Avoiding film abrasion whilst travelling - help please

[Steve Gledhill]

Can anyone please offer suggestions as to how best to avoid scratches on exposed film which is stored in a box prior to processing. The circumstances are as follows. I’ve just returned from a 3 week photo trip. Whilst away I stored my 125 or so exposed unprocessed 5x4 sheets (TMY-2) in two 5x4 film boxes. The sheets were loose in the boxes. As always I endeavoured to ensure film remained dust free, but that’s not too easy during 3 weeks in mainly desert conditions. We drove may miles on dirt roads much of which was heavily washboarded so the car and my film were vigorously shaken – day in day out. This has resulted in some abrasion on a few sheets where a particle of dust has been trapped between two film sheets. Attached is a 100% clip from one such where the abrasion is in the sky. I’ve upped the contrast in the abraded area to highlight the effect. So, I know what the problem is. But what’s the best way to avoid it in future? I need to prevent film sheets from sliding against each other so can anyone suggest the best way. Is it simply to put two elastic bands around the sheet stack or is there a more secure and certain way than that please? I want to avoid ruining more film in future. Thanks.

[Paul O]

Hi Steve. I put the exposed sheets back in the original folded card "stiffener" that comes with most boxes of sheet film. This is then placed inside the black plastic bag (again supplied with film) and then the whole "sandwich" is put back into the film box.

[Steve Gledhill]

Hi Steve. I put the exposed sheets back in the original folded card "stiffener" that comes with most boxes of sheet film. This is then placed inside the black plastic bag (again supplied with film) and then the whole "sandwich" is put back into the film box.

Thanks Paul. Unfortunately Tmax in boxes of 50 has neither a folded card stiffener nor a plastic bag. Apart from the 3 tray box it just has two sealed paper pouches for 25 sheets each which have to be torn or cut open making them not so reusable. Also there are two 5x4 cards sandwiching each of the 25 sheets inside the pouch.

I suspect that what I need to do is to firmly wrap the exposed sheets (with a card top and bottom) in some suitable non-dusty material. Or perhaps elastic bands would do the job.

[Robert A. Zeichner]

I use T-Max film as well and what I do is bring extra white stiffener cards (two of which are supplied with each new box) and sandwich the exposed film between them. I then place the pack into a plastic sandwich baggie (the thin type with no closure) and fold the edges over and tape in place. I just got back from Greece with 100 exposures packed that way and everything arrived unscathed.

[csant]

Any small plastic bag should help - wrap the sandwich inside a bag you can seal, and then put that inside the 3-tray box. Should at least help some...

[Nathan Potter]

I precode 4X5 glassine envelopes and transfer each film from cassette to individual envelope. Then the white cardboard stiffeners go on each side of the glassine stack with an elastic which then goes into a spare lightproof film envelope and that into a plastic baggy. The glassines are kept sequential so that later I can adjust development times as needed. But I mostly try to use Quickloads when traveling.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Bruce Watson]

I've been there and done that. Had a number of sheets look similar to that due to transport. I tried sandwiching the film between the 5x4 cardboard sheets, putting them back in the little bags, etc. Etc.

The only thing I found to work every time is to put a sacrificial sheet of film on the emulsion side of the stack. So the emulsion of the last sheet of exposed film is rubbing on the back side of the sacrificial sheet. This is exactly what the film is expecting to see -- it's the way film is shipped all the time. Best part is, this works. For me at least. Even when I ship the exposed film back home via common carrier like UPS or FedEx.

Clearly, YMMV.

[Vaughn]

I had high humidity static discharges ruin negs while bicycling with a 4x5 for 5+ months.

Ilford use to pack their film with paper in between each negative, which was nice.

Try putting the film in the box, then padding the extra space with paper or whatever, so they can't wiggle around in there. Also store the box(es) on-end, rather than flat -- that way there is less weight on each piece of film, and any dust would tend to fall to the edge of the negs.

Vaughn

[Jim Becia]

Steve,

Having shot many times in the southwest, I've come to the conclusion that ready/quickloads are the way to go if 1. you can afford it, and 2. if the film is available in quick or readyloads.

I take all sorts of precautions, but it seems that some pieces of film always gets some type of marks on them. Fortunately for me, I scan and print so a little scratch here or there isn't a major problem.

When shooting cut film, I put the film between some of the white stiff board the film comes with and then try to store it with a couple of rubber bands to keep the film from shifting around. Works OK. I like the idea that someone mentioned about a plastic bag without the closure. On my last trip out there this March it was incredibly windy. I'm still finding red dirt in my car. I somehow managed to keep most of my 4x10 sheets of film in decent shape. Hope you had a good time. Jim

[Steve Gledhill]

Steve,

Having shot many times in the southwest, I've come to the conclusion that ready/quickloads are the way to go if 1. you can afford it, and 2. if the film is available in quick or readyloads.

I take all sorts of precautions, but it seems that some pieces of film always gets some type of marks on them. Fortunately for me, I scan and print so a little scratch here or there isn't a major problem.

When shooting cut film, I put the film between some of the white stiff board the film comes with and then try to store it with a couple of rubber bands to keep the film from shifting around. Works OK. I like the idea that someone mentioned about a plastic bag without the closure. On my last trip out there this March it was incredibly windy. I'm still finding red dirt in my car. I somehow managed to keep most of my 4x10 sheets of film in decent shape. Hope you had a good time. Jim

Hi Jim,

It was a great trip mainly around S Utah with bits of California, Arizona and Nevada.

I've returned to using sheets and film holders after years with readyloads. As they're more or less no longer available AND with Fuji stopping supplying Fuji Acros Quickloads in the UK I decided it was time to move back to my film holders and much less expensive boxes of 50s. Plus, the new Tmax400 has become my favourite film (the two extra stops are priceless) which never was available in readyloads. I understand Acros QL are still available in the US but with the desperaly poor exchange rate (for me) the're just to pricey to import.

Thanks to all who made suggestions. I will have to ensure in future that film stacks are 'immobilised', not too difficult really. A byproduct of this thread is that it may alert some forum members to the possibility that this can happen. It's not necessarily obvious.

[John Kasaian]

What about placing a sheet of bubble wrap in the box to hold the film more firmly in place?

[Doremus Scudder]

I store exposed film in 25-sheet boxes (marked N, N+1, N-1) between the 2 cardboard sheets that comes packed with new film. I then store the boxes in my accessory bag standing on end. This is important I think, because it puts the weight of the film on the short edge and not across the surface of the film. I've driven miles of washboards and rough roads with film like this and have not had the scratches you have. Maybe I'm just lucky and managed to keep things clean (I do try hard...), but I think the orientation of the storage helps too. Maybe give it a try next time.

Best,

Doremus Scudder