Hi,
I'm going to start printing my own negatives. I just want to know how to handle dust particles that are on the negative, or if this can be done? This is dust spots from the lens that are showing on the negative. Can I fix these when printing (Burning Dodging etc) ?
No. Dodging and burning won't correct it. You can spot them out on the neg first, using a very fine point black ink pen, or a fine soft pencil. This will leave the corrected spot in the print itself which white or at least lightened. Then you bring that up to the correct matching gray or black density using print retouching dyes. Moral of the story : you learn very quickly the importance of keeping your film clean from start to finish.
Most likely, if you can see the effect of dust in the print, or on the negative itself, it's not due to dust on the lens. A serious case of that would produce at most a bit or blur or lack of sharpness, just like a dirty pair of eyeglasses. It won't be in focus.
Dust on the film. Clean your holders before you load them.Originally Posted by Drew Wiley
Dust on film during exposure makes clear spots that print black (shadows of dust)...
White spots on print are from dust on neg in the enlarger or contact printing...
Dust on negs should about blow off, unless dust came in contact with wet film during drying, or if there was a dirty sludge in processing solutions...
Steve K
You don't mention scanning
So I will
Don't start DIGI touchup as the dust will be endless
Meaning if Flatbed scanning
I quit that insanity
Tin Can
https://www.amazon.com/FocusFoto-Rub...dp/B07B9W8DPF/
I don't know why some have insane dust issues when scanning. I at most have maybe one or two small fibers and 5-10 very small dust spots on my negs. I don't wet mount, I don't even prep the negative, I just slap them on my scanner. Each frame takes 1-2 minutes to mitigate dust at most.
For printing I use the above to get any large pieces of dust I see when loading the enlarger. If they are tough I lightly pick at them with a fingernail until they come off. Once in a blue moon I'll need to completely rewash the neg to get off something stubborn.
I don't have any filtration or mitigation equipment. I did years ago do some woodworking in another part of the basement which caused some issues but I do that out back of the house now.
Black spots on the print mean dust when loading film which is another issue. I do get that sometimes with Grafmatics. If I have a killer shot I usually shoot two negs, just in case.
I also shoot dupes if killer shot. Some films seem to be more prone to being static charged, attracting dust? Also, vacuum out your bellows and innards periodically
Flikr Photos Here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
― Mark Twain
Have you tried Wet Scanning? It';s time consuming but I love the way my 6x7 stuff comes out. Especially old chromes!
I have a wet kit
I just make sure the glass is clean
My scans are very good for my usage
No dust
No chromes
Tin Can
There are really only three options : 1) Spotting the print itself and going insane; 2) Spotting the scan and going insane in front of a screen; or 3) working clean to begin with, every step of the way, and keeping your peace of mind. I enlarged a neg yesterday which is going to need more spotting than the others I printed; and I recognized it as the one from a 120 roll I had to change in the field during a breeze full of pollen and so forth. Broke my own rules; but it was an exceptional picture. Not a spotting nightmare by any means, but just more of a chore than usual.
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