Loading film in the presence of "glow-in-the-dark" aperture scale...

[fecaleagle]

I recently picked up a Durst S-45 from Don Dudenbostel, and I was just in the darkroom getting ready to load some film when I noticed that the aperture scale on one of the lenses glows in the dark. I put it in a box just to be safe, but should I be concerned about this when loading/unloading film?

[lenser]

I would be deeply concerned about any light source of any level. It seems silly to take chances with film being so scarce and expensive.

[fecaleagle]

I would be deeply concerned about any light source of any level. It seems silly to take chances with film being so scarce and expensive.

Seems like a silly feature to me. It's a really nice Fujinon-EX 135mm f/5.6, but I may need to let it go or paint over the scale, because I know it's going to drive me crazy having to remember to remove it every time I'm working with film in there.

[John Kasaian]

I'd cover it to be on the safe side.

[David Schaller]

Throw a towel over it. I do that with my timer.

[cyrus]

I don't really think this affects normal speed film. I regularly load and unload film in a darkroom which has plenty of glow-in-the-dark things hanging around including the dial on the old Gralab with no negative results.
I also put little glowing stickers on strategic corners to guide me out of the darkroom in an emergency.

[BetterSense]

I load film 3 feet to a Gralab 300 timer. It's fine. I only wish film were fast enough to be fogged by such a light! If you can't see your hands it is plenty dark enough.

[hoffner]

It's fine. I only wish film were fast enough to be fogged by such a light! If you can't see your hands it is plenty dark enough.

Really? Astronomers have been taking pictures in a light where you cannot see your hands for ages.
My military Luminox watch always leaves my wrist when I load film. For a good reason. You can even read maps in its light.

[Luis-F-S]

I typically try not to have any light sources with film. I've taped the little green dots in the GFI protected outlets in my dark room, try not to have any "glow" light switches, and have my Zone VI developing timer on it's lowest setting plus I have a piece of cardboard over the display to direct it away from the film when processing. Enjoy the Durst S-45, it's a wonderful enlarger! LFS

[lenser]

When I was setting up my first darkroom while in high school, the owner of the local camera store, quite the expert, said that same thing. Only he said "if you can't see your hands AFTER FIVE MINUTES, it is safe to load film".

I still trust that advice completely.

Keep in mind that it takes our eyes several minutes to adjust to darkness after turning out the lights. In that time, the film is happily doing what it does, gathering and recording light in the dimmest of circumstances.

I load film 3 feet to a Gralab 300 timer. It's fine. I only wish film were fast enough to be fogged by such a light! If you can't see your hands it is plenty dark enough.