Thanks for everyone's help, have produced my first print!

[Anon Ymous]

Hello Chris,

you've done very well! My first print was certainly worse than yours. I've one question though, what film did you use for the second print? I mean the one with the car.

 

[Chris Nielsen]

Hi, thanks! The film with the car was Fuji Neopan SS

 

[jgcull]

>>>No - not on the emulsion side. It is the shiny side you should use - because it will have the same effect, and you can wash it off if necessary.<<<

Matt,
Are you kidding? Not on the emulsion side? The teacher at a class I was taking at the time told me the opposite... after I'd smeared the shiny side. Now it's all smudged,even after trying to wipe with a soft cloth and rewashing. But the grease didn't take care of the scratch.

 

[MattKing]

>>>No - not on the emulsion side. It is the shiny side you should use - because it will have the same effect, and you can wash it off if necessary.<<<

Matt,
Are you kidding? Not on the emulsion side? The teacher at a class I was taking at the time told me the opposite... after I'd smeared the shiny side. Now it's all smudged,even after trying to wipe with a soft cloth and rewashing. But the grease didn't take care of the scratch.

Not kidding, but there are many more here who have done more of this than me.

Nose oil won't solve a scratch that is on the emulsion side - a scratch like that removes detail.

A scratch on the non-emulsion side may or may not be visible. If it is visible, the nose oil on that side will diffuse the effect.

If the scratch is on the emulsion side, it is in the nature of a gouge - and nose oil on the other side will also have the effect of diffusing it.

You cannot remove oil from the emulsion side without greatly risking the image. From the other side, what it does is diffuse the defect.

Matt

 

[jgcull]

Matt, I'm afraid that negative is now a smudgy mess, and it's one of my favorites. The scratch is rather deep, I think. I'll have to get back up on the roof of a 3 story bldg downtown, again, to replace it... and not exactly, then. I really do need to start treating my negatives more carefully.

 

[Chris Nielsen]

What I can't understand is that I am SUPER careful with my negs and this stuff still happens!!! I always wear gloves when handling film and the strips always go straight into plastic filing sheets when they're done! I can't understand what the scratches and stuff are all about, especially as they go in all different directions.. Makes me grumpy

 

[Kvistgaard]

What I can't understand is that I am SUPER careful with my negs and this stuff still happens!!! I always wear gloves when handling film and the strips always go straight into plastic filing sheets when they're done! I can't understand what the scratches and stuff are all about, especially as they go in all different directions.. Makes me grumpy

Hey Chris,
where/how do you hang your negs to dry? I used to hang mine from a clothesline in my darkroom, only to discover that little white particles seemed to drop from the ceiling,attaching themselves to the negatives for good. I was not impressed. Perhaps get a drying cabinet for your negs, like anything else non-digital, they should be inexpensive these days.

Oh, and - lovely prints. Way better than what I first accomplished!!

 

[Anon Ymous]

What I can't understand is that I am SUPER careful with my negs and this stuff still happens!!! I always wear gloves when handling film and the strips always go straight into plastic filing sheets when they're done! I can't understand what the scratches and stuff are all about, especially as they go in all different directions.. Makes me grumpy

Hi Chris,

do you use a squeegee to wipe the films? If so, then it might explain your problems. If you do use one (and still wish to use one) then you should have it super clean. A bit of dust there and it's done. You should also put them in the photo flo solution that you use before putting the film in it. It will soften it.

If you don't use a squeegee, then check the interior of your camera. Is it clean? Are there any marks on the pressure plate?

 

[Chris Nielsen]

I don't squeegee my film generally, and it hangs up in the bathroom to dry.

I'll definitely check my camera but the colour film I use doesn't seem to suffer from this problem...

 

[Anon Ymous]

You can check your colour negs for scratches; they might also have some. Also keep in mind that the printing method can make some real difference. Condensers tend to make scratches/dust more obvious than diffusion enlargers. Your colour negs are probably scanned, then printed. I don't know if that process makes any difference, but FYI I have some scratched colour negs that gave spotless prints. Finally, I think I had seen somewhere that colour neg films are significantly more hardened, compared to BW material. The processing temperatures are much higher anyway. That *might* make some difference. Could someone more knowledgeable than me chime in?

 

[Chris Nielsen]

I've just had a look at come colour negs and they look perfect. Must be something I'm doing!!!! I can't see it's the camera's fault as I run colour, slide and b&w and the b&w is the only one with any issues.

Could it possibly be my use of a changing bag? Static discharges maybe??

 

[Anscojohn]

Chris,

Do the scratches appear to have any kind of a definite pattern, or are they random?

 

[msdemanche]

You said the scratches go in all different directions? If it happens in processing they are normally straight lines, like some keyed your car. You are not contact printing, yes? The reason I ask is the glass often can have scratches that show up in the print.
Michel

 

[Chris Nielsen]

Hi all

Umm, looking closely at the negs, they are beginning to look a lot like bits of dust now... Wonder if it's my drying that's causing a problem??

 

[Anscojohn]

Hi all

Umm, looking closely at the negs, they are beginning to look a lot like bits of dust now... Wonder if it's my drying that's causing a problem??

******
A good chance it's in the post fixing stage. Are you using good clean water for your final rinse? Well water, old pipes, can have bits that get in the water. Try distilled or boiled, filtered, cooled water with a bit of wetting agent for the final rinse. Since you are drying film in the bathroom, if practicable, run the shower with hot water for a few minutes to steam up the area, if possible; that helps settle the dust.

 

[Chris Nielsen]

Thanks John...

I usually use filtered water for absolutely everything, including those negs that had the issue. I also use wetting agent and hang up to dry. I've got a couple of rolls to do tomorrow, will try running the shower

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Anscojohn]

Thanks John...

I usually use filtered water for absolutely everything, including those negs that had the issue. I also use wetting agent and hang up to dry. I've got a couple of rolls to do tomorrow, will try running the shower

Thanks for the suggestions!

******
You seem to be doing everything right. Sometimes using the box recommendation for wetting agent leaves crud on your negs, especially if your water is hard. Try a bit more dilution in the wetting agent. BTW, I always had trouble with Paterson wetting agent, fwiw. Edwal LFN and Kodak Photo-flow less so.

 

[Chris Nielsen]

Cool, for once no glaring errors on my part

Will advise once I see how the next lot go

Cheers

 

[ChrisC]

Congrats on getting started, and also what seems like addicted too! Great results. I haven't printed anything for a long, long time now, and this has inspired me to get back into the dark and start making prints again. These all look great.

 

[Chris Nielsen]

Good to hear I'm finally inspiring! My ma will be so happy