Avoiding fingerprints while loading/unloading film

[Preston]

Is it at all possible to buff fingerprints off before development but after exposure?

I am sure it would be possible, but you'd risk severe damage to the emulsion. I certainly would not attempt it.

The other suggestions given are your best bet.

When I was learning how to load holders, I used a sheet of junk film (aka screw up) and practiced loading and unloading in room light. It won't be long before your fingers will learn the skill.

--P

[Lon Overacker]

Has anyone here actually ever seen evidence of their finger prints before or after development???? Sure, I wash and dry my hands when I'm at home and it's convenient, but I've unloaded and loaded tons of film (all color slide) in the field and have never ever seen a piece of film come back that had finger prints or evidence that the oils or whatever ruined the edge of the film. Granted, I do my best to grab the smallest area of film to load or unload - probably an 1/8th inch or so, and there have been occasions where you drop or lose place where the film is in the bag and inadvertently touch the film, still never had a problem.

Just practice, practice, practice until you're comfortable, take common sense precautions, and then don't sweat it.

Lon

[Drew Wiley]

Lon - of course finger oil and sweat etc affect negs. Common sense. Maybe you've not had a problem so far, but just try your approach with B&w sheet film, which contains a lot more silver! Not to mention the risk of a little fixer residue on a doorknob. In the field medicinal alcohol wipes work well, but don't confuse these with hand sanitizers containing all kinds of stuff. And in lieu of gloves you can get little nitrile finger cots, which cover only the tips of the fingers. But around the darkroom dish soap works great.

[Larry Gebhardt]

The only issue I have ever had with finger prints was using Pyrocat as semi-stand in a Combiplan tank that I contaminated with Photoflo. The Photoflow residue seemed to create bubbles which stuck to the finger prints. Other than that I have touched sheet film many times in the image forming area and have never seen an issue from the finger prints with either color or black and white. So while it can be an issue, for me it usually isn't.

[Kevin Crisp]

If you have had your hands in fixer and have not really rinsed your fingers off well you can get a fingerprint that will show up on the negative or on a print. Otherwise, you are worrying about a non-issue. Wash your hands and even if you do touch other than by the edges, it will be fine.

By the way, drying your hands on a towel, even a damp towel, puts lots of floating dust in the air.

[Kermit Burroughs]

I use cotton gloves. Well, I usually wear one on the hand that will handle the film the most. The other I often go without to make things easier.

[Harold_4074]

You shouldn't have fingerprint problems unless you live in a humid area and have fixer or developer contamination in your working area (think "community darkroom"). If you live in a dry area, instead of fingerprints you can expect dust and chemical spots.

To pick up a single sheet, remove the film from the box, keeping inside the folded cardboard. Slightly "fan" the stack so that the corners are separated, then use a fingernail to pick up one sheet at the corner. Nothing says that you have to pick a sheet directly out of the box; in fact that is a good way to get scratches and pressure marks.

[Robert Fisher]

FWIW, I scrub my hands with alcohol and let air dry before loading/unloading film in/from film holders - oil/dust/etc is a non issue.

[Paul Kierstead]

The only time I've ever had fingerprint issues is during scanning. For loading and development, I think I've only ever seen a fingerprint once, and that was because I was stuck field loading with quite dirty hands.

[domaz]

Fingerprints should wash off in development if your hands are reasonably clean to start with. The real problem is loading sheets and not scratching them up in the process IMO.