4x5 Storage? the best solution?

[l2oBiN]

I have been shaking my head at my current film storage. I bough two very nice binders and some film storage inserts (4 to a page) thinking it would be the best solution. However, The film sleeves within the inserts point to the middle of the insert sheet, therefore whenever I turn a page or just flip the folder with the inserts and film within the film slides into the other sleeves and I am afraid might even scratch the other film. Are there any alternative sleeves? Anything that ensures the film is 'locked into place" within the inserts in the binder?

Also what is the best storage material? Glassine? Polypropylene? I am in europe and I would like to focus on a prouct I can buy in Europe.. so far macodirect.de looks good...

[Dave Hally]

I use Print File 4x5 "pol" pages. These are designed to take 4x5 film in a mylar sleeve in the 4 "pockets, which have the opening on top.
I use these with hanging bars in a steel file cabinet. The drawers in the cabinet have high sides so there is very little dust entry. The plastic hanger bars slightly separate the pages, more so that the steel bars I used to use.
I don't recall who I got them from off hand, but if you do a search for 4x5 print file, I'm sure you will find them. I also use the 35mm and 120 file pages, and have two file drawers full.
I found some stiff mylar polypropolene hanging folders that I cut in half and use as dividers.
Good Luck,
Dave

[l2oBiN]

Any other suggestions?

[Vaughn]

My "Best" solution:

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_5/section5_05.htm

The above is from their USA catalog, but the company is also in the UK. I use these for 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10. I write all the exposure, development and printing info on the envelopes.

Stored in boxes similar to these...

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/section_5/section5_06.htm

[jp]

I use the printfile pages myself. I don't use inserts or sleeves with the film. I've been doing this with 35 and 120 for 20+ years with printfile and vueall pages and haven't had problems with scratching attributed to this.

[Frank Petronio]

Just use the PrintFile pages in binders, slip the bare neg into the sleeve, they have top openings. No scratching.

[l2oBiN]

How about the different material options.. glassine (http://www.macodirect.de/analog-auxiliary-film-storage-glassine-c-567_633.html?osCsid=bb10a7282afb6ed20c6b5f14156d563b)? propylene (http://www.macodirect.de/clearfile-negative-pages-102x127cm-4x5in-sheets-p-1230.html)?

[Sdrubansky]

Anything PVC and acid free should do.

Not a fan of binders with 4 shots per page,
I prefer single sheets.

M

[Matus Kalisky]

I use THESE (http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/archivierung/adofile-polypropylenhuellen-9x12-cm-4x5-huellen.html) 4-per-page polypropylene sleeves from ADOX. They are rather strong (thicker and heavier than the PVC ones) and film does not have the tendency to fall out as the friction between the film and the sleeve material is rather large. I also use 120 film strip sleeves from Adox. In fact I have just taken delivery 100 pieces of each. They are well done and simple. On the very top you have one 1/2 inch wide sleeve row where you can slide in a narrow piece of paper for comments.

I also use the ring-binders (http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/archivierung/adofile-archiv-ringordner-aus-grauem-pp-mit-ringmechanik.html) from Adox as they are perfect to keep the sleeve. They close like a box and are stable enough to stand on a side. I use 3 of these (35mm, 120 and 4x5).

One advantage of the Polypropylene is that it does "stick" to the film like the PVC so you get practically no Newton rings when viewing the slides on a light table.

So my solution is Adox (Adofile for these products)

[l2oBiN]

Matus,

Do they oben at the top or towards the middle?

Also, I cant seem to get the webpage to go into a english language.. does it work for you?


I use THESE (http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/archivierung/adofile-polypropylenhuellen-9x12-cm-4x5-huellen.html) 4-per-page polypropylene sleeves from ADOX. They are rather strong (thicker and heavier than the PVC ones) and film does not have the tendency to fall out as the friction between the film and the sleeve material is rather large. I also use 120 film strip sleeves from Adox. In fact I have just taken delivery 100 pieces of each. They are well done and simple. On the very top you have one 1/2 inch wide sleeve row where you can slide in a narrow piece of paper for comments.

I also use the ring-binders (http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/archivierung/adofile-archiv-ringordner-aus-grauem-pp-mit-ringmechanik.html) from Adox as they are perfect to keep the sleeve. They close like a box and are stable enough to stand on a side. I use 3 of these (35mm, 120 and 4x5).

One advantage of the Polypropylene is that it does "stick" to the film like the PVC so you get practically no Newton rings when viewing the slides on a light table.

So my solution is Adox (Adofile for these products)

[Bill Burk]

I thought it would be helpful to check a HABS/HAER thread. It seems their specification is for a sealed traditional sleeve 5 3/8 x 7 3/8 even for 4x5. Same site recommended by Vaughn has them. Negative Envelopes, Conventional Style.

[Sirius Glass]

I use either PrintFile pages, [similar products,] or FreeStyle's generic equivalent.

Steve

[Matus Kalisky]

Matus,

Do they oben at the top or towards the middle?

Also, I cant seem to get the webpage to go into a english language.. does it work for you?

Sorry for a late answer. The sleeves open from top. But given the properties of the material there is no way the sheets could fall out even if you would out then inverse in the binder. The material is not slippery relative to film. That is an important advantage over the PVC ones.

You are right - the english version of the webpage does not seem to work. I may drop them a mail if you wish, but I would be confident that you should be able to make an order via email (the definitely do speak english and they do answers emails - have tried that recently) at info@fotoimpex.de.

[l2oBiN]

Looking through the Printfile website, it seems that "FF45 (package of 50) 075-0450 (http://www.printfile.com/4x5-foldflap-50pack.aspx)" would be a good initial start coupled with the "45-1 (package of 100) 030-0210 (http://www.printfile.com/45-1packageof100.aspx)". But when you look at both packages, they both have an opening which allows the negative to slip out one end! (The same end in both storage products above). Would it not be better to have the FF45 transparency sleve folds over so that the long edge could slip and the when it is slotted into the 45-1, the negative should not be able to slip out of the storage and would be protected from all four edge sides!!

Does anyone have a suggestion where I can purchase an alternate to the FF45 which would still be compatible with the 45-1?

[ic-racer]

I have been using this hanging file system for everything from Minox to 8x10 for 25 years and it works well.

[Michael A. Smith]

Best are folders for 4x5 paper. Not envelopes. Just folders made from archival paper. You can write all information on them and there are no seams to ever cause a problem. Also, no static electricity from plastic sleeves.

The folders go upright in a 4x5 negative storage box. All this is available from lodimaarchivalmaterials.com

The folders are $16.50/50 and the boxes are from $5.25 to $6.25 depending on quantity ordered. I have been filing negatives this way for at least 35 years and have never had any problems whatsoever.

Michael A. Smith