Newbie question

Hi
I have just started developing my own negatives, I hope some one would be
kind enough to help with a couplr of questions.

I have a 2600dpi scanner (flatbed with film holder) is this good enough to
print A4 size without pixels showing

There seems to be a hell of a lot of scratches on the negatives, when I've
used the wetting agent I hang them up and run the squeegee over, am I
missing something?

Some of the negatives have a green colour to them, (the developing fluid was
given by a friend should I buy new is this causing the discoloration.


Thank you in anticipation.


Matt

"Matthew Spivey" wrote

I have just started developing my own negatives, I hope some one would be
kind enough to help with a couplr questions.

Assuming y'all shooting 35mm, a couplr answers to yer questions might
be:

I have a 2600dpi scanner (flatbed with film holder) is this good enough to
print A4 size without pixels showing

Yes. Most inkjets print at 300dpi. With an 8x enlargement of 2600dpi
scan one can get 325 dpi at the printer without having to go through
any monkey-business. It is a good idea to scan so that changing the pix/in
is the only scaling needed: # scanned pix = # printed pix.

There seems to be a hell of a lot of scratches on the negatives, when I've
used the wetting agent I hang them up and run the squeegee over, am I
missing something?

A new squeegee, at first blush. You should be able to hang the strip
of negs and the water+agent will just flow off. Adding 98% (or whatever)
isopropyl alcohol at 1:20 to the diluted wetting agent seems to help
with the run-off. If you want to squeegee then run the film
between (very clean) fingers.

Do the scratches happen on every roll of film?

Some of the negatives have a green colour to them, (the developing fluid was
given by a friend should I buy new is this causing the discoloration.

_Some_ of the negatives? Can you describe the coloration: sharply delineated;
cloud-like; along only the middle of the roll; only one side of the strip;
have an iridescent sheen?

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.
To reply, remove spaces: n o lindan at ix . netcom . com
psst.. want to buy an f-stop timer? nolindan.com/da/fstop/

Matthew Spivey wrote:

There seems to be a hell of a lot of scratches on the negatives, ...


The squeegee monster has raised it's head again. And again IT
is the cause automatic of monstrous destruction.
I'm a long time user of the squeegee. Others are too but won't
call it so by it's name prefering 'two-finger' or Chamois or
something else.
I used a Yankee sponge type on many rolls then bought a Jobo.
I did buy one other but on unpacking, it went straight to the
trash.
I feel safer using the Jobo, it is finely crafted and well
enginered. I don't have a 'clean room' but with the Jobo
squeegee my film is dry in minutes.
Be carefull when using a squeegee, Yankee or Jobo. Keep it
dust free and out only for use. My weak Photo Flo solution is
used to wet and rinse the squeegee. Out with the film and in
with the sponge or squeegee. Hang the film and while it and
the squeegee are dripping wet proceed with ONE slow steady
pass and NO more. Use a properly positioned grip and modest
pressure. When done rinse with distilled water. Dan

On 3/6/2005 9:49 AM Matthew Spivey spake thus:

There seems to be a hell of a lot of scratches on the negatives, when I've
used the wetting agent I hang them up and run the squeegee over, am I
missing something?

Get rid of the squeegee. First run over it a few times with your car or truck.
Then put it in a vise and bend it. Last, put it in the trash. Your negatives
will be much happier without it. (The key to spot- and streak-free negatives
is using Photo-Flo or equivalent, mixed *much* more weakly than recommended; I
use about 1:400. In a pinch, even a drop of dish detergent will do.)


--
"I know I will go to hell, because I pardoned Richard Nixon."

- Former President Gerald Ford to his golf partners, as related by
the late Hunter S. Thompson

Matthew Spivey wrote:
Hi
I have just started developing my own negatives, I hope some one
would be
kind enough to help with a couplr of questions.

I have a 2600dpi scanner (flatbed with film holder) is this good
enough to
print A4 size without pixels showing

Why are you scanning? Film makes prints directly. Scanning is very poor!

I concur with the "destroy the squeegee" advice. Use only air-drying
after a brief rinse in water with Photo-flo or some other wetting agent,
or if you dip your fingers in the photo-flo water to make sure you don't
have any grit on them, you can use your two fingers as a squeegee. I've
never scratched a film this way.

UC wrote:

Matthew Spivey wrote:


Hi
I have just started developing my own negatives, I hope some one


would be


kind enough to help with a couplr of questions.

I have a 2600dpi scanner (flatbed with film holder) is this good


enough to


print A4 size without pixels showing



Why are you scanning? Film makes prints directly. Scanning is very poor!

On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 15:21:20 -0800, David Nebenzahl
wrote:

On 3/6/2005 9:49 AM Matthew Spivey spake thus:

There seems to be a hell of a lot of scratches on the negatives, when I've
used the wetting agent I hang them up and run the squeegee over, am I
missing something?

Get rid of the squeegee. First run over it a few times with your car or truck.
Then put it in a vise and bend it. Last, put it in the trash. Your negatives
will be much happier without it. (The key to spot- and streak-free negatives
is using Photo-Flo or equivalent, mixed *much* more weakly than recommended; I
use about 1:400. In a pinch, even a drop of dish detergent will do.)

That was an official recommendation of Ansco for their Anscochrome
process. The brand they mentioned was "Glim". That is a bit of
trivia. Glim is gone.

Robert Vervoordt, MFA

You're right about the weak mixture of photo-flo. Too much is worse
than not enough. I usually try for a couple of drops per tank (1
liter). The point is not to coat the film with the stuff, just let the
water run off without staining.



Robert Vervoordt wrote:

On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 15:21:20 -0800, David Nebenzahl
wrote:



On 3/6/2005 9:49 AM Matthew Spivey spake thus:



There seems to be a hell of a lot of scratches on the negatives, when I've
used the wetting agent I hang them up and run the squeegee over, am I
missing something?


Get rid of the squeegee. First run over it a few times with your car or truck.
Then put it in a vise and bend it. Last, put it in the trash. Your negatives
will be much happier without it. (The key to spot- and streak-free negatives
is using Photo-Flo or equivalent, mixed *much* more weakly than recommended; I
use about 1:400. In a pinch, even a drop of dish detergent will do.)



That was an official recommendation of Ansco for their Anscochrome
process. The brand they mentioned was "Glim". That is a bit of
trivia. Glim is gone.

Robert Vervoordt, MFA