Curly Kodak.

[brbo]

Since Tri-X is the only film with which I have to apply the trick, I don't know.

It works perfect with Tri-X.

Thanks! Need to try that. I always went the other way, adding the weight... 😉

 

[Fotohuis]

Compared to Efke films, which are no longer around, the curl or bulge on Tri-X is minor.

Even Efke/Fotokemika films I can get flat. They are made of Polyester layer and only one, not a very effective non-curling layer instead of a double non-curling layer which Harman/Ilford is using.

Apart from the film materials (Polyester or Tri-Acetate and the non-curling layer) it depends on the drying speed, weight on the film when drying and also important, the type of wetting agent.

But you're right: Tri-X 400 is pretty curly comparing to other Tri-Acetate film brands.
I am working with an enlarger system so in that way it doesn't matter so much a bit more or less curl. 🙂

 

[Corran]

A single and very light plastic laundry clamp is to be used with Tri-X.

Fascinating! Will try this next roll.

 

[Rob-F]

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.

Yes! And the lighter, the better. In fact, I remove my clothespin as soon as the film is dry enough not to curl back on itself; 15 or 20 minutes can be enough.

 

[rwintle]

It's terribly irritating for those of us using flatbed scanners (yes, yes, I *know*), although my experience is with Arista Premium 400, not "real" (*ahem*) Tri-X per se. The lengthwise bend (put the film on a flat surface, the edges sit on the surface and the centre of the strip is bowed up along the whole length of the strip) is very irritating.

By comparison, I just developed my first roll of Fomapan 200 and it was a dream to scan. Flat flat flat. Ok, it wanted to roll back up more than the Arista did, but that's easy to deal with. The long-exis bowing is the killer for me.

 

[charjohncarter]

There has to be a climate problem. Where I live I only have a real problem with Efke IR. I hang in a somewhat dust free closet, and use a weight at the end hanging. Then when dry I cut and sleeve in Print Files; then in a note book for a few days and they are pretty flat. If I want really flat or am too lazy to scan then after a month they are perfect.

Also, I scan on an Epson V500, if they have a slight side to side curl I scan with emulsion down and hold in place with a Better Scan AN glass.

 

[Solinar]

I'm probably dense so bare with me... So, now I have negative properly inserted into the holder (why the need for tweezers?).

The tweezers are to keep the neg from sliding out the two back channels as I slowly close the carrier - and - to line up the spaces between frames with the cross bars on the carrier. Using a small light table makes easier for me. The tweezers keep my paw prints off the film.

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?

Does it really? The grain with Tr-X usually looks pretty consistent through out the scanned frame on mine. Are you scanning with a FireWire cable or USB?

The scanner doesn't seem to get that warm, but I'll check it carefully, the next time I do a scan.

 

[philipus]

I use both the current version of Tri-X and the previous version (5063) and experience curl regardless of the season.

My film dries in the shower with simple large paper clips at the bottom (the black metal ones with silver handles that can grip around 200-300 pages of paper). The clips don't deal with the curl very much but perhaps some.

I have tried putting cut strips under very heavy books (I'm a lawyer after all so have lots of them around) for a very long time (3 weeks) without any positive result.

What works - and I have just this week developed 25 rolls so know it works well - is to roll the dry film emulsion side out and place it in a film cannister. 24h is enough based on my tests. I do this the day after I have developed the film.

In my experience, this deals with curl along the film and across the film.

br
Philip

 

[Uncle Bill]

That's the main reason why I switched from Tri-X to HP5 in 35mm. The curly negatives were driving me nuts. Medium format is another story, I am much more agnostic, I'll shoot either.

 

[Denverdad]

There has to be a climate problem. Where I live I only have a real problem with Efke IR.

I agree, and would add that humidity in particular is a key variable when it comes to film curl. For me too, The Efke films have been especially troublesome for me as well (120 format in my case), and it occurred to me one day that the low humidity in my rather dry corner of the world might have something to do with this. To test that hypothesis, I added a humidifier to the room in which I do my scanning and dialed the humidity levels up. Sure enough, with increasing humidity the Efke film started to uncurl and after a short while I was finally able to get it to lie flat! Interestingly though another film which had previously always been limp and compliant (I think it was Velvia) started to take on more of a curl as I increased the humidity.

So humidity seems to be a very significant factor. Whether the final state of curl for a given emulsion depends only on these environmental conditions, or is also a function of other factors such as the film's processing/drying history too, I can't say for sure.

Jeff

 

[Fotohuis]

Yes, humidity is an important factor. Drying speed I was mentioned for it. In Holland the (rel.) humidity is around 60-70%. Only in Summer maybe 50%. then I put a bucket with water under the film when drying.
In this way also my Fotokemika films are drying flat.
Same trick with my V500: betterscanning.com holders and AN glas. But normally I am printing with my Heiland Split grade Dunco II 67 120 pro enlarger. Metall carrier (35mm) or metal AN glas (24x65mm pano) or glas-AN glas (6x7).

 

[Nokton48]

I use Eastman Double-X 5222 and it has no curl.

 

[kiss-o-matic]

Recent Tri-X convert. The curl is brutal here, but note that my hands are chapped due to the dryness. I found the roll it backwards and stick it in a film canister worked for me, but only left it in there for a day. Just to be safe I put them in a sheet and then let them sit under a book for another day after that. Flat.

 

[brbo]

Tried less/no weight when drying...

Doesn't work for me.