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Thread: dust in film holders or is it the washing?

  1. #1

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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    I have dust in my film holders and it does not want to come out. They are really old and all I got. I have used compressed air but to no avail. I thought I got it licked but processed two negs today and the pin holes are there. The other possiblility is they were caused in the wash because the negs travel around alot in the print washer (the only option I got). What do you guys use to wash your negs with so they don't bump into each other?

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2

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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    Mark, in addition to compressed air, you'll probably need to wash them off with a wet, lintless cloth, and brush them each time, before loading, with an anti-static brush. The odds are the dust is from the holders. It's a never ending war. Do you keep them in plastic bags when not actually using them?

    Lots of ways to wash negs. Some folks use tanks, like the FR, or CombiPlan. Others, like me, wash them in the film hangers they were developed in. If they were being damaged in the wash, I would expect them to be scratched, not have clear "dots".
    Alec

  3. #3

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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    Mark, I avoid compressed air---it just blows the dust somewhere else where it can regroup and attack your holders later. Try a vacume---I use a shop vac with a micro cleaning attachment & keep them in bags until needed. I hope this helps.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  4. #4
    Moderator Ralph Barker's Avatar
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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    You might also want to look at the dust specs on the negs under high magnification (15x or so) to make sure it's dust particles. If the clear areas are real pinholes, rather than dust squiggles, re-check your chemical processes. An acid stop bath, for example, when used with certain developers can also cause pinholes.

    I also agree with using a vacuum on the holders. Also be sure to clean the dust traps with the vacuum and/or by running masking tape through them on occasion. I've also heard that rubbing a small amount of orange-oil cleaner on the holders and dark slides can help reduce static attraction, but haven't tried it myself.

    I was 4x5 negs in an old FP daylight tank that has film holder channels at the sides, with good water flow, directed periodically between the negs. I don't believe your spots are coming from washing, however. If you were getting emulsion damage from the corners bouncing around, you'd see big scrapes, not pinholes.

  5. #5

    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    I had some old holders in my first 4x5 kit. I found that the slots and crevices for the film and darkslide were dust magnets. Every time I removed or inserted the darkslide it seemed to move the dust from the grooves onto the film.

    I relentlessly cleaned the grooves and the slot (for the darkslide) with a bristle brush and compressed air. Take the darkslides completely out and wipe them down with a lint-free cloth. This did the trick for me.

    My problem was scratches on the back of the film from loading/unloading the film. I ended up buying some new holders. This reduced the scratches but did not eliminate them.

  6. #6

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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    I load/unload my filmholders in a closet at night. What I do is to increase the humidity in the closet by putting a small bucket of water in the closet about 2 hours beforehand. Close the door. By the time I'm ready the dust has had a chance to settle. Voila...no problems!

    The other source of dust can be found on the darkslide... for the most part, all I've ever done is to blow the dust off outside where the humidity is reasonably high. Then, they immediately go into a plastic bag. As per John's posting... a vacuum also does a good job.

    I've shot lots of sheet film and have yet to have a problem with any dust on my images.

    Oooops, perhaps this posting will jinx me in the future! Good thing my fingers were crossed. :>)

    As for film washing... I don't do that. I only shoot transparencies and color negative film and the lab looks after the processing.

    Dust be gone!

    Cheers
    Life in the fast lane!

  7. #7

    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    Maybe I am just a lucky guy, but I have no problems at all with dust in my film holders.

    When I started in LF I bought 12 Fidelity Elite holders used, cleaned all of them carefully with a lot of alcohol (don't forget all the difficult to reach gaps) and store them always in a tupperware box.

  8. #8

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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    I don't seem to have a dust problem either. I've never vacuumed the holders. I do occasionally blow compressed air on them and brush them out but I don't know when the last time I did that was, probably a year or more ago. I've always assumed that I don't have a problem because I keep the holders in zip lock bags at all times except when they're in the camera. I also don't live or potograph in a dusty environment which I'm sure helps.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  9. #9

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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    I have also been struggling with this latley. I have been cleaning my holders with ethynol, blowing them out, and then putting them back into a new ziplock bag. They were cleaned at worked and bagged, then loaded at home. This still did not get rid of my problem! I am convinced it is the static from the dry winter weather in the northeast. If you think about the construction of the bellows, there are plenty of places for dust to hide. I believe my problem to be from the static of the darkslide atracting the dust from the bellows when exposing the film. My next step is a good cleaning inside the bellows, and some sort of anti-static wipe on the dark slide. I also purchased some anti-static zip lock bags to store the holders in. Any comments on this would be appreciated. Any other ideas as to anti-static wipes for the dark slide, like the orange oil cleaner? I did not have this problem this summer. I am ready to buy quickloads, but if the problem is static on the dark slide will I not have the same problem? I also have alot of sheet film to use, but time and gas is expensive also. Frustrated!!!!

  10. #10
    MIke Sherck's Avatar
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    dust in film holders or is it the washing?

    My next step is a good cleaning inside the bellows

    There's something you don't hear mentioned all that often. I figured that I was just weird -- I vacuum my 4x5, including inside the bellows, with the soft brush attachment two or three times a year. It does seem to help. Dust finds its way into the most inconvenient places and inside the bellows is certainly a place where it can make its presence known.

    Mike
    Politically, aerodynamically, and fashionably incorrect.

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