Curly Kodak.

John Bragg

John Bragg

Well-known
Local time
7:23 PM
Joined
Nov 25, 2005
Messages
1,813
It is a source of frustration everytime I use Tri-X that the damned stuff wont dry without a curl ! Ilford can make film dry flat, so why is it so hard for Kodak ? Do they have milllions of miles of curly substrate stockpiled to use up ? It is a royal pain in the butt, although I mostly use HP5+ these days, I still have some Tri-X to use up and scanning it is a nightmare ! This is the new improved Tri-X :bang:
 
I can echo your frustrations. This has been an issue for me for a while not only with drying, but also just getting the dang film on the reels for processing to begin with! The curl is so not cool.

Likewise, I've found HP5+ to be very tame. I'm not sure I like the emulsion as much as I do Tri-X...but the curl may be enough to convince me to shoot Ilford for B&W.
 
My experience has been that Tri-X does dry with a slight side-to-side curl but not enough to cause me any handling problems. Incase any of this makes a difference, I use either Nikor or Hewes stainless reels. I develop in HC-110 H, stop with Kodak Indicator Stop Bath, and fix with Ilford Rapid Fixer (1+4). I use a variation of the Ilford washing technique (5-10-20-40 inversions) and hang the film in the shower with a stainless film clip for a weight.

When I first started developing film I noticed that it curled more in the winter when it dried faster but now it does not seem to make any difference. When I print with my enlarger the negatrans flattens out the side-side curve in the film.
 
I also have this problem with Tri-X. Pretty annoying. I was wondering lately if hardener in the fix would help?
 
Similar results.
I have moved to Kentmere 400 and sometimes HP-5+.
I scan and the curl is impossible with Canonscan.
I have tried a humid bathroom, pressing the negs, whatever.
All i see is "Shirley Temple" curls..
 
The Tri-X curl is worst in winter/dry & warm environments (warm scanner, condenser enlarger). Even a film strip that was completely flat after long-lasting storage in flat negatives sleeves curls after a few minutes in the negative carrier of the enlarger. In summer Tri-X film`s tendency to curl is less pronounced and I attribute it to increased moisture content in emulsion and base layers. I have not found any effect of the fixer being used, for example hardening vs. non-hardening fixer.
 
I don’t know why you guys are crying the blues about film curl. A global in focus print from an enlarger or scanner requires a glass carrier. I use various thickness glass carriers when doing scans to make sure the whole neg is in focus. Also do the right thing and use anti Newton glass. Too many of you are seeking an easy way out... there is none.
 
I just switched to TriX and while it does curl I was expecting worse. I used TMAX400 before and I think the curl is about the same.
What is worse with TriX - and what Gabor mentions above - is that Trix will curl back even after it was flattened.
Before I scan (with a Pakon - no glass carriers etc) I reverse roll my films to flatten them. The TMAX400 will stay flat once through an hour long session of being reverse rolled - the TriX gives me about 5 minutes and then curls right back again...

I think for the 35mm film curl isn't such a big problem in the enlarger as the frame size is small and the rest of the carrier (other than the actual frame) is held flat. Having said that, I've only enlarged 3-4 shots from TriX as I am a new convert and will have to do more to investigate the negative effects - if any!

Ben
 
George Bonanno said:
I don’t know why you guys are crying the blues about film curl. A global in focus print from an enlarger or scanner requires a glass carrier. I use various thickness glass carriers when doing scans to make sure the whole neg is in focus. Also do the right thing and use anti Newton glass. Too many of you are seeking an easy way out... there is none.
Click to expand...

My scanner uses large plexiglass plates to hold down negatives - but that's irrelevant because it's just plain annoying to deal with extremely curled negatives. 3 strips of Tri-X is enough to cause my plexi to get pushed upwards. I use some old junked large format shutters as paper weights. It sure would be nice to just place the negatives on the glass and put the plate down without having to go through so much trouble trying to get them to stay put. But then I'm using a very uncommon Screen Cezanne scanner.
 
Here´s my tips; when I´ve developed tri-x, I take the film from the reel, and rewind it with the emulotion side out, then let it dry. After some hours, the film is much more flat than it use to be with "ordenary" drying.
 
George Bonanno said:
I don’t know why you guys are crying the blues about film curl. A global in focus print from an enlarger or scanner requires a glass carrier. I use various thickness glass carriers when doing scans to make sure the whole neg is in focus. Also do the right thing and use anti Newton glass. Too many of you are seeking an easy way out... there is none.
Click to expand...


It depends on the negative carrier. On my Durst M601, one just has to pull the negative carrier out of the enlarger and then load the film using a light table. No glass is needed.

I use the same method for the carrier on my Minolta 5400 scanner.

Compared to Efke films, which are no longer around, the curl or bulge on Tri-X is minor.
 
pschauss said:
My experience has been that Tri-X does dry with a slight side-to-side curl but not enough to cause me any handling problems. Incase any of this makes a difference, I use either Nikor or Hewes stainless reels.
Click to expand...

That is close to what I get. My Tri-X will go through stages of curling, bending, kinking; but before it is fully dry, it will flatten out except for a slight lateral curve. After I cut them to length and slip them into sleeves, they eventually flatten almost completely. I use the Nikor stainless reels. My final bath is Kodak Photo-flow.
 
Solinar said:
It depends on the negative carrier. On my Durst M601, one just has to pull the negative carrier out of the enlarger and then load the film using a light table. No glass is needed.

I use the same method for the carrier on my Minolta 5400 scanner.
Click to expand...
I tried reading this a few times now but still don't understand what exactly you do to keep the negative flat in M5400. Can you explain? Thanks!
 
If you don't use the usual metal heavy clamp at the bottom of the film strip when your Tri-X is drying, it won't curl.

A single and very light plastic laundry clamp is to be used with Tri-X.
 
brbo said:
I tried reading this a few times now but still don't understand what exactly you do to keep the negative flat in M5400. Can you explain? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need to store your negs in flat place for a day or two before you use them.

Although I use Print File 35-6BXW-ULT 35mm Negative Preservers - I store them flat in wide archival plastic boxes which have built-in three ring binders.

The 5400 negative carrier has a couple of tabs only on the top side - use a pair tweezers to hold the film firmly under these two tabs, as you slowly close the top cover.
 
Solinar said:
The 5400 negative carrier has a couple of tabs only on the top side - use a pair tweezers to hold the film firmly under these two tabs, as you slowly close the top cover.
Click to expand...
I'm probably dense so bare with me... So, now I have negative properly inserted into the holder (why the need for tweezers?). A few minutes into scanning the negative, although perfectly flat before, curls (because of heat) and since the dof of the Minolta 5400 is very narrow there is no way to get the whole scan in perfect focus. Now, I don't really understand what you do to solve this?
 
Highway 61 said:
If you don't use the usual metal heavy clamp at the bottom of the film strip when your Tri-X is drying, it won't curl.

A single and very light plastic laundry clamp is to be used with Tri-X.
Click to expand...
Is this a know trick for Tri-x only or does it work with other films too?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom