How do you clean your negatives?

mountainmanF2 · Sep 7, 2014

I have a few negatives that have dust spots in the blacks. I always use a brush before i do anythibg with them but that doesnt help with these spots. Im also kinda worried about scratching my negative if i use a micro cloth. So how do you clean your negatives?

Bill Burk · Sep 7, 2014

I use a pinpoint tool to pick off stubborn dust specks that do not respond to a gentle sable brush and breath.

I have an Adams retouching desk on which I can attach a 30x stereo microscope. That makes the job easier. But I usually reserve this kind of work for the clear spots that would be black on the print.

For spots that are white on the print, if they are not too ornery, I do nothing for the negative and retouch with Spotone dye on the print.

Richard Man · Sep 8, 2014

Cleaning or retouching? I use "Edwal Anti-Static Film Cleaner" and pec*pad for cleaning. I understand some people would never "touch" their negatives with cleaning-anything, but it works for me (and many other people). Retouching I use the evil D-word that shall not be mentioned on APUG.

trythis · Sep 8, 2014

I use the pec pads and the special (pec 12?)negative cleaner, but it can still scratch if the dirt being rubbed off is abrasive. I am not a perfectionist at all and usually dont mind a few little scratches anyway.

Hilo · Sep 8, 2014

135mm:

- first I put a clean A4 papersheet on my table

- I hold the negative strip up and blow off the dust on both sides, with a hand-squeeze blower

- then I put the strip on the paper, glossy side up and breathe on the specific negative. Then I use an anti-static cloth to carefully wipe the negative clean. I make sure the strip DOES NOT move while whiping . . .

- the other side I do not touch, but I always blow it again before putting it in the enlarger

since 1979 . . .

darkosaric · Sep 8, 2014

Hilo said:
135mm:

- first I put a clean A4 papersheet on my table

- I hold the negative strip up and blow off the dust on both sides, with a hand-squeeze blower

- then I put the strip on the paper, glossy side up and breathe on the specific negative. Then I use an anti-static cloth to carefully wipe the negative clean. I make sure the strip DOES NOT move while whiping . . .

- the other side I do not touch, but I always blow it again before putting it in the enlarger

+1

Thomas Bertilsson · Sep 8, 2014

I use compressed air and a sable brush.

Whatever dust doesn't come off using those two methods I just retouch after the print is made.

dhkirby · Sep 8, 2014

Canned air works pretty well for me. Blasts dust right off. The only thing that got me when I started using it was that sometimes it would shoot out a little moisture when you first pull the trigger. So I just don't aim it at the neg until I know there's no more moisture coming out.

cliveh · Sep 8, 2014

My negatives never exhibit any drying marks, as I dunk them in deionised water for about 30 seconds prior to drying. However, before printing I breathe on the shiny side of my negative strips (as you would when misting up a mirror) and wipe the surface with a spectacle lens. If 35mm they can then be printed in glassless condenser enlarger free from microscopic imperfections. Please note when blowing away dust the air has to be replaced and sometimes with air containing more dust.

Newt_on_Swings · Sep 8, 2014

Blow, brush, if really stuck on then edwals. That stuff really smells though.

benjiboy · Sep 8, 2014

This is the best stuff I ever used http://photosol.com/product/pec-12-4-oz/ it's expensive but it really works.

Alan Klein · Sep 8, 2014

benjiboy said:
This is the best stuff I ever used http://photosol.com/product/pec-12-4-oz/ it's expensive but it really works.

Hmmm. It says PEC 12 can't be used on some Velvia emulsions which I use.

As an aside, does PEC 12 remove pen inks from clothes?

chip j · Sep 8, 2014

Are the dust specks on the base or emulsion side? For the emulsion side, I wet a Q-tip /film cleaner and scrape I off.

benjiboy · Sep 9, 2014

Alan Klein said:
Hmmm. It says PEC 12 can't be used on some Velvia emulsions which I use.

As an aside, does PEC 12 remove pen inks from clothes?

I don't think so Alan, But hair lacquer before you was the item works like magic on ball pen stains.

Alan Klein · Sep 9, 2014

I've been using hair spray in combo with soapy hot water for ink stains, but it takes a lot of work.

OK. Back to film.

Thomas Bertilsson · Sep 9, 2014

cliveh said:
Please note when blowing away dust the air has to be replaced and sometimes with air containing more dust.

Hi Clive,

I used compressed air to blow away dust from my negatives, which also don't contain drying marks. I usually print 8x12" or 12x18" from 35mm negatives, and normally I end up with one or two dust spots in my prints that I have to retouch afterward. It appears this is pretty good on average.
The air replacing the one blown away with the compressed air does not seem to introduce any problem akin to your suggestion, but if one worked in an exceedingly dusty environment I suppose that could be an issue.

- Thomas

How do you clean your negatives?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency