Aztek Wet Mount kit and M1, wow!

[drew.saunders]

I'm mostly happy with my M1, but occasionally the film will bow in the glass-free holder, making for a less than sharp scan. Sadly, the easiest way to tell if this has happened is when the dust is out of focus. Nice sharp dust is a nice sharp scan. Many a time I've been looking over the 50% image and thought "wow, almost no dust!" until I realize that the little white out of focus blobs mean another focusing problem.

Anyway, I ponied up the $160 for the Aztek generic flatbed wet mount starter kit (http://store.aztek.com/servlet/-strse-233/Flatbed-Starter-kit-KAMI/Detail), and re-scanned a negative that I'm pretty sure bowed in the scanner.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2779/4315871009_3b369e5c83_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drew_saunders/4315871009/)

This may be a best case vs. worst case test, but I think I'll probably stick with the wet mounting kit for all my 4x5 from now on. I don't shoot but a score or so sheets each month on average, so the extra work is probably worth it.

The kit comes with 9x11" mylar, designed for the full glass platen, but since I'm using the slide-in glass holder, with an 8x10 piece of glass, I'm just going to cut the sheets into 5.5x9 and have twice as many.

Drew

[Andrew ren]

wow, thats quite a difference!

Andrew

[BarryS]

Interesting, but it would help if there was a scan of the same image properly mounted in the EDIT holder. I'll be the first to agree that the EDIT holders are very tricky to use and I often reload the film repeatedly until the holder does its job properly. Even so, this makes me want to test out wet mounting on the M1. Could you share your wet mounting technique? Thanks for posting!

[drew.saunders]

I'll re-scan a better EDIT-holder scanned negative eventually, but I wanted to start with one that I knew had way more detail than my initial scan did. I've only done the one wet mount.

The video here: http://www.aztek.com/video_demos/AZTEK%20KAMI%20Wet%20Mounting%20Flatbed%20video.wmv
Is mostly what I followed, with the following changes:
I taped the edges of the glass holder (no need to make an "L", as the tape just acts as a barrier to keep the fluid from getting to where the glass is held in the holder, so just put the tape flat on the glass at the edges), as Aztek suggested in an email exchange. I'm going to ask them again if there's any harm in leaving the tape on for a month or so. I doubt it.

I cut the mylar, since it won't fit the glass holder. I'm pretty sure I can use the now 5.5x9" to hold down 2 negatives at a time, just like the EDIT holder does.

So, just like in the video, after taping the edges of the glass holder, squirt a bit of fluid into the middle of the glass, put the negative down emulsion up just like the EDIT (it sticks easily and is easy to position, I'll have to print out an 8x10 grid to place under the glass to help with alignment), wipe off any excess with the wipe, squirt a little more on top of the negative, place the mylar, use the wipe to get rid of bubbles (easy to see) and get rid of excess, then scan as usual. Considering how often I have to check the negative for bows, re-position and re-"click," overall it'll probably not take all that much more time to do the wet mounting, especially as I get better at the process.

[BarryS]

Thanks--can't argue with your great results.

[Andrew ren]

what is a edit holder?

drew, how do you clean out the film after the scanning?

Cheers

Andrew

[drew.saunders]

what is a edit holder?

drew, how do you clean out the film after the scanning?

Cheers

Andrew

E.D.I.T is what Microtek calls their glassless scanning system with "Snap Trans" holders. They hold the film by tension and slide into a slot in the scanner that puts the film between the light and the lens. The problem is that with 4x5, the film tends to sag, making for a difficult job in focusing.

The international web site sort of shows how they work:
http://ww3.microtek.com.tw/eu/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=16

The glass holder still goes in the tray, so I can remove it, place it on a table and mount the film.

The Aztek fluid just wipes off the film using the provided wipes.

Drew

[Andrew ren]

Thanks Drew.

are you saying just wipe the fluid off after done the scanning? any(potential) damage on the film itself?

Thanks.

oh yes, that E.D.I.T. I modified my folder to be able to scan one 57 per time. So far so good.

I will scan a selected section of my 57 tmax(30 sheets plus) with a iq smart 2, to see what kind of difference between M1/iq2.

over all, I think the Aztek WT thing worth a try, period.

Andrew

[Gem Singer]

The wipes that come with the Aztek kit are for wiping the scanner glass clean.

The Aztek Kami fluid evaporates from the film and does not leave a residue if done properly.

I found that it was best to remove the film from the scanner glass as soon as I was finished with the scan and let the Kami fluid evaporate from both sides by hanging the film to dry.

Allowing the film to dry on scanner's glass leaves a residue on the film.

Wiping the film will increase the chances of scratching it.

[Andrew ren]

Thanks Eugene.

Andrew

[Peter De Smidt]

In my experience Kami does leave residue that needs to be cleaned off right away with film cleaner.

[Nathan Potter]

Anyone know what the chemical composition of the Kami fluid is? I assume it's some kind of high purity solvent.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Peter De Smidt]

My guess is that it's mostly naphtha.

On the bottle it says: "Effects of exposure and first aid measures: De-greasing of skin by Solvent Naphtha and n-Hexane result. Rinse with plenty of water...."

[Curt Palm]

Anyone know what the chemical composition of the Kami fluid is? I assume it's some kind of high purity solvent.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Freestyle has the MSDS ( material safety data sheet) online:

Mineral spirits < 10%

solvent Naphtha < 90%

n-hexane < 4%

[Matus Kalisky]

In my experience Kami does leave residue that needs to be cleaned off right away with film cleaner.

What kind of film cleaner do you use for this task?

[Peter De Smidt]

I've been using Edwal Anti-Stat Film Cleaner. It contains tetrachloroethylene and isopropanol.

[D. Bryant]

I've been using Edwal Anti-Stat Film Cleaner. It contains tetrachloroethylene and isopropanol.
FWIW, I use PEC film cleaner and PEC cleaning pads. The PEC cleaner maybe similar to the Edwal product but what ever it has in it, it seems to work effortlessly so to speak.

Don Bryant

[drew.saunders]

Here's a more "fair" test, where I re-scanned a negative that had scanned quite well with the EDIT glassless holder. Sort of a best vs. best scan, where the previous was a worst vs. best (but out of focus scans were really bugging me).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drew_saunders/4372436468/

These are the raw TIFF's from the scanner, no adjustments or sharpening.

[Andrew ren]

drew,

can we have a larger side/side image?

Thanks

Andrew

[drew.saunders]

drew,

can we have a larger side/side image?

Thanks

Andrew

The 2nd pics are both 800x800 pixel crops from the full rez image, scanned at 2400spi of the part of that image that's most in focus.

[BarryS]

Thanks for posting the follow-up, Drew. This is the difference I'd expect between wet mounting and a sheet of film correctly mounted in the EDIT holder. The wet mounting is an improvement, but an incremental one. When the EDIT holder works, it does a very good job, but too often it can be maddening to use.