This International Standard provides recommendations concerning the storage conditions, storage facilities, handling and inspection for all processed safety photographic films (hereafter referred to as photographic film) in roll, strip, aperture-card or sheet format, regardless of size.
This International Standard is applicable to extended-term and medium-term storage of photographic film as defined in clause 3.
It is applicable to photographic film records intended as storage copies, which should not be in frequent use. It does not apply to "work" or "use" copies (see annex B).
This International Standard, while intended for materials that are properly processed, should also be of considerable value in prolonging the useful life of photographic film whose processing conditions are unknown, or that have been toned, retouched, or have markings with materials of uncertain or unknown stability.
This International Standard is applicable only to safety photographic film (see ISO 18906). Nitrate-base films are hazardous (see [8] in the bibliography) and are not covered by this International Standard. They require special storage considerations (see [4] in the bibliography), but the environmental conditions specified in this International Standard are applicable.
The storage of photographic prints and photographic plates requires different considerations. They are not covered in this International Standard, but are described respectively in ISO 18920 and ISO 18918.