
>displayed archival properties;
>
>3. Certain C41 negative films for maximum latitude, with the trade-off being
>shorter archival properties.
>
>For now I'm continuing to shoot Kodachrome for work I consider to be of long
>term significance. Meanwhile, I'm exploring various E6 films for one with
>superior scanning properties and more generous latitude. So far that's
>looking like Fuji Astia or Provia (100).
>
>I'll keep shooting negative films for much of my work because what I shot 20
>years ago still looks good.
>
>Lex
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