How should I clean dust from 35mm negatives before scanning?
Asked 12/14/2015
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I’m scanning 35mm negatives with a dedicated film scanner, but I still end up with lots of dust even after using a rocket blower and a microfiber cloth. The scanner’s IR dust removal helps only a little, and removing spots manually in Photoshop takes a very long time.
What’s the recommended way to clean film negatives properly before scanning? Are there specific tools or methods I should use, and is there anything I should avoid to prevent scratches or damage to the emulsion?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
1
Although I never personally needed to do this, I found pretty fast on the internet guides on how to do it
Bottomline what those guides are saying is:
- first thing you want to try is a cloth (those special cloths used for photographic works)
- you HAVE to use gloves while handling the film.
- some guides are recommending NOT to use compressed air on the film, because that would actually push more dust and debris on the film.
- last resort is using a Isopropyl Alcohol based solution to clean the film.
- you have to pay special attention to the side of the film holding the emulsion, as that's exactly what holds the information (the image) on the film. Handle with care not to add new scratches.
Originally by user26160. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user26160
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Use the gentlest cleaning methods first and handle the film very carefully. Recommended steps from the community answers are:
- Handle negatives with gloves to avoid adding oils and more dust.
- Start with a proper photographic cleaning cloth rather than ordinary wiping.
- Be especially careful on the emulsion side, since that surface contains the image and scratches easily.
- Avoid compressed air, since some guides warn it can drive more dust or debris onto the film.
- If dry cleaning isn’t enough, an isopropyl-alcohol-based film cleaning solution can be used as a last resort.
In general, the goal is to clean the negative itself as safely as possible before scanning rather than scanning a print made from an enlarger. A print adds another generation and can reduce the quality and detail you can get from the original negative.
So: gloves, careful handling, a proper photo cloth, and wet cleaning only when necessary are the best approach.
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