Dusty negs

[the_other_dirk]

Hi all,

Last sunday I was at my partents' house and discovered a long forgotten box of negs (Adox 35mm and some 6x6 negs). They're quite dusty though, so I was thinking of giving them a wash (a few minutes, then wetting agent final rinse) after gently trying to blow off excess dust. Does this sound like a good strategy? Or should I do something else? I'd really like to print some of the frames for my grandmother, the pics were taken by her late husband

thanks,
Dirk

 

[the_other_dirk]

Thanks RJ, sounds like a lot of work though

Seriously though, thanks for the warning about just giving it a wash. I felt stupid for asking, but I'm glad I did.

Yep, these are original ADOX negs, some of them have nice old cars in them, so I'd really like to print them just to see how it was "back then" (I'm only 28, so I'm quite thrilled to see "real" imagery first hand from that period)

Dirk

 

[the_other_dirk]

28 is really really old! And you've missed out on seeing collodion wet plates, daguerrotypes and 1/2 plate tin photographs all these years. You've got some catching up to do

I've got a lot of catching up to do, that's for sure! But I've got time (28 is really, really young! ).

I have some glass 5x4 in plates from world war I (taken by some family member). But that doesn't count I guess (I'm not sure what that technology is called, but it's probably not collodion wet plate or anything). I tried contact printing them, but the contrast was really high... I will try again some day, cause I like those old pictures taken by others better than my own (I'm starting to like those I took 15 years ago... Jeez, if I can say that, 28 must be really, really old! )

Dirk

 

[the_other_dirk]

Thanks for the tips, I hope to put some of them in practise some day (middle-aged men like me tend to think they're busy )

What paper grade/paper are you using?

I think I used Ilford MGIV RC paper... I know, not in keeping with the character of that type of negatives! I recently bought some (new) Adox Easyprint Warmtone paper from fotoimpex.de. Maybe that's more suited.

I'm not sure what grade I used, maybe I should use filter 1 or 2, or even 0.

What's an internegative by the way? I have some 5x4 in negative film (Adox), so should I contact the glass plate to this negative film? Then what? (I would get a positive, so what's the gain?)

Thanks
Dirk

 

[the_other_dirk]

Thanks for the help, RJ!

dirk

 

[titrisol]

Why filter 0-1 or 2?
I think each pic will have its own effect, and IIRC low contrast may no tbe the best option sometimes.
Take each picture at a time, use a blower brush to eliminate the superficial dust (or better are those radiactive brushes still made?) and print away!
A few specs of dust shouldn't kill the joy in your grammas face

Thanks for the tips, I hope to put some of them in practise some day (middle-aged men like me tend to think they're busy )



I think I used Ilford MGIV RC paper... I know, not in keeping with the character of that type of negatives! I recently bought some (new) Adox Easyprint Warmtone paper from fotoimpex.de. Maybe that's more suited.

I'm not sure what grade I used, maybe I should use filter 1 or 2, or even 0.

What's an internegative by the way? I have some 5x4 in negative film (Adox), so should I contact the glass plate to this negative film? Then what? (I would get a positive, so what's the gain?)

Thanks
Dirk