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Andrew O'Neill
16-Jul-2007, 13:09
I exposed four sheets of Efke 8x10 infrared film and there appears to be black fuzzy markings on them. I think it is from when I removed and replaced the dark slide. I'm sure it happened when I was out shooting and not when I was loading the film as my darkroom has relatively high humidity.
I exposed a fifth sheet but this time I pulled out and replaced the slide extremely slowling. These strange markings were there again but not nearly as many.
What other steps can I take to eliminate static marks? A friend suggested clipping an aligator clip to the slide with a wire...I guess the wire would have to touch the ground?? Would this really help? Are there any anti-static clothes out there to wipe the slides with?
Here is a bad scan...

Ole Tjugen
16-Jul-2007, 13:37
My static marks look more like this.

At least that's the only explanation I have - I have three 8x10" holders, and this one is from the only one with plastic dark slides. The other side had them too, but not as much as this.

Andrew O'Neill
16-Jul-2007, 16:56
Hi Ole,

I did a bit more research and apparently there are two types of static charges and each has different appearance on film.
I found a spray canister of static cling in our laundry room and sprayed the inside of a holder and its slide. After wiping it dry with a lintless cloth, I carefully loaded it with Efke IR and went out in the back yard. I very carefully pulled out the slide and made the exosure. The negative is totally free of static marks. I guess now before loading my holders up with this film, they have to get a good wiping with static cling...my darkroom smells lovely.

EdWorkman
19-Jul-2007, 11:47
Could those marks be fungus.
At the end of a darkroom session I loaded the SS tank with 120 TP but left it for a coupla days before I processed. I got similar marks and assumed they were fungus eating the gelatin.