How do you handle wet 4x5 negative.

<p>HI, <br>

after 135 and 6x6 chemical processing I put one clip at one of the extreme of the film to hang it. This way I just touch the section of the film that was not exposed; then, no matter if finger prints remain on the negative. What if I deal with 4x5 sheets ?<br />When I have to put the clip on every single sheet I often touch the negative and so, the edges get finger prints. Is it possible to avoid this? <br />besides, clips often grip the edge of the exposed frame, so i need to crop a little bit. Are there any clips designed for 4x5? that just grip on the unexposed edge of the film?<br /><br /><br />Thanks for looking/helping<br /> <br /><br />Antonio </p>

<p>Hi Antonio,<br>

There are two kinds of clips in the photo drying cabinet I use: One is a traditional film clip with two gripping pincers that cut little tiny holes in the film. The second is more like an alligator clip with zig-zag grip edges - it's small, discrete and doesn't put holes in the film. This second type of clip is what I use for the 4x5 film. Otherwise, I agere, there'd be no way to hang it up to dry without ruining some part of the film. I clip the corner of the film where it is unexposed due to the film holder, and dry it in a diagonal diamond-like position. </p>

<p>I use Photo Flo on my negs, and while they are still very wet, this seems to negate any fingerprint problems. When they are dry they will not pick up fingerprints. Possibly you are taking yours down too soon, before they are fully dry? You may get fingerprints if the negs are still tacky. To avoid scratching from my dry skin (thank you chemistry!), when I take mine down from the clips, I catch them as they fall into my hand or a box top instead of grasping them with my fingers. </p>

<p>Check out similar responses to this question here: http://www.photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/003D7p</p>

<p>I use plastic clothespins on a line, hanging the sheet by a corner so that the sheet hangs 45⁰ to the line.<br>

I plan on switching to wood clothespins as the plastic ones are starting to break. <br>

Be sure to use the clothespins with a spring in the middle, not the push down type.</p>

<p>There's a lot of unexposed edge on a 4x5 sheet film. However, I handle mine by letting the stiffness of the thicker film allow me to handle the film by the edges and not pinching the corners if it can be helped when it is wet. I hang film like Charles or use a tack thru on of the unexposed corners. I sincerely dislike those sheet film clips. I'd rather have one small tack hole I can smooth out later afte the film dries. I also hang film at 45 degrees, and thus if in a hurry I can dab the water drops that form with a soft tissue or folder corner of paper towel. <br>

A little pratice with less important test images will go a long way in gaining a little film handling experience, esspecially if you are going to plan on using the film edges later when scanning or printing. </p>

oopps

<p>I use binder clips (like those from office supply) on a corner outside the image. They just leave a narrow line.</p>

<p>I use two types of clips. One is a metal binder clip from an office store, and the other is a small rubberized clippie I get from Home Depot (they're about 98¢ each). The former have tight springs that hold the film pretty tight at the top of the line, and the latter are heavy so they keep tension on the film. I usually clip the 4x5 on one end with the heavier clips as I take it from the tank, and use it to hold the neg as I attach it with another clip to the line. I always clip the corners so they hang diagonally to drain properly.</p>

<p>Wooden clothespins, 2 on a wire clothes hanger. I use 2 clips for 8x10 or larger, 1 clip for 5x7 & smaller.</p>

<p>I use metal crocodile clips. They won’t slip very easy.</p>

<p>I use metal crocodile clips. They won’t slip very easy.</p>

<p>Those black binder clips, work great!</p>

<p>Thank you very much for you help, <br /><br />by using the photo flo I did not left my finger prints on the negative, as Jennifer suggeste. And now I am also hanging the negative at 45° so that there is less probability to ruin an interesting par of the frame and cropping is easier. <br /><br />Thanks again, <br /><br />Antonio </p>

<p>Everyone here has mentioned clips that you can get from just about anywhere. Hardware supply, office supply, as long as they have good tension and will not damage the negative. As far as fingerprints, you might want to invest in some gloves. I didn't use any when I was learning LF because I knew my quality of prints would be more of an issue than finger prints. But if you are going to be serious about this, wearing gloves to prevent finger prints during all aspects of film developing process and printing process. I found it more of a pain getting some good trays when I was tray processing each negative. But I am sure you'll be fine with the info you have received already on here.</p>

<p>Kodak made film clips especially for this purpose. They were called "Color Clips" even though they were stainless and not necessarily for color film. Go figure.</p>

