Sticky film...

Hello! I just got a 4x5 pinhole camera and have had the film for a few weeks. I keep it in the refridgerator since I live in a humid area and it is summer time. I let the box warm up for 30 minutes or so before opening, but I guess it is still possible that condensation still collects on the film. I handle the film with bare hands, but avoid touching anything but the edges. I wash my hands before changing film, and rinse them thouroughly.

The Proplem: A few of the exposed sheets were stuck together. I got them apart and am going to have them developed anyway (trying to learn the film and camera at this point) but I'm trying to avoid this happening again. Any sugestions? I have pieces of paper between all the sheets of film now so they don't touch.

Thanks for your help!

Adam

In the future I'd wait longer than 30 minutes. Give at least an hour.

I would put the box of film in a plastic zip lock back, get as much air out before zipping it close, then refrigerate or freeze. When removing from cold storage, wait at least an hour, longer perhaps if frozen, before opening the zip lock bag.

Welcome to APUG.

Thank you both. I will try that.

One issue is a domestic refrigerator is set much colder than the ones used by labs and photo stores for film storage, the humidity tends to be very much higher. As Fotch says you need to keep the boxes well sealed in plastic air tight bags.

From what I remember Ilford say ideally a day before use when refrigerated and a week if frozen to allow the film to return to a normal humidity level. It's obviously far more important with sheet film where there's no hermetic seal.

If the films are sealed it's more about just allowing reasonable time to warm up

Ian

Ian Grant said:

One issue is a domestic refrigerator is set much colder than the ones used by labs and photo stores for film storage, the humidity tends to be very much higher. As Fotch says you need to keep the boxes well sealed in plastic air tight bags.

From what I remember Ilford say ideally a day before use when refrigerated and a week if frozen to allow the film to return to a normal humidity level. It's obviously far more important with sheet film where there's no hermetic seal.

If the films are sealed it's more about just allowing reasonable time to warm up

Ian

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You might want to measure the humidity in a fridge or freezer. They're definitely not high humidity at all - in fact they're easily lower than the relative humidity of the environ which they're operated in.

A week for frozen film is completely nuts. It'll be at room temp within a day.

A week does sound pretty extreme. I think you could probably thaw a turkey faster than that.

Clayne, every time a refrigerator door is opened & closed more damp air is drawn in, sure that humidity starts to condense and soon crystallises, and that build up is faster in hot humid climates, some of it eventually gets into unsealed film boxes.

If there wasn't a build up you'd never need to defrost a refrigerator or freezer If you'd read what I said you'd have notice that the times Ilford gave are related to humidity not time to defrost or warm up. The problem is the way sheet films packed & boxed, well sealed film like 35mm & 120 isn't as big an issue.

On an Ilford factory tour someone asked the question of film storage and freezing. Ilford told us they don't recommend it, but if it's done then the film should be allowed to defrost slowly, and left for a wee. This was more to do with the humidity of the coatings equalising than the actual temperature.

But this is what they've said when emailed in the past:

Freezing Ilford film is not recommended.
Ideal storage temperature for film is 10 C at about 50% RH.

If it is frozen there is a possibility that the base may become brittle and the plasticisers leech out. Also it is possible that problems will be experienced with dampness when they are warmed to ambient temperature.

The problem with the Adam's film is if he's using a few sheets at a time, then putting the film back in the refrigerator, it's likely to become more of an issue.

Ian

I see. Thank you.

AdamLM said:

I see. Thank you.

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I'm not sure how you can best get around these problems Adam, maybe store the box of film in a sealable plastic food container with some silica gel bags to soak up any humidity.

Ian