Is this film fungus, among us?

The holders are probably fine to use as is, the fungus would take some time and humidity to grow on new film. It seems a little late to be using a fungicide on the film, it is already damaged. You could wipe the dark slides and insides of the holders with a cloth dampened with fungicide if you are concerned about future usage.

Fungus is a life form that has been here long before humans (or even mammals) arrived on this planet, and fungus is here to stay. Fungus won't negotiate, and pleading with fungus won't get you anywhere.

You have two options:

1. Throw out everything that's moldy and everything that got in touch with it. Hope that the mold hasn't grown to things that are valuable to you.
2. Poison the heck out of fungus. Use what I recommended in my previous posting, it should be safe for amateur use (assuming common sense).

Choose wisely ...

Acetic acid could harm the gelatin coating in its present condition. Most fungicides are quite harmful. The C41 final rinse is more or less benign and will kill fungus, so I recommend it.

PE

The heck with the film... not important... we are talking about 6 shots.. so what!

The concern is about equipment.. and the new film stock that will come in contact with those film holders, ect.

Photo Engineer are you talking about using a c41 finial rinse on the holders and equipment, or the film?
I suspect the film... as you were, and ARE a Photo Engineer..
If your talking about the film, which we are not concerned about 'saving', would you still be against the suggestion of using Acetic acid on the equipment?

Thanks all for your help and suggestions, as I have never come across this before, and only read about it.

Use final rinse on film. Use dilute acetic acid on equipment. But, IDK how the equipment or any plastics would hold up. After all, acetic acid is an organic solvent.

PE

peter k. said:

The heck with the film... not important... we are talking about 6 shots.. so what!

The concern is about equipment.. and the new film stock that will come in contact with those film holders, etc. ...

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Peter,

The fungus spores are there anyway. The best you can do is to not provide an environment where they cannot grow. That means eliminating moisture and "food" for the fungus. FWIW, fungus usually won't grow on filmholders, etc. A good cleaning should be all that's needed. If you're really worried, give them a rubdown with some alcohol.

As for new film stock: Keep your film stored well, i.e., dry and cool and you'll have no problems. If you have a particularly humid environment, then take steps against it by storing your film (in holders if you like) in an airtight container with some silica gel packets (available at sporting goods stores for gun safes, etc.). The same with lenses.

The film that is damaged by fungus (assuming we've really decided it is fungus) has active fungus growing on it. This should be arrested and the fungus killed to prevent further damage to the film if it is important. That is the reason for the suggestions to use a fungicide or stabilizer. If the negatives are not valuable, you could just discard them and get the fungus out of your film/equipment environment.

The thing to realize is, is that your equipment is not permanently contaminated just because fungus grew on a few improperly stored negatives. Clean and dry things and store your film and equipment properly and in a a low-humidity environment and you should be just fine.

Best,

Doremus

The film holders are the wood type and steel, don't think there is any plastic.
The camera is the same vintage, a 1946 3x4 Speed Graphic with a spring back... which I would take off and wipe down.

Next question, don't want to use a rag or paper towel, as there would be lint, got a suggestion, maybe a brush?

The fungus spores are there anyway. The best you can do is to not provide an environment where they cannot grow. That means eliminating moisture and "food" for the fungus. FWIW, fungus usually won't grow on filmholders, etc. A good cleaning should be all that's needed. If you're really worried, give them a rubdown with some alcohol.

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AH.. that sounds good..

As for new film stock: Keep your film stored well, i.e., dry and cool and you'll have no problems. If you have a particularly humid environment, then take steps against it by storing your film (in holders if you like) in an airtight container with some silica gel packets (available at sporting goods stores for gun safes, etc.). The same with lenses.

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New film stock, until I'm using it 'consistently' is in the freezer, and I live in a dry environment.. perhaps one of the reasons I've never encounter this problem before and only read about it.

The film that is damaged by fungus (assuming we've really decided it is fungus) has active fungus growing on it. This should be arrested and the fungus killed to prevent further damage to the film if it is important. That is the reason for the suggestions to use a fungicide or stabilizer. If the negatives are not valuable, you could just discard them and get the fungus out of your film/equipment environment.

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There in the trash now, with the 4x5 plastic archival preservers that I had put them in.

The thing to realize is, is that your equipment is not permanently contaminated just because fungus grew on a few improperly stored negatives. Clean and dry things and store your film and equipment properly and in a a low-humidity environment and you should be just fine.

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that's a relief .. thanks

a·ce·tic acid
(ə-sē′tĭk)
A clear, pungent acid, C2H4O2, occurring naturally in vinegar and also produced commercially. It is used as a solvent and in making rubber, cellulose acetate plastics, paints, and dyes.

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Hahaa Oh.. my am I out of my league.. :confused:
So da.. are we talking about wiping down with vinegar?

Or can you buy some solvent at Ace Hardware... known as ... ?

What about using a colloidal silver solution?

Oh, this is getting so funny, I feel like a brand new father, and his son has a rash... Oh my what can be done...
Peter.. its only a camera, as old as you are...

Use white vinegar and be careful. It can corrode.

Don't use colloidal silver.

PE

peter k. said:

The concern is about equipment.. and the new film stock that will come in contact with those film holders, ect.

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Fungus is not a rare organism one could easily use the term contamination on.

To the contrary, fungi are all around us. (Less maybe in the upper regionsn of a scyscraper...)

Open the door to your garden and you step into fungi. It is a bit weird when people discuss not contaminating their cameras by contact with photo stuff from the fleamarket, but then go on photo-tour in the woods.

There sure are most different sorts of fungi and I'm grossly simplifying things and I put moldy cameras in the trash myself, but I guess you get my point.

There is fungus all around us, but only a select few strands are capable of feeding on film's gelatin, or the glass your lenses are made from, and in the process destroy them. It's these we need to be wary about.

I hope no fungus eats glass. If it did, the worlds beaches would be in dire peril!

PE

Rudeofus said:

There is fungus all around us, but only a select few strands are capable of feeding on film's gelatin, or the glass your lenses are made from, and in the process destroy them. It's these we need to be wary about.

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No fungi eat glass... they eat the dust on the glass. I guess the etching is from the fungi "remnants". It's somewhat analogous to plaque on one's teeth... the bacteria don't eat the enamel but the food left behind after eating. The plaque's "remnants" eat teeth.

What did one toe say to the next toe when athlete's feet was suspected?

Michael R 1974 said:

My understanding is they eat the coatings, and/or cement if they get inside.

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I know that. I was being sarcastic!