Digital BW, The Print

Peter Marshall wrote:

> Costs are for humidity and temperature control, not the filing sheets. 
> If you really want long lifetimes, add in the inert gas!
> 
> Almost from the start I went in for archival processing.  I normally 
> used hypo clear and washed films for twice the manufacturers recommended 
> times and made sure I had frequent changes of water. The negs are all in 
> archival filing sheets except for some early work in glassine, which I 
> think is also reasonably archival. But I live in an area noted for 
> humidity, which is my particular problem. Also that I'd need a larger 
> house for really archival storage.


The "squatted" houses I used to live in when most of my B&W 
negs were made were damp as well. Though I remember a visit to 
London in 1968 that told me that there are places where it is 
even more damp (mainly due to substandard heating). Anyway, 
around that time I adopted the formaline (formaldehyde) bath 
at the very end of negative development. Hardens the emulsion 
so less scratches and less fungi.

                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


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