Longterm Negative Storage - PrintFile or Glassine?

Joseph Bell · Feb 2, 2022

Gentle archivists, I hope you won't mind my revisiting this topic? Up until now, I've cut my negatives into strips and put them into PrintFile sheets and Besfile binders, but recently I was given a package of 100 Rollei MACO glassine negative sleeves, and I'd love to use them unless you tell me not to!
Do any of you store your negatives in glassine sleeves? I have read several unpleasant accounts of negatives being ruined by glassine, and now I'm frightened. There is much conflicting information on Our Internet RE: glassine negative sleeves, and I would be most grateful for your thoughts, opinions, recommendations, and rebukes!

Philippe-Georges · Feb 2, 2022

In Pergamine Paper film strip holders because their porousness allows any moisture to evaporate, in acid free boxes, DRY and not to warm nor cold at a safe place.
I store the contact prints in a separate box, but carrying the same reference number...

RalphLambrecht · Feb 2, 2022

Joseph Bell said:
Gentle archivists, I hope you won't mind my revisiting this topic? Up until now, I've cut my negatives into strips and put them into PrintFile sheets and Besfile binders, but recently I was given a package of 100 Rollei MACO glassine negative sleeves, and I'd love to use them unless you tell me not to!
Do any of you store your negatives in glassine sleeves? I have read several unpleasant accounts of negatives being ruined by glassine, and now I'm frightened. There is much conflicting information on Our Internet RE: glassine negative sleeves, and I would be most grateful for your thoughts, opinions, recommendations, and rebukes!

I use both since 1980 and both work just fine!

bdial · Feb 2, 2022

i use plastic (Printfile) sleeves though i do still have some film in glassine. Plastic is more robust, and won’t absorb moisture, the film can still get damaged in either, given the wrong conditions. I find the plastic pages easier to work with.

halfaman · Feb 2, 2022

I trust more glassine paper than plastic film.

Nitroplait · Feb 2, 2022

On a professional visit to the photography collection in the national Danish library (some 20 years ago) I asked the archivist about negative storage.
Most of the negative in the collection; glass, acetate, cellulose nitrate, metal etc was stored in glassine envelopes - some material dating back to the invention of photography.
I asked if that was the preferred form of storage, and she said that if they were to start over, they would probably use polyester based sheets (at the time they specifically used the brand Secol which seemingly still exist).
However they were not planning to retroactively replace the glassine envelopes as it was not seen as a critical risk to the negative material, and handling the material in order to transfer it to new envelopes was considered a larger risk - and more importantly - the cost of such an exercises would be prohibitive as there were millions of negatives in the archives.
Therefore - I don't think you need to worry about using glassine, it will probably outlast you without damaging your negatives.

For a more autoritative source of archival subjects, I'd suggest you consult Library of Congress' website: https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/photo.html

JerseyDoug · Feb 2, 2022

My father's negatives in their original glassine envelopes are still in good condition after 80 years. My negatives that I put in Nega-File paper sleeves 50 years ago are still in good condition. I have only been using PrintFile sheets for about 10 years so it's too early to tell if they are as good a solution.

reddesert · Feb 2, 2022

I have black-and-white negatives in Print-file sheets from the mid 80s, so 35 years ago, and they are fine.

Sirius Glass · Feb 2, 2022

I use PrintFile for almost 20 years.

Billy Axeman · Feb 2, 2022

I use the Hama HA2250 or HA2251 glassine sheets for 35 mm since 1968 and they appear exactly the same as the new ones, no discoloring at all. The negatives are looking good as well.

gone · Feb 2, 2022

Print files, and so far no worries after 25-30 years, maybe more. I want to switch to glassine, but first I need to do a massive purge of the negs that will probably never be printed.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 2, 2022

bdial said:
i use plastic (Printfile) sleeves though i do still have some film in glassine. Plastic is more robust, and won’t absorb moisture, the film can still get damaged in either, given the wrong conditions. I find the plastic pages easier to work with.

+1

tokam · Feb 2, 2022

Billy Axeman said:
I use the Hama HA2250 or HA2251 glassine sheets for 35 mm since 1968 and they appear exactly the same as the new ones, no discoloring at all. The negatives are looking good as well.