<p>You see them built onto the holders Kodak made for dental film process where a rod was used with 2 clips on the ends. They also came in boxes of 10.</p>

<p>The advantage to them is they don't puncture the film, yet provide a firm grip. You want to place a clip on only one corner of the film so that the film hangs with one corner down. That way it is easy to periodically go by and touch that bottom corner with a paper towel to absorb the drop of water that drained there since that will be the last place to dry.</p>

<p>I don't use any type of clip..I only use Kodak film hangers..they work wonderfully well. <br>

Cheers.</p><div></div>

<p>You use film hangers for drying? I did the first two times but the edges dry funny so I stopped.</p>

<p>Film hangers should not be used as drying racks. The channels trap water which dries slowly (if at all) and distorts the edges. The film often sticks to the frame, causing a lot of damage when you pull it free (resoaking doesn't help much). Film hangers are the "solution" most people only try once.</p>

<p>A wooden clothespin always worked best for me. Regular film clips punch the negative. The holes make it hard to fit flat in an enlarger and can scratch other film. 4x5 film has a lot of real estate. If you lose a little to the clothespins, no big deal.</p>

<p>I use wooden clothespins. They're boring and they're cheap but they work fine. Just grab the tiniest part of the corner of the frame. There is usually enough margin on one of the corners, I find.</p>

<p>Clothespins work alright for rollfilm too - I often develop more rolls than I have clips (which I do prefer for rollfilm). Two pins on the top, four on the bottom for weight, do the job reasonably well.</p>

<p>I'll try again with wooden clothespin, but this time I'll buy them by myself, so that I can find the ones that better suit for hanging the film, instead using what I already found at home, that have uneven grip and often the film slips away. <br /> <br />Thanks again for all the infos you gave me. <br />Ciao, <br /><br />Antonio </p>

<p>I use woode clothespins, too.</p>

<p>I've been using the wooden clothespins, but with a modification (Read about it on one of the film forums, so I can't take credit).</p>

<p>I take them apart and assemble them backwards. This way, you are using the thin part of the pin to pinch rather than the rounded part. Less surface area of the wood touches the film and you can properly grip just the unexposed edge of the neg.</p>

<p>When re-assembled, the flat parts or the pin are facing each other with the spring seperating them. The original thin handle part of the pin are now the pinching end and the rounded part becomes the lever end.</p>

<p>Hard to explain, but takes 5 seconds to put it together. I can post a pic if you really need it.</p>

<p>Oh, and I just string all the pins on a string and tie it across the room to hand the negs.</p>

<p>For 35 and 120 rolls, I still use the stainless steel clips.</p>

<p>I have order HP Combi-Plan HP COMBI SHEET FILM TANK 4x5 - HPT45 from B&H, to process my 4X5 films, when loading the film and unloading them I came to this idea of not touching them with my hand or fingures at all, I will wear hand cloves of cloth fine metrails, even when I process my 6X7cm films I use these cloves , I also bought from B&H Photoflex CHANGING ROOM - PHCR , this way I can load and upload my films without the need to switch off lights, the idea is to train your self doing so , with 6X7 films I have spolied one film sepcailly to teach my self doing so and I kep that film also to teach my friend how to load their films in the tank wheels.<br>

Thank you, for drying my films I have build at home a drying mild hot air cabenit, and added hungers which should hold them film vertically and lets the water drops go downwards.<br>

In the past I did have problem with the film film drying in natural room temperature and I got all sort of water drops dried on the film, since I used my cabenit, never had this problem again.<br>

Thank you</p>

<p>Simple household plastic or stainless steel clothspins. "Practice makes perfect." " Genius is 1 % inspiration and 99 % perspiration."</p><div></div>

<p>Nice image my friend <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1354020">Bobby Chitrakar</a>, for me I have to wait until Nov. or Dec. in ordr to get a cloudy sky, at this time of the year the sky is so falt, colorless and with no sign of details of texures at all.<br>

Thank you for sharing this image, wishing you all of the best.</p>

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<p>I steyed away for a while and now i am beginning to put in practice your suggestions, <br />Bharat, I have already invert mounted the wooden clothespin and it should work. Tomorrow i am going to develop and hanging that way. <br />Rashed, the hot air cabinet is a good idea. As for the changing room I had already bought a Harrison tent, as I read very good news about that. Anyway the Photoflex changing rooms seems to be quicker to use. <br />In the next day I should develop and i'll keep you informed. <br /><br />Thanks again for helping, <br /><br />Ciao, <br /><br />Antonio </p>

 

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