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Question on Flattening 120 Film After Drying

vicb

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Paris
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35mm
Hi,

I have a question regarding film curviness, particularly with 120. After the drying process, the film ends tend to curl significantly. I am currently using the clamps shown in the attached photo, but they don’t always keep the film flat. As a result, the films sometimes have trouble passing through the Phase One scanner.

I am exploring other clamp options, but for now, these are what I have available. Do you have any tips or recommended methods for flattening film after the drying process? Ideally, the method should be safe for the emulsion and relatively quick, as we sometimes need to scan large volumes of film on the same day.

Thank you kindly for your guidance.
 

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I always hang my roll film with a weight on the bottom to dry. After a couple of days it doesn't curl. I'm never in a hurry to enlarge negatives so the longer it hangs, the straighter it stays.
 
The film could be sleeved and heavy books laid on top. If you had a heating pad of the type used for starting seeds, I could see that speeding up the process.
 
It all depends on the film. Ilford & Kodak films dry flat enough for me....no curling issues.
I hang them with a normal weighted film clip on the bottom end.
 
Welcome to Photrio.
vicb said:
Ideally, the method should be safe for the emulsion and relatively quick, as we sometimes need to scan large volumes of film on the same day.
Click to expand...

This is probably where the issue arises.
Slower drying in moderately humid conditions usually leads to flatter negatives. If you try to speed things up, curl becomes much more common.
Can you add a bit of time and a source for a bit more humidity into your drying procedure?
 
Not quick by any means but it might be an option…
I can’t remember which film it was but one that I had really bad curl with I would reverse roll it and keep it that way for a week or so, it helped a lot.
 
Thank you everyone for your answers.
The only issue is that sometimes we’re dealing with large volumes of film and need them very quickly, which makes things tricky.

I was also wondering whether the way the 120 films are attached to the rack could influence the curvature in any way. When they come out of the dryer (after the D&D machine process - the machine is connected to the dryer), the emulsion is facing outward.

Should I try having the emulsion facing inward instead? Because, aside from the curves created by the clamps, there’s sometimes a strong curl in the film itself.

I’ll attach photos below to make it easier to understand what I’m talking about.
 

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Is there a chance that the dryer is set to a temperature that is too high?
 
MattKing said:
Is there a chance that the dryer is set to a temperature that is too high?
Click to expand...
The temperature is set to 44 °C, and the films remain there for approximately 30 minutes. I’ve noticed that shorter durations result in insufficient drying, so lowering the temperature could produce a similar outcome. But what do you think? What temperature would you lower it to?
 
I would first check - with an appropriate thermometer - that the dryer is actually at the temperature you are setting it to.
And is there air flow as well?
 
John Salim said:
120mm ????
Click to expand...

What are you suggesting? There is nothing relating to 120mm, the closest is the mention of 120 film but that does not refer to the length or breadth of the film it is the type.
Nicholas Lindan said:
I find little to no curl with Kodak & Ilford films. Eastern European films seemed to curl like crazy.
Click to expand...

Like wise, I very rarely have a 120 film that needs any treatment.The reason you are having problems may be you are hurrying the drying process. My films of any type left to dry in the kitchen overnight. If as you say you sometimes need them in a rush, I would say you have to live with what you have, film drying cannot be hurried.
 

Exactly..... 30 min high temp speed drying is likely the cause of the problem.
 
I have noticed a problem of curling in 135 Kodak films coated on ESTAR base lately. I haven´t noticed this problem earlier.
 
The Rollei 120 films had horrible curl and Foma somewhat. I stopped using them in 120 format because of the unreliable backing paper. Often I had dots and numbers on the negs. Hanging them to dry with heavy clips didn’t help with the curl. And do not cut the films into strips before inserting into the sleeves. I insert the film then cut. It’s easier to handle this way. I then put the sleeves inside large photography books squeezed Into tight bookshelves and forget about them for weeks or months until flat enough to scan. For 120 I settled on TMY so no issues after that.
 
I currently have some issues with curly Kodak Gold 200-120 and Ultramax 400-135. Same with Adox HR-50 and CHS-100 II.

Very flat is Lucky C200 and Kentmere 200.

I always hang the films in my shower cabin to dry overnight with some weight at the end.

I believe that the film base material makes more difference than the drying method.
 
MattKing said:
I would first check - with an appropriate thermometer - that the dryer is actually at the temperature you are setting it to.
And is there air flow as well?
Click to expand...

Yes, the temperature is accurate, but there's not much of an airflow.
 
GregY said:
Exactly..... 30 min high temp speed drying is likely the cause of the problem.
Click to expand...
Yes, I suppose… but with these quantities of films and the delay, there’s no other way.
 
Samu said:
I have noticed a problem of curling in 135 Kodak films coated on ESTAR base lately. I haven´t noticed this problem earlier.
Click to expand...
I mainly noticed it with 120 Kodak Portra 400 films, but I guess it depends on the batch. Sometimes they come out perfectly, though that’s quite rare.
 
Thank you for the tips!
 

I've had some problems with Kodak Gold as well!
 
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