4x5 Exposed Film Archiving

[Alan Klein]

New to this format. How do you store your negatives and chromes? Thanks. Alan.

[darr]

https://static.bhphoto.com/images/images500x500/Print_File_PF454B100_Archival_Storage_Page_for_1521814868_43007.jpg

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/43007-REG/Print_File_PF454B100_Archival_Storage_Page_for.html

Print File pages for 4x5 inside three-ring notebooks!

Kind regards,
Darr



PS: I am currently making digital copies of some of my films that date back 35 years and for the most part they are all in great condition and have been stored in Print File and other similar pages in notebooks. Although some of my 135 negatives need a wash (Permawash is working well) from dampness due to air conditioning living in the southern US and Florida over all the years. Storing the notebooks on shelves under an air conditioning vent was not such a good idea.

[Peter Lewin]

Same as Darr: 4 negatives in each PrintFile sheet. In addition I file the related contact sheet in a transparent 3-hole sheet protector in the binder next to the negative sheet. I make my proofs by laying the PrintFile sheet directly on a sheet of 8x10 RC paper under the enlarger. I also record developing info (film type, ASA, developer, and development time) on the PrintFile page along with the date and the subject.

[sanking]

Same as Darr: 4 negatives in each PrintFile sheet. In addition I file the related contact sheet in a transparent 3-hole sheet protector in the binder next to the negative sheet. I make my proofs by laying the PrintFile sheet directly on a sheet of 8x10 RC paper under the enlarger. I also record developing info (film type, ASA, developer, and development time) on the PrintFile page along with the date and the subject.

I store all of my 4X5 and 5X7 negatives the same way, in Print File sheets, ordinary three-ring notebook. I have many stored that way since the 1980s and they are all still in pristine condition. I have quite a number of 35mm and medium format negatives stored in similar sheets dating back the 1970s. Never seen any harm to a negative from this type of storage, barring the one event where my cat Percy urinated on the print file sheets.

Sandy

[mpirie]

"my cat Percy urinated on the print file sheets"....everyone's a critic eh? :)

I use a similar format as the guys above, but use glassine sheets instead, four 5x4's to a page.

Each page is filed in a drawer system with 4 rings.

I have negs going back to the 70's in glassine that are perfect.

Mike

[Doremus Scudder]

I use the 4-sheet Printfile pages as well, plus the dedicated dust-proof binders, either from Printfile or Besfile. I like white, but they come in black as well. These binders are basically boxes, with an overlap and locks, so edges of the pages are not exposed. Here's a link: https://www.freestylephoto.biz/889055-Besfile-Archival-Storage-Binder-with-Rings-White

I store four negatives plus the four sheets from my exposure record and a contact sheet with each page. Mine are ordered chronologically, though I'll occasionally file a couple of negatives out-of-order to get like subjects together.

I'm up to around 40 binders now...

Best,

Doremus