c1935 ragamuffins play street hockey to ease tension
Toronto. In a recent post I discussed techniques used on post washed prints to remove any excess water and treat the surface. The effect of ignoring post washing processes on film – especially 35mm or smaller – is even more drastic.
Surface tension causes droplets of water to cling to the film and once evaporated, these droplets leave a mark on the film – especially if the water or air or both are impure.
This can be solved by using a wetting agent in the wash bath to ease the natural surface tension. Kodak uses the trade mark ‘Photo-Flo‘ on its product. So all you niche film folk, be aware of how you can ensure your negatives are as clean as possible before enlarging.
By the way, the phenomenon of water tension and wetting agents is aptly handled by this 5 minute Youtube video. And remember, visit our 2025 events (see PHSC EVENTS at right) for additions to your collection and user gear.
