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Thread: Pursing the perfect negative

  1. #11

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    Pursing the perfect negative

    One more suggestion that has helped me: Before you load the film into the filmholder, tap it two or three times edgewise on the counter (somewhere relatively distant from your holders) to remove any particles remaining from cutting the film. Many times there are small burrs and strings still attached to the sheets which detach upon loading and cause pinholes. The film manufacturers are not nearly as clean in this respect as they would like you to believe. You'll be surprised at the pile of little black specks you get doing this that would otherwise have been loaded in with the film. Hope this helps a bit in the war on dust! Regards, ;^D)

  2. #12

    Pursing the perfect negative

    Thanks for all the great suggestions!

    j

  3. #13

    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    Quote Originally Posted by Doremus Scudder View Post
    One more suggestion that has helped me: Before you load the film into the filmholder, tap it two or three times edgewise on the counter (somewhere relatively distant from your holders) to remove any particles remaining from cutting the film. Many times there are small burrs and strings still attached to the sheets which detach upon loading and cause pinholes. The film manufacturers are not nearly as clean in this respect as they would like you to believe. You'll be surprised at the pile of little black specks you get doing this that would otherwise have been loaded in with the film. Hope this helps a bit in the war on dust! Regards, ;^D)
    Doremus, that is a great tip. I never would have thought of that. I wonder if that is the cause of pinholes in the "cheaper" films. My favorite film tonality wise is Fomapan 400, but I am always afraid of using it due to the pinholes and the aggravation they cause.

  4. #14

    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    give the bellows a good clean out, a vacumn cleaner is a good idea, be gentle though.

    also when the film is loaded , pull the slide in the dark and give the surface of the film a blow off with a puffer blower thingy.

    and make sure that your drying room is dust free

    this should sort out all the different shades of dust spots.

    i personally dont do these things as i like the dusty look lol

  5. #15
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Feb 2007
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    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    White spots on negatives that won't come off = dust during drying
    White spots on negatives that come off = dust after drying
    Clear spots on negatives = dust on film during exposure
    Black spot on negative = uncommon

  6. #16

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    Nov 2005
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    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    Way, way back when, I used a changing BAG to load holders. I had dust on the negatives at the time of exposure. I later changed to a Harrison film TENT........bye, bye dust.

  7. #17
    Chuck P.'s Avatar
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    Jul 2007
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    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    Quote Originally Posted by John Welton View Post
    Thanks for all the great suggestions!

    j
    I have to use my kitchen for a darkroom. When the film is finished in the photo-flo, I transfer it directly to a kitchen cabet that I only use for drying film---I have a string pulled tight from one side of the cabinet to another, about two cabinet widths wide. The cabinet doors remain shut. I rarely have dust issues----I believe drying the film in a small confined space has its merits.

  8. #18

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    Feb 2008
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    Arizona
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    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    I dont remember where I saw it, but I started drying in a rubbermaid storage bin. No more dust. Simple and cheap.
    Go buy some film, and release the magic.

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    Austin, TX
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    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    H John,

    I went to Brooks over 50 years ago and this was the way we cleaned film holders, first don't use a vacuum, it spreads more than it cleans, I'm not terribly fond of spray cans either because among other things they cometime blow out the light trip of the holder.

    Use a 1" or 2" paint brush with Natural Bristles, and wood handle, preferably un painted (the paint chips off). Take both the dark slides off, rap the corners of the holder sharply with the brush handle, brush off the dust that I guarantee you will see fall off. Do this on both of the corners for each side. Now rap the light trip sharply with the brush handle and brush off the dust which will appear. Now after doing this on both sides, wipe the dark slides one at a time and push it in and out of the light trap there is a strong chance that you will see trash coming rom there also.thefirst time or two that you do this, you will be astounded at the trash that comes out of the holders. After you have done this a few times they will become surprisingly clean. YES this will dent the corners of the film holders, NO there will be no fogging. All fo my fillm holders have many dented corners but dust spotting is very rare for me.

    Lynn

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Dec 1997
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    Baraboo, Wisconsin
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    Re: Pursing the perfect negative

    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Baker View Post
    A wet negative hanging to dry will stick ANY dust in the air onto the film. I now use a 'prepared' bathroom to hang the film for drying. I turn the shower head on hot and let the bathrrom steam up bigtime - this removes the dust in the room. I then keep the door shut and hang the film. I do not open the door until the film is dry - since it is soooo humid it takes overnight and I usually dab off the hanging drops that form on the lowest corner. I now only get dust on my negs if it was there at the time of exposure. I have also recently moved to using Kodak single-sheet ready loads with TMX 4x5 so that the dust problem is essentially gone. I also use hangers for film developing cause I'm concerned about one sheet corner scratching another.
    It's also a good idea to remove any towels from the bathroom before turning the shower on.
    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.

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