How best to clean the slides for scanning? (Page 2): I can relate to that. I said the same thing in a thread that I created on removing crud from black and white negatives. I'm...

therwol Loc: USA

BebuLamar wrote:

I never expect to remove all the dust but I would like to remove most of them before scanning. The rest can be taken care of via software.

I can relate to that. I said the same thing in a thread that I created on removing crud from black and white negatives. I'm weighing time versus results in my project. Every negative or negative strip does get a good wipe and then dusting with an antistatic brush. I've used the PEC 12 when I've seen obvious crud on a very important picture. It mostly works, but not always. I'm just going to go back when I finish and clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up, probably mostly with software at that point.

I'm scanning and photographing these photos for the sake of archiving for my kids. Many of my pictures are of them growing up. Those will get the extra special treatment.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

BebuLamar wrote:

When I scan the my slides many of them are dirty. While it's possible to do the clean up in PP but I think it's best to clean the slides as good as possible first. I use an antistatic brush and it works OK but I am wondering if I can use some liquid to clean it better?

I use a brush as you do, and blow on them.
Then the scanner with Digital ICE removes ALL the rest of the small specs you miss or cant see.
NO PP needed. So use digital ICE on your scanner and save hundreds of hours and effort.

Astral

Hi Astral here.
Slides are simply film.
I have always used a film cleaner dabbed on cotton bud.
It's the best way.
Doesn't scatch,
Doesnt leave any film,
Colours remain true,
Doesnt affect the slide except for dirt and dust.
The ONLY WAY TO CLEAN THEM EFFICIENTLY!!

Astral

Dont breathe or blow on them.
microscopic moisture damages the fragile old chemicals
Astral

therwol Loc: USA

Architect1776 wrote:

I use a brush as you do, and blow on them.
Then the scanner with Digital ICE removes ALL the rest of the small specs you miss or cant see.
NO PP needed. So use digital ICE on your scanner and save hundreds of hours and effort.

Digital Ice doesn't always work on Kodachrome and can degrade the images. There are multiple articles on the internet about this. Here is one.

http://download.scanace.com.tw/Manual/CyberView_X/CVX_MS/KODACHROME%20slides%20issues%20when%20using%20Magic%20Touch.pdf

Digital Ice also doesn't work at all on silver based black and white negatives. Infrared will not penetrate silver.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I had / have a Kodak anti-static film cleaner in my darkroom. The film/negatives are passed through the open metallic 'Jaws' (Which I assume places a static charge on the film) then, in turn passes between the two columns of brushes. The unit is plugged into mains electric.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

therwol wrote:

Digital Ice doesn't always work on Kodachrome and can degrade the images. There are multiple articles on the internet about this. Here is one.

http://download.scanace.com.tw/Manual/CyberView_X/CVX_MS/KODACHROME%20slides%20issues%20when%20using%20Magic%20Touch.pdf

Digital Ice also doesn't work at all on silver based black and white negatives. Infrared will not penetrate silver.

It works well on all my hundreds of old Kodachromes.
Personally don't give a hoot about internet crap that contradicted REAL life experiences.

But I guess the internet is the ultimate truth as we all know.

I know what works and it works perfectly every time for me and saves stupid time fixing photos that could have been done correctly the first time.
Ps I tried it without ICE and with.
I will stick with ICE others can waste their lives believing all the crap on the internet.