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Rangefinder Magazine
March 2002
Problems & Solutions by
Bill Hurter
Please accompany your questions with a self-addressed stamped envelope
if you wish an immediate reply. Alternatively, you can e-mail me at: bhurter@rfpublishing.com.
From: John Petterson
Medium-format repair technician
Christian Photo
Des Moines, Iowa
Askcmraguy@aol.com
In reply to the answer you gave to Steve Kovacs in the P&S column,
Jan. 2002, yes 1,1,1-Trichloroethane was indeed banned for punching holes
in the ozone.
However, it was replaced with Trichloroethylene. According to my chemical/solvents
supplier, there was a small change to make the replacement solvent environmentally
friendly. We pay about $100 for a five-gallon container of the solvent.
I use this non-flammable solvent to clean camera parts and a variety of
other cleaning applications. If used on plastic, a small test area should
be tried first as the solvent might soften or melt certain plastics.
Thanks for passing this along.
From: Thomas J. (Tommie) Suits
Suitsus2at@aol.com
In your “Problems & Solutions” items of the January issue
of Rangefinder, Donald Norton of San Diego, CA was seeking help in finding
retouching fluid.
The following formula for making your own was published in The Encyclopedia
of Photography, Vol. 17, page 3237, copyright 1971:
Spirits of turpentine 4 ounces
Powdered resin 1 ounce
Dissolve the resin in the turpentine. Let the mixture stand for several
days with occasional shaking until dissolved before using. With prolonged
use the medium may become too thick. This can be corrected by adding a
few drops of turpentine.
This is in an excellent article on retouching. The “P&S”
feature in the first thing I read in each issue of Rangefinder. I always
enjoy it. Thanks.
From: F. Antupit
Cambridge, MA
fran21@mindspring.com
If you don’t know where to find this I doubt anyone on the planet
can. Is there any kind of film still made for the old Kodak Brownie? Thanks
for any info.
Thanks for the vote of confidence. In my files I have two sources for
“classic-”size films. According to Sy Simms, who is B&H
Photo & Video’s expert, it depends on which format you need—120,
620, 127, 128, etc. They have various emulsions in these and other sizes,
including Fujichrome Velvia Pro 50, Kodak T-Max 100, T-Max 400 and Plus-X
Pan. For more information, call him toll free: (800) 606-6969 ext. 2700,
fax: (212) 239-7540 or e-mail him at used@bhphotovideo.com.
You might also try Film for Classics, P.O. Box 486, Honeoye Falls, NY
14472; (716) 624-4945. They offer a monochrome ortho copy film, rated
at E.I. 32; available in five classic film sizes—101, 116, 122, 124,
and 616. Also available are the 828, 118, and 620 sizes, with original
spools.
In an effort to bring you up-to-date information regarding sending or
shipping film and other media, here is an update from the CompactFlash
Association on irradiation.
The CompactFlash Association (CFA) announced recnetly that semiconductors
used in electronic systems, including CompactFlash and CF I/O cards, would
be irreparably damaged if subjected to the irradiation process that was
being used by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to sanitize the mail. Such
damage will not only cause loss of data stored on the cards, but the cards
will no longer be operable.
To protect public health and ensure confidence in the U.S. Mail system,
the USPS in October began using electron beam irradiation systems to sanitize
certain mail streams against anthrax and other possible biological agents.
Testing has confirmed that these systems, which operate in the range of
55 kGy, damage not only semiconductors, but other goods as well, including
pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, biological samples, and photographic
film. The following statement appears on the USPS website: “The Postal
Service is working with the mailing industry to develop procedures to
ensure that sanitization of the mail will not damage sensitive items in
the mail. Sanitization technology is currently being tested on a wide
range of film products, digital and magnetic storage devices, laboratory
samples, food and plant products, and “smart” credit cards with
embedded chips to ensure that all business mail can be safely processed
through the postal system.”
While it is possible that the USPS is no longer passing targeted mail
streams though these e-beam systems, the CFA is alerting all users of
CompactFlash cards of the inherent risk of damage to CompactFlash cards
should they pass through an e-beam irradiation system. Other delivery
services have no plans to use irradiation systems, but users should remain
alert for any changes in the future.
The CFA will continue to work with USPS and others to develop shipping
procedures that will ensure the safety of CompactFlash and other semiconductors
through the mail.
While e-beam irradiation systems for the mail will damage CompactFlash
cards, the X-ray scanners at airports will not. As has always been the
case, passing CompactFlash cards through the carry-on or check-in baggage
X-ray systems used at airports has no affect on CompactFlash cards.
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