Dust!

[BetterSense]

I just got back from my vacation and developed some film, my first real large-format shooting. The good news is the film is well exposed, developed, and in focus. The bad news is the best shots are utterly ruined by dust particles. I knew dust was going to be a problem but not this bad.

I had no choice but to repeatedly reload my single film holder in a changing bag. I did keep the film holder in a ziplock at all times otherwise, though. When possible, I opened the darkslide at night and blew the film off with canned air, but even these shots suffer from dust. I shot two sheets of each subject, but no matter; all are affected by dust.

I know from 35mm that flaws in the negative leave black dots on the print that are nearly impossible to fix. The only option I can see is retouching the negatives themselves, but I don't know how to proceed with that. Any ideas?

What steps do you use to ensure that dust stays off your film in the film holders? What can I do in the future? I have a staticmaster brush; can you still get refills for those anywhere?

[J D Clark]

The only reliable way to minimize dust in film holders is to use a small hand vacuum, and vacuum film holders before loading them. After loading the holders, I keep my holders dust free in one gallon zip lock bags holding four holders -- others use a single holder in a bag. I vacuum the outside of the holder first, then remove one darkslide and vacuum the back of it, the inside of the holder, especially under the rails and flap. Then, I insert the darkslide and repeat on the other side.

In the field, before inserting the film holder in the camera, I make sure there aren't any dust particles or fibers on the dark slide, and if necessary wipe off any dust with a damp finger.

These precautions have made my films as close to dust free as possible. Using compressed canned air to blow the dust away just suspends the dust in the air, and it's gonna come down somewhere.

Lastly, I do occasionally have to spot the negative, I use Kodak Opaque Black (a discontinued product, I believe, but you can occasionally find someone selling some -- there are other products you can use, also) slightly diluted with distilled water. I use the finest brush I have (00000), and spot the base side of the negative. If you screw up, you can remove this stuff with a damp Q-tip. I also use a magnifying "Opti-visor" to see the small dust spots...

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

[Richard M. Coda]

Digital is the easiest way to salvage a negative with defects. The control in Photoshop is superior and you can have the retouched file output to a new silver negative to print in your own darkroom.

You'll need a drum scan... look around the forum... there are plenty of people who can help you there.

Then, to get a new negative you have to go to Chicago Albumen Works... ask for Oleg.

Look here on my blog for a success story.

[catshaver]

The only reliable way to minimize dust in film holders is to use a small hand vacuum, and vacuum film holders before loading them. After loading the holders, I keep my holders dust free in one gallon zip lock bags holding four holders -- others use a single holder in a bag. I vacuum the outside of the holder first, then remove one darkslide and vacuum the back of it, the inside of the holder, especially under the rails and flap. Then, I insert the darkslide and repeat on the other side.

In the field, before inserting the film holder in the camera, I make sure there aren't any dust particles or fibers on the dark slide, and if necessary wipe off any dust with a damp finger.

These precautions have made my films as close to dust free as possible. Using compressed canned air to blow the dust away just suspends the dust in the air, and it's gonna come down somewhere.

Lastly, I do occasionally have to spot the negative, I use Kodak Opaque Black (a discontinued product, I believe, but you can occasionally find someone selling some -- there are other products you can use, also) slightly diluted with distilled water. I use the finest brush I have (00000), and spot the base side of the negative. If you screw up, you can remove this stuff with a damp Q-tip. I also use a magnifying "Opti-visor" to see the small dust spots...

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

DITTO!