I still have several packs of Hama 9020 glassine sheets for 35mm, 100 sheets per pack. Bought a load of these over 20 years ago and haven't finished them yet. Negs still look good.

For 120 roll film I have some miscellaneous plastic sleeves which I'm not overly fond of. It may be static electricity causing the negs to cling to the plastic sleeves which makes them hard to insert and remove. Not sure whether to go for genuine Printfile sleeves or chase down some glassine sleeves for MF.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 3, 2022

tokam said:
I still have several packs of Hama 9020 glassine sheets for 35mm, 100 sheets per pack. Bought a load of these over 20 years ago and haven't finished them yet. Negs still look good.

For 120 roll film I have some miscellaneous plastic sleeves which I'm not overly fond of. It may be static electricity causing the negs to cling to the plastic sleeves which makes them hard to insert and remove. Not sure whether to go for genuine Printfile sleeves or chase down some glassine sleeves for MF.

it's hard to see the negs through the glassine sleeves; my plastic sleeves, on the other hand, are totally transparent;good enough for contact sheets actually.

Kino · Feb 3, 2022

If you are going to use glassine sleeves, be 100% certain they will not be subjected to high humidity. The emulsion loves absorb into the fibers when wet...
It's not good for plastic or polyester either, but at least they aren't hygroscopic.

Sirius Glass · Feb 3, 2022

I can put PrintFile pages directly into the contact printer to make a contact print.

tokam · Feb 3, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
I can put PrintFile pages directly into the contact printer to make a contact print.

...But, but, but I have a Patterson 35 mm Proof Printer. You and Ralph have just destroyed its value on the second-hand market. Grr!

PS So the Printfile sleeves allow easy insertion and removal of negatives? My el cheapo plastic sleeves are difficult to use with 120 negs. (not moisture problem so I can only think it's static electricity).

Oren Grad · Feb 3, 2022

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/photo.html

Philippe-Georges · Feb 4, 2022

What does the Image Permanence Institute of the Rochester Institute of Technology says?
https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/

wiltw · Feb 4, 2022

I have negs, both color and B&W, stored from 60 years ago in glassine, not showing any signs of deterioration due to how they have been stored. I have negs in Printfile pages from about 30 years ago, and see no need to transfer the glassine negs into Printfile pages.

Joseph Bell · Feb 4, 2022

RalphLambrecht said:
it's hard to see the negs through the glassine sleeves; my plastic sleeves, on the other hand, are totally transparent;good enough for contact sheets actually.

Yes! So I've discovered. I've been using the glassine sheets this week and I miss the transparency of the PrintFile plastics. Still, I'll keep using these glassines until they're gone, and then I'll switch back to PrintFile. What a plan!

Joseph Bell · Feb 4, 2022

wiltw said:
I have negs, both color and B&W, stored from 60 years ago in glassine, not showing any signs of deterioration due to how they have been stored. I have negs in Printfile pages from about 30 years ago, and see no need to transfer the glassine negs into Printfile pages.

This is quite reassuring. Sincere thanks!

Joseph Bell · Feb 4, 2022

Sincere thanks to all! I am most grateful for your time and trouble. I have been using these glassine sleeves without worry, but I miss the transparency of the PrintFile sheets. I am a churlish bastard!!!

DREW WILEY · Feb 4, 2022

Just depends. Some glassine sleeves were awful because the folded glue line from the envelope pre-assembly made contact with the film itself. I don't know if any of those off-brand Franken-sleeves still exist, but one should always check first. I greatly prefer inert paper sleeves which are porous. Any contact with something slick and impermeable over time tempts ferrotyping the emulsion, getting it stuck, and mold and mildew as well, due to lack of air circulation. Laugh if you want, but I've seen entire collections ruined the Printfile Method. Of course, popular old PVC album sleeves, containing active plasticizers, were a thousand times worse.

But I don't shoot much 35mm, and never edit my negs via contact proofing either. So I get the appeal of that Printfile system for those who do proof in that manner. High quality paper sleeves, both neutral pH and slightly buffered can be obtained from outfits like Archival Methods.

RalphLambrecht · Feb 5, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
I can put PrintFile pages directly into the contact printer to make a contact print.

That's a big benefit.

Longterm Negative Storage - PrintFile or Glassine?

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