What to look for in archival film sleeve?

[MFstooges]

For archival quality film sleeve what kind of material do you folks use? What chemical should be avoided?
Is there a difference between BW negs and color?

 

[Hasslebad]

I use ClearFile Archival Plus sleeves. I have also used Print File Archival sleeves in the past. The ClearFile ones are smoother and shinier than the Print File ones.

 

[Don_ih]

Some people swear by glassine envelopes. I'd like to try them, actually, but they're a bit more difficult to get than clear plastic PrintFile. I doubt it makes that much of a difference.

 

[ags2mikon]

The first thing I look for in a negative sleeve is my darn negative. After that they are probably pretty much the same.

 

[_T_]

I only use fold flap sleeves. I never use sleeves that require you to slide the entire length of a strip of negatives in the long way because I have had longitudinal scratching with those types before.

 

[MFstooges]

I use ClearFile Archival Plus sleeves. I have also used Print File Archival sleeves in the past. The ClearFile ones are smoother and shinier than the Print File ones.

How long do you usually leave it open to outgas it?

Some people swear by glassine envelopes. I'd like to try them, actually, but they're a bit more difficult to get than clear plastic PrintFile. I doubt it makes that much of a difference.

I just checked it, promising material but haven't found one for film size yet.

 

[Milpool]

For archival quality film sleeve what kind of material do you folks use? What chemical should be avoided?
Is there a difference between BW negs and color?

I like Archival Methods polyester side-lock sleeves. I prefer the side/fold-lock type of sleeve for all formats because there’s no sliding action.

 

[MattKing]

I have some experience with glassine - from about a half century ago ......

The negatives in there seem to be okay.
But the glassine is quite stiff, and some of the negatives are difficult to remove - most likely due to moisture a long time ago.
You can't use them to make contact proof sheets, and it is much harder to identify particular negatives without taking each strip out of the sleeve.

 

[MFstooges]

I have some experience with glassine - from about a half century ago ......
View attachment 371445

The negatives in there seem to be okay.
But the glassine is quite stiff, and some of the negatives are difficult to remove - most likely due to moisture a long time ago.
You can't use them to make contact proof sheets, and it is much harder to identify particular negatives without taking each strip out of the sleeve.

oh well yeah probably adding some labels but it can take lot of times.

 

[dokko]

Some people swear by glassine envelopes. I'd like to try them, actually, but they're a bit more difficult to get than clear plastic PrintFile. I doubt it makes that much of a difference.

If the german translation to glassine is "pergamin", than that's what I use, and I much prefer it over plastic print files.

first, they have less friction to slide in and out, which makes it easier to handle and reduces the chance of getting micro scratches, and secondly, it seems to me that they are more transparent to air and moisture.
they are easy to find over here, I usually get them from fotoimpex.

obviously print files are fine as well, and are much more convenient for making contact prints (I do my contacts digitally after scanning, so that's not important to me).

 

[Besk]

I like Archival Methods polyester side-lock sleeves. I prefer the side/fold-lock type of sleeve for all formats because there’s no sliding action.

Agree with the above. Polyester is basically inert. No out-gassing or chemical reacting with the film or emulsion.

 

[ic-racer]

I have used the PrintFile hanging pages since the 1980s. Prior to that I used glassine as MattKing showed above.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I prefer PrintFile pages and would use ClearFile pages if available when I am in Freestyle.

 

[reddesert]

I have Printfile negative sleeves with B&W I developed as a student and loaded into the sleeves almost 40 years ago (argh) that are holding up fine. Glassine envelopes that commercially developed negatives came in then show some yellowing and maybe a little stickiness, although I can't yet point to any film that was clearly damaged by storage in them.

You can ask me in another 40 years if the Printfiles are still holding up, but you may need an Ouija board.

 

[MFstooges]

I have used the PrintFile hanging pages since the 1980s. Prior to that I used glassine as MattKing showed above. View attachment 371470

I prefer PrintFile pages and would use ClearFile pages if available when I am in Freestyle.

I have Printfile negative sleeves with B&W I developed as a student and loaded into the sleeves almost 40 years ago (argh) that are holding up fine. Glassine envelopes that commercially developed negatives came in then show some yellowing and maybe a little stickiness, although I can't yet point to any film that was clearly damaged by storage in them.

You can ask me in another 40 years if the Printfiles are still holding up, but you may need an Ouija board.

Good to know! Thank you!

 

[eli griggs]

Plastic sleeves like Print file will stick to the film if exposed to heat and humidity, so keep out of car/travel trunks, like conditions.

I had many many negatives ruined by "Archival" plastic sheets, years ago.

Short sleeves of four on a horizontal roll can reduce this loss but so can Grep anti-Newton glass slide mounts for single negatives.

The slide, colour or B&W negative does not mind being printed in the enlarger by way of a slide holder.

These are also easier to protect and store, cool and dry than sleeves and you don't risk damage by repeatedly dragging a strip of film out and in of the sleeve.

IMO

Eli

 

[Hasslebad]

How long do you usually leave it open to outgas it?

I don’t make any effort to outgas. But since there are so many sleeves in a bag I end up opening a bag and exposing the sleeves to air for a long time between each session of negative stuffing.

 

[Jim Jones]

I used Print File style 35-7A wallets for many decades with never any problems. They have one strong advantage over the flat sheet style mentioned in posts 5 and 12 above: they keep the negatives flat.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I use Print File mainly because they make a 6/7 page for more than 36 negs for 35mm. I just stick with them for everything else.

Did Clear File change somewhere along the line? I remember them being very flimsy and annoying many years ago.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

If the german translation to glassine is "pergamin", than that's what I use, and I much prefer it over plastic print files.

first, they have less friction to slide in and out, which makes it easier to handle and reduces the chance of getting micro scratches, and secondly, it seems to me that they are more transparent to air and moisture.
they are easy to find over here, I usually get them from fotoimpex.

obviously print files are fine as well, and are much more convenient for making contact prints (I do my contacts digitally after scanning, so that's not important to me).

This is exactly what I do (and get them from Fotoimpex too).
I once had a bad experience with these 'plastic' selves. When there is moister or even a drop of water getting in, what accidentally can happen in the darkroom, the water can't get out nor dry as it is stuck between plastic sheets and then does its destruction over time when it happens unremarked.
When pergamin gets wet, and then drys, it sticks on the negative BUT the pergamin dissolves in water so it can washed away by soaking and gently rubbing it off.

 

[MTGseattle]

I was just on the printfile site, and unless I was having some type of cache/cookie issue, it looks like a bunch of 120/220 options are discontinued? Wasn't there a 3 vertical row of 4 (6x6) option? I think that is the only way 612 storage makes any sense unless any of you have found a better solution?

I took a quick look at the archival methods offerings. I like the idea of the side-lock sleeves, but I would need to do a complete overhaul involving 5 binders full of negatives. I'm not sure I want to do that.

I like the white area on the Printfile pages much better that the clear top on the Clearfile pages.

 

[MattKing]

I was just on the printfile site, and unless I was having some type of cache/cookie issue, it looks like a bunch of 120/220 options are discontinued? Wasn't there a 3 vertical row of 4 (6x6) option? I think that is the only way 612 storage makes any sense unless any of you have found a better solution?

@MTGseattle ,
Try here: https://www.printfile.com/product-c...orage/negative-pages/120-negative-preservers/
The (20) listed where indicated references the 20 sizes they still offer, revealed if you click on that link.
And yes, they need to improve on the clarity of that.

 

[MTGseattle]

Thank you Matt.