Araakii
Well-known
What gloves do you guys use for holding negatives/slides? I've tried many different kinds and for some reason my finger prints still get on the film through the gloves.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Regular white cotton lab gloves. When it is cold enough, I may use white nylons - these leave less (ideally no) lint, however they absorb little or no sweat, so they are no good in a warm or humid work environment.
Or let your wife handle all film - that film cutting and editing was a female domain in the male dominated film industry is generally attributed to the fact that they sweat less, and hence damaged less master prints...
Or let your wife handle all film - that film cutting and editing was a female domain in the male dominated film industry is generally attributed to the fact that they sweat less, and hence damaged less master prints...
Sparrow
Veteran
Same here lint-free cotton, but I still try to hold the film by the edge and get them washed after each session
Turtle
Veteran
Unless you are sweating, washing your hands with non moisturising regular bars of soap (liquid soaps seem to leave residues) strips all oils away and you don't need gloves if you handle the film by the edge. Even if you touch the film all over, as long as you have not started sweating, there will be no residue. concentrated washing up liquid strips all the oils away from your hands the same.
If you use gloves, they must be washed periodically. They absorb oils over time and you might as well not use them at that point.
I use bare hands and ensure the room is cool.
If you use gloves, they must be washed periodically. They absorb oils over time and you might as well not use them at that point.
I use bare hands and ensure the room is cool.
AJShepherd
Well-known
I don't use gloves, I just handle by the edges and avoid touching the image area.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Roll film is easy to handle by the edges only- if a film is particularly flat a piece of card can easily slip under the edge to lift it. I'll agree, just wash your hands. I've got a hand-washing faucet in the darkroom so I can clean up often.
Sheet films are a bit trickier- and I used the cotton gloves for years when I shot almost only 8x10. These days I'd be tempted by nitrile gloves- grippy enough but not as re-useable as the cotton ones. I bought ten or twelve pairs about twenty years ago and they're going strong.
Sheet films are a bit trickier- and I used the cotton gloves for years when I shot almost only 8x10. These days I'd be tempted by nitrile gloves- grippy enough but not as re-useable as the cotton ones. I bought ten or twelve pairs about twenty years ago and they're going strong.
Araakii
Well-known
I have actually been using the nitrile ones but after reusing them for the 2nd time or 3rd time somehow my finger prints start to show all over the place through the gloves. I will try to wash my hands more often.
MikeL
Go Fish
Araakii, just an FYI, I don't think the problem is going through the gloves, but rather you may be touching surfaces with the gloves, and those surfaces have oils on them from when you didn't use the gloves. If yours are similar to the nitrile gloves I use in the lab for handling nasty stuff, they are not letting materials through.
f16sunshine
Moderator
After years of battling this issue. I now use the cheap oversized clear film food service gloves. These are very thin and fit your hands loosely. Yes they are disposable which I struggled with at first. Since they go on and off very easily I can use the same pair for a month or more. Did I mention cheap? Dust free as well and are so thin you can feel right through them.
