Negative Storage, Box or Binder

[Loose Gravel]

I haven't shot much roll film in a long time. How do you all store your negatives? I have mine in pages that would fit in binders, but I'm inclined to put these in (Hollinger) drop front boxes. Seems like binders are always a problem, but maybe not.

Ideas?

Thanks

 

[TPPhotog]

I store all mine in Kenro clear acetate pages which I put in a ringbinder. I then store the binders vertical with the pages hanging down from the hoops. The binders are stored in a cupboard. Seems to work for me.

 

[rbarker]

I use PrintFile clear sheets for all film sizes (up to 8x10), mostly stored in 3-ring binders, too. Lately, I've shifted to more of a "project" oriented filing system, with the negative sheets, contacts, and such filed in manila file folders. Just depends on how binders or folders integrate with the rest of your filing system, I think.

 

[Grady O]

I put all mine in a filing cabinet. I used to use binders but I fond I never put them back once I took them out. I now have a filing cabinet with dividers labeled by subject matter. I think print file makes these plastic rods that slide threw the edge of the negative sleeve so they can hang. I find this makes it alot easier to find negatives and keep them organized.

 

[L Gebhardt]

I am in favor of boxes with envelopes holding individual sleaves. I use the fold-loc sleaves from Light Impressions or MV Archival Supplies (a sponsor here). This keeps the scratches to a minimum.

I still haven't moved my transparencies to this system because I don't have contact sheets of them for reference, but I am thinking of doing so. I have noticed very fine scratches on the 6x7 transparency film I have printed a few times, and I feel it is from the storage pages.

 

[SamG]

I would go with the clear synthetic negative sleeves that you can store in a negative box (I get mine from Light Impressions). I always felts there were opporuntiies for scratching the negs when sliding in and out of the 8x10 sheets with slots in them. The neg sleeves I use open along the top so the neg can be placed in the slot with minimal handling. I can also easily do a contact sheet through these.
Sam

 

[Bob F.]

I use the ubiquitous ring binder files for 35mm and 120, but for 4x5 I use a different system as I find the ring-binder system too tight with likely scratching of the negative.

Sleeves that are open on 3 sides do not seem to be available in the UK so I get the 5"x7" sleeves (Secol Transleeve) that are open on both short edges and trim one sealed long edge off to create an envelope open on 3 sides. That way I do not have to slide the negative in - just hinge the envelope open and place it in. Static holds the envelope closed to exclude dust. These are then put in a box (with a contact print for those that look interesting). The box is DIY from archival mountboard - again, I can't find a suitable ready-made one in the UK...

Cheers, Bob.

 

[Woolliscroft]

I use Kenro acid free paper sleeve pages for negs and Kenro plastic pages for mounted slides. Both are kept in ring binders with a B&W contact sheet filed with each neg film (even the colour, using panalure paper). The binders are kept in filing cabinets spine up and numbered. I have a card index catalogue, which I really must turn into a computerised data base one day, so that I can find which film and binder any particular picture is in.

David.