[eddie]

buy more holders!

are you using a changing bag or tent? if you are using a bag throw it away and get a tent. this helped me. also i close my tent every time i am not using it.

the more often you inside the bag sturring up the dust the worse it gets.

i do not vacuum or do anything special. i have very good no dust luck. a friend of mine and i were traveling in utah and he kept saying dust dust dust. he was so worried (he also always left the changing tent open....i had to remind him to close it everytime ) well he could not believe that he had no/minimal dust problems! he kept saying he could see the dust in the air.

so, keep the tent closed. try not to stir it up. buy more holders and think happy NO dust thoughts (these are the things i do)

[poco]

The biggest source of dust is what accumulates in the felt lining of the light trap you pull the darkslide through. Every third or fourth time I load a film holder I retract the darkslide until it's almost clear of the trap and slide the edge in and out through the trap quite aggressively to clear it out. You'll be amazed by all the crap you push out and that accumulates as a white line on the darkslide.

I've posted this before and been shouted down as an idiot who prematurely wears out his felt traps, but what's the alternative -- an unbroken stream of ruined negatives?

[BetterSense]

The only reliable way to minimize dust in film holders is to use a small hand vacuum, and vacuum film holders before loading them.

Are you talking about a common dustbuster-style household vacuum with attachments, or something more specialized? I could probably get away with buying a hand vacuum "for around the house" if it doesn't look like a piece of man-gear.


EDIT: I already bought one of these. It looks like it would be pretty good for cleaning out film holders with the little computer-keyboard attachment.

http://www.dirtdevil.com/designerseries/kwik.html

[keith english]

[QUOTE=poco;507667]The biggest source of dust is what accumulates in the felt lining of the light trap you pull the darkslide through.

Thanks for that tidbit. I have been fighting just from loading to scanning, and never thought about the felt liner. Will have to give it more attention. And I agree, photoshop is the only easy way to deal with those black snakes in the sky.

[Maris Rusis]

I blame the changing bag.

Maybe I've been unlucky or clumsy but I have never succeeded in using a changing bag without getting lint dust on film. And all the wiping, vacuuming and fussing with the damn bag doesn't help. Even loading film inside a new bin-liner bag inside a changing bag still delivers dust. Worse still the dust always migrates to skies and faces.

There are ways of ruining photographs at the processing stage or at the exposure stage but dust on film ruins photographs even before you start. It's heartbreaking. What's the answer?

Get lots of film holders. Blow them out with compressed air, wipe them, bump them, shake them, and vacuum them until they look absolutely sterile. Repeat. Load them in a clean darkroom, bathroom at night, sealed motel room; anywhere but a changing bag. Don't forget to vacuum out the camera! Every time the bellows stretch they suck air and dust into the camera. Wait a while after setting up the camera so that the inevitable dust in it can settle.

I double bag all loaded film holders in zip-top polythene bags and I keep track of holder numbers and film numbers. If I have a dusty holder I'll know which one. Even after every precaution some irony remains.

Shoot all magnificent skies twice. At least one will have dust.
Lots of practice at spotting negatives is never enough.
Non photographers can't see the dust in the pictures but unfortunately their opinion doesn't count.
The best dust busting agent for film holders seems to be fresh film.
If you do everything right film holders get cleaner with regular use...eventually.

[J D Clark]

Are you talking about a common dustbuster-style household vacuum with attachments, or something more specialized? I could probably get away with buying a hand vacuum "for around the house" if it doesn't look like a piece of man-gear.

I've used two different vacuums, one a battery powered one which I wore out, but I haven't found a good replacement yet. It was a computer keyboard vacuum, and all of the battery powered ones have been replaced with ones that use a USB port. I don't always have my computer when I go on trips, so that wouldn't work.

The second one I've used has a regular wall power cord, and has a much better vacuum. It is identical to this one:

http://www.hollingermetaledge.com/mo...29501474596910

Note that it has a little brush attachment that's approximately one inch square -- that's the one I use.

As noted by others here, one source of dust is the dark bag -- whenever possible I try to make a room dark enough to load film. At Stovepipe Wells in Desth Valley, for instance, the bathrooms can be made dark enough after the sun goes down with a towell at the bottom of the door, and the room lights out. At Yosemite Lodge, though, I had a room where the bathroom had a skylight looking out on a light post!

Anyway, bottom line is that the dark bag is my last choice for loading film.

John Clark
www.johndclark.com