Does dust stick to film?

[swmcl]

OK. So you're out there taking photos. If you could somehow circulate the air inside the camera by having a compressor attached to the body - perhaps an air matress pump - or by attaching a pressurised tank of air and giving it a whirl during the photo taking, would it blow the dust off the film? Assuming a vent :-)

I had some issues a while back using a cloth-based changing bag. I then bought a proper tent - the Harrison one. I'm still getting some dust on the film albeit a magnitude or two less than previous.

I also wonder if the cardboard either side of the film stack in the black bags is an issue.

My film sometimes is almost frozen when I shoot (I do try to keep it pretty cold). When I load it into the holders it does feel kinda sticky so I wonder if the dust gets impregnated onto the film's surface or whether the surface becomes less likely to hold the dust when the film warms up ...

How 'bout mounting a small fan from a digi device of some sort inside the camera ...

Maybe one of those sticky fly traps inside the Harrison !!

Just thinkin' ...

[Heroique]

Dust management is indeed a super-important skill to have as an LFer! I've adopted several tips from the dust threads here, and offered ones of my own for others to consider. To be sure, it seems there's a dust-management task in every step of the LF process for me – from film loading, to field habits, to darkroom/archiving work – all of which have become second nature to me. I no longer even notice all the efforts I go through, some of which might seem fanatically inspired to the innocent observer! I've noticed the better one gets at dust management, the easier it is to forget the benefits you're enjoying. For dust management is like preventive medicine – you're not really aware of the problems you're helping yourself avoid.

As for refrigerated film, I wait for it to warm to room temperature before loading. Very important.

Your remark about sticky paper reminds me – I'm still looking for a good way to keep mosquitoes out of my Tachi ... and off the film.

They hover and wait for me to change lenses, then fly into camera like they're "checking in" to a hotel!

[Jim C.]

My film sometimes is almost frozen when I shoot (I do try to keep it pretty cold). When I load it into the holders it does feel kinda sticky so I wonder if the dust gets impregnated onto the film's surface or whether the surface becomes less likely to hold the dust when the film warms up ...



Not being rude, but why are you doing this ?
Cold stored film should be brought up to room temp, I wait 12 - 24 hours, frozen probably longer.

[Rollinhofuji]

I also let film warm up to room temperature, although not 12hrs - more like 2-3, since I store it at roughly 6°C.

I always wipe my Photoflex tent with a moist-to-wet cloth, creating a humid atmosphere.

I keep my film hodlers in zip-bags always, even when they are unloaded. I clean them with a brush immediately prior to loading them.
I always keep a lens attached on my camera, so dust won't easily enter the bellows (at least for the Technika, Technikardan is a different story, sicne I always remove the bellows before folding it).

[Jac@stafford.net]

So many errors.

It is a bad idea to put frozen film in a holder. Moisture can precipitate and glue dust to the emulsion. Some of the dust in a changing bag or tent comes from your hands, (Very much of household dust is dead skin. ) and some more dust comes from dusty holders and the film box. Wear disposable gloves if you must use a tent or bag. Blowing or sucking air in the camera just stirs up more dust, and it can move it into areas hard to clean.


I also wonder if the cardboard either side of the film stack in the black bags is an issue.

Not in my experience.

[swmcl]

I am not particularly fixated on cold film a such. All that happens is that I've been loading it pretty much straight out of the freezer as the last thing before leaving the house. I then transport it in one of those flexible food bags one uses to carry hot or cold food like maybe on a picnic but I put those freezer packs in the bag to keep things cold too.

Its just a bit of a ritual I've made I guess. I'll change the ritual to at least take the film out the night before as I would normally be setting out first thing in the morning.

Jac, you would say that the dust is actually stuck to the emulsion? No chance of wiping it off, blowing it off or it falling off once the film gets up to temp and is dry?

[jp]

In addition to letting the film warm to ambient temp, the suggestion to avoid dust at every step is the only way to succeed. Ambient temp is fine outdoors too. I use pink anti-static ziplock bags (silvered ones would work too), made for the electronics industry, to keep my film holders dust free from the darkroom to the camera and back to the darkroom. They are only out of the antistatic bag for loading/unloading film and for exposure in the camera. I run an air cleaner in the darkroom. If you use a changing bag/tent make sure that's clean.

[Mark Sampson]

Few things are more aggravating than dust on your negatives. But 30+ years of experience with sheet film in the field tells me that modern B&W film is not very susceptible to heat damage. I keep my film refrigerated and load holders when it's at room temp. (It doesn't stay around long enough to need freezing.) I can understand why you want to keep it cool, especially in a hot climate like yours, but thankfully it's not been a problem for me. Color film, on the other hand, needs a bit more care; but if you don't roast it you should be ok. And flat changing bags are useless for sheet film, as you've found. Good advice from several previous replies, too.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Few things are more aggravating than dust on your negatives...

Shall we cite the things more aggravating?

One - my wife standing about asking what the F*ck here is more important than putting another 120 miles behind us ... "For what?" she wonders.

So we eventually make the 120 miles and she is looking for cool accommodations and finally mutters, "You and your Blue Highways Thing."

[Jmarmck]

Try a scanner that is a magnet for dog hair...............no matter how hard I try..................

[Jim Andrada]

Funny - my cat like to sleep on my scanner. At least she's a gray cat. And if I chance to forget to close my film tent I'm sure to find the cat sleeping inside. Oh well, marks of the craft as they used to say.

[Michael Cienfuegos]

Funny - my cat like to sleep on my scanner. At least she's a gray cat. And if I chance to forget to close my film tent I'm sure to find the cat sleeping inside. Oh well, marks of the craft as they used to say.

Your cat and My cat must have studied under the same sadist. Cat hair is a staple in my camera bag. :(

m

[Drew Wiley]

Some of us like the authentic look of film. But obviously nowadays you can simply go all digital and activate the Cathair app feature on either your smartphone or in
Photoshop afterwards. Too bad virtual cat food doesn't also exist. I'd get an extra hour of sleep each morning if it did.

[Jmarmck]

I was thinking of getting an indoors cat. It would go well with the dog hair.
I have a macro shot (not suitable for the formats on this board) of a hand full of old guitar strings of different makes and colors. It includes dog hair just as if it were part of the bundle of old strings............in a way I guess it was.

[lfpf]

Yes, dust and sticky surfaces, like cold film emulsion in humid climates, is less a nuisance with warming to room temp as mentioned by many.

Static is another dust adherence problem. Static eliminators or ionizers will partially solve a dust problem. Partial solutions are available from Kinetronics and many other manufacturers.

With all the options available, it's a question of how to incorporate which solutions on the route from unopened film box to presentation behind glass with all the detours between, if that's the objective. Know your MO and try an option. It'll be fun and easier.

With contact prints, I don't sweat the small stuff because dust cannot be seen at a viewing distance or under moderate magnification, although the darkroom is relatively clean, has an antistatic device and antistatic lint-free gloves.

This, among others, might offer options:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/archive/index.php/t-76468.html

Best,

S