Storage of paper and negatives

TiMo · 2012-06-05T02:06:07+00:00

Da hier in ein paar Tagen die Regenzeit anfangen wird und es dann recht schwül und heiß wird, würde ich gerne meine Negative (sind in Taschen aus Pergamin in...

TiMo

As the rainy season is set to begin here in a few days and it will become quite humid and hot, I’d like to store my negatives (which are in glassine bags in a PP ring binder) and the photographic paper in the gentlest way possible. The limited space in the fridge is taken up by the films, so that’s not an option for the paper. My solution for the paper and negatives would be this: Place each in a plastic bag, add a packet of silica gel with an anti-fungal agent, and seal. Store in the coolest room in the house. If the silica gel absorbs almost all the moisture in the air, is that harmful to the material? I look forward to your suggestions. Best regards, Tim

AchimBauer

Hi Tim, I’m familiar with the climate, but you’ve already done a good job using the negative glassine sheets. As for silica gel with a fungicidal additive (anti-fungal agent), I’m not quite sure – does anyone know how it affects the films? Personally, I’d go for standard silica gel in large packs, and use airtight boxes rather than plastic bags – one for negatives and one for prints. The air can circulate better in the boxes. I’d use storage boxes and add a hygrometer (calibrate it first by wrapping it in a damp cloth and setting it to 100% after half an hour) to make sure it doesn’t get too dry. You mention a house; I can hardly imagine you have a little cottage in the countryside in your adopted home, but if you do, try an earth cellar – you won’t find cheaper cold storage than that. Regards, Achim

Wolfgg

Hello Achim, The ‘wet cloth’ method is rather inaccurate; depending on the hygrometer, you may need to calibrate the device between 80% and 98% at the upper end due to significant non-linearity – this is usually stated in the user manual. It would be better to create a humidity level close to normal room conditions for calibration, e.g. as shown here: http://www.renatus-lechner.de/tipps.html Regards, Wolfgang

Pitt23

Hello Tim, Which part of the tropics are you in? A standard fridge isn’t suitable for slides, films or photographs because it’s too humid. In my opinion, Achim’s idea of an ‘earth cellar’ makes sense (cf. also the adventure stories of the late Leni Riefenstahl in Nubaland, who buried her films there). I keep my slide collection, films, etc. in a relatively cool garden shed (in the shade) in well-sealed steel cabinets with desiccant and an indicator. Unfortunately, that wasn’t always the case: the Agfa slides, now over 30 years old, show (in some cases significant) signs of ageing, even those carefully framed in glass. The Fujis (and a few Kodachromes), which have been stored as described above for around 10 years, are still in quite good condition. This should also work for negative film and paper prints. Best regards from Nairobi and good light! Pitt PS: Which solution did you eventually go for?

TiMo

Hi Pit, In Japan, high humidity and the mould that comes with it are a major problem. Not just for negatives, but especially for lenses. I treat the negatives with Mirasol at the end, which is supposed to be bactericidal. Then I put them in glassine envelopes and into a plastic box with a sealing lip on the lid. I also add small sachets of chemicals that keep the humidity around 40% and also contain an active ingredient against fungi. Unfortunately, I can’t control the temperature, so they’re kept in the coolest part of the house. Best regards, Tim