Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
PhotoKB Home
Discussion Groups
Digital Photography
Digital PhotoDSLR CamerasZLR CamerasPoint & Shoot Cameras
Film Photography
35 mmLarge FormatMedium formatDarkroomFilm and LabsOther Equipment
Photo Technique
Nature PhotographyPeople PhotographyTechnique General
General Photo Topics
General TopicsAustralian PhotographyUK Photography
DirectoryPhoto Clubs

Photo Forum / Film Photography / Darkroom / July 2005

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

retouching 4*5 films

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
I was babel bear - 16 Jul 2005 13:21 GMT
Hi,
I've a few films (pola 55) with emulsion scratches.
I think it's better working on the film in spite of the print.
But what could I use (and where to buy it on the web)?
thx a lot

zam
stefan patric - 16 Jul 2005 19:47 GMT
> I've a few films (pola 55) with emulsion scratches. I think it's better
> working on the film in spite of the print. But what could I use (and where
> to buy it on the web)? thx a lot

Are the scratches really on the emulsion side or are they on the base
(back) of the film?  If they are on the back, then a temporary fix, that
is, each time you print the negative, is a product called No Scratch by
Edwal.  You clean it off after each use.  Or you can use the old
photographer's trick -- nose grease.  Rub a little of the oil from crease
between the side of the nose and the cheek into the scratch.  Both these
techniques work because the index of refraction of both are the same as
that of the acetate base of the film, and greatly reduce, but don't
eliminate, the projected image of the scratch.

Now, if the emulsion is truly scratched, then you got real problems,
because the actual image is damaged or if the scratch is all the way to
the base, the scratch has removed that part of the emulsion and, thus,
the image there.  The usual "fix" for this is to fill in the scratch so
that it prints white, retouch that print, and make a copy negative of it.
Retouching directly on the negative takes the hand of an experienced
negative retoucher.  Trying to do it yourself would probably fail and
you'd ruin your original negative, even if the scratch were retouchable.
If you want to try, I suggest that you have a pro lab make you several
contact, duplicate negatives to retouch on, then if you screw up, you
haven't ruined your original.

The major makers of retouching supplies is Marshall, Edwal and Spotone.
Sorry, I have no links to their web sites, but most high end photo and art
supply stores carry their products.  

The ulimate, and probably the best, solution would be to use digital
technology: scan the negative(s) at film resolution, digitally retouch it,
and have a new negative made from the digital file.  Expensive, but you
would get a negative without defects, that is as good or better than the
original.

Stefan
Scott Coutts - 17 Jul 2005 04:21 GMT
> Or you can use the old
> photographer's trick -- nose grease.  Rub a little of the oil from crease
> between the side of the nose and the cheek into the scratch.  

ha! that's a good one. I havent heard of that before. I love hearing
about those 'tricks of the trade'.

> Now, if the emulsion is truly scratched, then you got real problems,
> because the actual image is damaged or if the scratch is all the way to
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> contact, duplicate negatives to retouch on, then if you screw up, you
> haven't ruined your original.

Yeah, I wouldnt try it on the neg. If you're printing it yourself, then
it'd be much easier to spot or retouch the print (assuming you dont want
to make too many prints from it)... at least if you wreck the print, you
can do it again or wash off the spotting ink and start again.

> The major makers of retouching supplies is Marshall, Edwal and Spotone.
> Sorry, I have no links to their web sites, but most high end photo and art
> supply stores carry their products.  

Apparently, Spotone is not being manufactured anymore, so it might be
hard to find.

> The ulimate, and probably the best, solution would be to use digital
> technology: scan the negative(s) at film resolution, digitally retouch it,
> and have a new negative made from the digital file.  Expensive, but you
> would get a negative without defects, that is as good or better than the
> original.

Yes, I wouldnt definitely recommend this over any other method. If
you're familiar with digital, and you have the rigth gear, then I'd scan
the neg and do any manipulations you want to do using photoshop or
something like that, and then have the prints made directly from
digital. Usually cheaper than having a neg printed from a digital file.

Scott.
Tom Ellliott - 17 Jul 2005 22:04 GMT
Nose grease DOES work. When I was using my own darkroom (stopped in 1992
when I went digital) it was a common "tool". Now I would make a high res
scan and retouch in Photoshop.
Yours,
Tom

> > I've a few films (pola 55) with emulsion scratches. I think it's better
> > working on the film in spite of the print. But what could I use (and where
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>
> Stefan
I was babel bear - 19 Jul 2005 09:24 GMT
> > I've a few films (pola 55) with emulsion scratches. I think it's better
> > working on the film in spite of the print. But what could I use (and where
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Edwal.  You clean it off after each use.  Or you can use the old
> photographer's trick -- nose grease.

I'm sorry I do not understand :-/ what is Nose grease?

> The major makers of retouching supplies is Marshall, Edwal and Spotone.
> Sorry, I have no links to their web sites, but most high end photo and art
> supply stores carry their products.

thx a lot

> The ulimate, and probably the best, solution would be to use digital
> technology: scan the negative(s) at film resolution, digitally retouch it,
> and have a new negative made from the digital file.  Expensive, but you
> would get a negative without defects, that is as good or better than the
> original.

Yes but I'd prefer to print them on my own

thx a lot for all your precious informations

sam
stefan patric - 20 Jul 2005 05:30 GMT
>> > I've a few films (pola 55) with emulsion scratches. I think it's
>> > better working on the film in spite of the print. But what could I use
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> I'm sorry I do not understand :-/ what is Nose grease?

It is the facial oil that accumulates above the outside of the nostril
where the nose meets the face.  Rub the pad of your finger to transfer
some of the oil to it, then rub the oil on the scratch (It doesn't take
much.), smoothing and feathering the oil around the scratch so there is
left only a very thin layer.  This works because the oil has almost the
same index of refraction as the acetate base of film.  It just fills in
the scratch.

Using a diffusion printing head will reduce the scratch, too, and
sometimes when used in conjunction with "nose grease" eliminate a
scratch entirely in the print.  No print spotting needed.

Use film cleaner to remove the oil after printing.  Don't store the
negative with oil still on it.  The oil dries out, hardens and yellows
over time.  So, it's best to remove it after its job is done.

Stefan
I was babel bear - 20 Jul 2005 10:09 GMT
> Use film cleaner to remove the oil after printing.  Don't store the
> negative with oil still on it.  The oil dries out, hardens and yellows
> over time.  So, it's best to remove it after its job is done.
>
> Stefan

Perfect!
Thx a lot, Stefan

Sam
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2009 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.