GEPE glass mounts and fungus

[etienne_w]

Hi,

this is my first post on photo.net although I've been reading the forums

(especially MF and TLR) for quite a long time ! One year ago I had an

opportunity get into MF when I found a used Yashicamat at a local photo store

(that was the best thing that could happen to me, from a photographical point

of view that is :-) Since I only shoot slides (I also have a Nikon 35mm) I

bought shortly afterward an MF slide projector on a famous auction site.

Shooting and projecting MF slides is so terrific I hardly use my 35mm gear

anymore !

 

I mount the slides I want to project into GEPE glass slide mounts. Although

GEPE claims "The air exchange system enables the slide to ?breathe? which helps

to eliminate bacterium and Newton rings" (http://www.gepe.com/english/111.htm),

I am concerned about fungus developing on the film. Up to now I left my best

slides in the mount. Since I want to project them every once in a while, I plan

to leave them "permanently" (i.e. at least a few years) in the mount. Is there

a problem with this ? Does anyone have an experience with fungus with GEPE

glass mounts ?

 

Thanks,

 

Etienne

[fwstutterheim]

Etienne, <p>

It depends on were you live. The tropical rain forest will do no good to your slides. In a

relatively dry climate there will be no problem at all. I keep the mounted GEPE (2601) slides in

a well

ventilated room that is moderately heated in winter. I live in N.W. Europe. I have not seen a

fungus in more than 30 years (on a slide that is). <p>Ferdi.

[hugh_sakols]

I live in the mountains of California and have my best transparencies mounted in GEPE glass slide mounts. I've wondered the same thing, but our climate is for the most part quite dry.

[leicaglow]

Over 20 years ago I worked for the US distributor of these mounts and put all my great shots in them as well. They look as good as new today. I've lived in some rainy and dry areas and haven't experienced any problems.

[lata]

My oldest Gepe mounted 6x6 slides date back to 1985 and I never have seen any fungus. If the slides are stored in a box and kept in a reasonably dry place I dont think fungus will be a problem.

[etienne_w]

Thank all of you for these answers !

I live in SW Germany, the climate is relatively dry here.

 

Cheers,

Etienne

[doug_foster]

I have mounted hundreds of transparencies in Gepe glass mounts in the past nine years. I havn't seen fungus as such - but have noticed (as have others) that a filmy mist can develop on the glass surfaces. This has been addressed before in this forum - and I recently commented on it in response to an inquiry in this forum. I also noted a technique for removing this filmy mist. Before mounting, one should look very carefully at each glass surface under a lamp to ensure the mist is not there. Why does this filmy mist happpen? Well, I've noted in my auto owners manual that this sort of thing can occur on the windshield from interaction with the plastic dashboard. Perhaps the same interaction occurs between Gepe plastic frames and the glass. On a few occasions I have used Wess mounts and did not notice the filmy mist occuring on the glass.