What sleeve to use for 120 and 35mm?

[brian_carter2]

<p>I think I have read all the posts on sleeves, and am about to purchase a roll (probably 1000') of locking side flap sleeve for 120 film (and soon, 35mm). I don't see many vendors or products (in roll form) to choose from. In fact, I don't see anything but Pro-Line polypropylene. Are there any other vendors I should consider? How about comparably archival transparent materials that generate less static? Is polyester better in that regard?<br>

Pro-Line offers 2mil and 3mil. A local film lab believes the 2mil generates less static. I'm not sure about that. I'm torn on which would be better. The 3mil seems to offer a bit more protection. Perhaps the 2mil would conform to the surface of the film better, and the closer fit would help keep dust out?<br>

Any general tips for reducing static when working with sleeve, and rolls of sleeve, would also be appreciated.<br>

Thanks!</p>

 

[leicaglow]

<p>Brian, I think you hit on the reason I don't use these side fold systems for my film: static. I always sleeve mine in the archival plastic sleeves, 3 up, because that's what fits in my scanner. Is there a reason you want to use the roll sleeving? Convenience?</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>Polypropylene is probably better (softer) than polycarbonate (or the film base), but avoid vinyl (PVC) at all costs. Vinyl is loaded with plasticizers and will mark or stick to your film after a couple of years. Roll sleeving requires too much handling to use in the long-term, and makes it difficult to keep rolls together and organized once cut. I uses polypropylene "archival" pages which hold four strips of 3 (6x6) or seven strips of 6 (35mm) in an oversized ring binder or archival box.</p>

<p>Static is going to occur regardless of the storage method, and you must deal with it. The traditional method uses brushes with polonium strips. Polonium is an alpha-emitter which ionizes air strongly, but does not penetrate or cause secondary radioactivity. The problem is it's short half-life, rendering it ineffective after about 3 years, probably by the time you buy one from a camera store. I find conductive brushes, which have micro-fiber carbon strands along with other fibers, work just as well without the obvious concerns and limitations of polonium.</p>

<p>I finish up with a blast of canned air, or air from an oil-free (and filtered) air brush compressor (which costs less than 10 cans of canned "air"). A halogen desk lamp makes it easy to spot dust in this process. Scanning will reveal dust particles far to small (<0.5 microns) to see with your eye, but Digital ICE handles that problem with ease.</p>

<p>I haven't tried Visible Dust brushes, used for cleaning digital sensors, on film, but my guess is that they would be more effective than air blasts - they suck up dust like a vacuum cleaner when properly charged (spinning or canned air). Don't even think of using a vacuum cleaner in the same room as open film - without an HEPA filter (or even with one after a few months of wear and tear), a vacuum cleaner fills the air with dust which covers every surface in the house.</p>

[bruce_erickson1]

<p>Michael; You scan your negatives while still in the sleeves? Doesn't that degrade, a little, the quality of the scan? I assume you are scanning with a flat-bed. </p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I use the sheets that go into binders instead. I had a roll labbed locally recently; it came back in that long locking sleeve. I suspect the roll length of the sleeve is more economical and convenient if you are in a lab processing a wide variety of films. I think over hte years I have used Clear-Vue, Accu-view and Bee-something binder sheets. I have a big stack of glassine envelopes that'll fit 120mm, but I usually end up using the binder sheets to keep things organized.</p>

[User_1577653]

<p>Brian, the others have listed some of the "usual suspects" for storage sleeves. I can also recommend a sleeving product and supplier that seem to be almost unknown on this forum. The brand is Ar-Kive sleeving , which I found at Climax Photo and Digital here: <a href="http://www.climaxdigital.com/film_sleeving.html">http://www.climaxdigital.com/film_sleeving.html</a></p>

<p>I found Climax to be easy to work with and the lady who answered the phone was able to answer all my questions. They sell the sleeving material at what I thought was a very good price. You have a lot of choices too as the sleeving is available in the form of rolls (up to 1500ft), perforated rolls (you just tear off a strip at a time - no need for scissors), and pre-cut lengths. It comes in clear form or frosted back, in either 2mm ("original") and 3mil ("premium") thicknesses. I purchased the 2mil type just because it was less expensive. According to Climax, the thickness is the <em>only</em> difference between the two types. In retrospect the 3mm type might feel a little more protective just because it is stiffer.</p>