[pure-silver] Spotting and Microscope Questions
- From: Peter De Smidt <pdesmidt@xxxxxxx>
- To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2004 14:05:10 -0500
I'd like to get better magnification and viewing for spotting, both for
negatives and prints. Right now, I use a 3X circular magnifier for
prints. I don't currently retouch negatives because my 4x loupe isn't
powerful enough.
Can anybody recommend something? How about something like:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48740&item=3844548297&rd=1
? While this is a little pricier than I'd like, well, I'll do what I
have to. When it comes to tools and instruments, there are a couple of
levels. First, there's the POS level. These items are so poorly made
that they won't even do their intented task properly once. Then there's
the cheap level. These items perform there function adequately for light
use, althought they are much less rugged and convenient than more
expensive items. Does anyone have any idea if the type of microscope
listed on the Ebay link fits in the first or second category? Certainly
there are more quality levels, but they're too expensive.
On a recent negative, I had a couple of very small clear spots on the
film. Since I couldn't spot the film, I had to use a 7% tincture of
iodine solution on the print, which I buy at Fleet Farm. I used a tooth
pick, but this was a little big. I tried sanding down the toothpick to a
sharper point, but I worried that this might scratch/mark the paper.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Of course I didn't notice the very
small spots until after all of the prints had been selenium toned and
dried. There's 15-11x14 prints for the rubbish bin!
I use a #2 Dick Blick Kolinsky Sable spotting brush. It seems ok.
Getting the Spottone/Marshall's dyes to the right hue and density is a
real PITA. Both Spotone and Marshall's "neutral black" are too blue for
my selenium toned Ilford FB MG paper. Thus, I have to mix in a drop of
brown tone dye, which is too strong.. I then have to ad some Marshall's
blue-black. This gets things pretty close. I wonder how these dyes hold
up over time? Not to well, I suspect.
I realize that it's better not to have to spot at all, but I don't seem
able to achieve this. I use a combination of a Zone VI anti-static
brush and compressed air, but this doesn't seem to be doing the job as
well as I'd like. Any suggestions welcome. Yes, I try to keep the
darkroom as free from dust as possible, mainly by mopping/sponging or
using a hepa vacuum. I keep relative humidity at 40%.
-Peter De Smidt
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