QUICK TIP: Flattening Curly 35mm Film for Sharp Scans on Your Flatbed Scanner

[@PhotoBug3042]

“If you’re in a hurry, don’t shoot film…” lol- so true!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Words to live by, 😆

[@CBortlearts]

Love your videos. Such a rarity in the film youtube world. I have been choosing film based on flatness as a variable now that I scan. I recently dug into my archives to scan some old film strips I had from when I was in the military while in Europe back in the 80's. What a great experince to see those again, however.....all on Kodak and very curved. I'll have to give this a go. I see you have not produced in a couple of years. I hope you come back one day. I really like your videos as they touch on things that nobody else does. Surprised you did not have more followers!

[@filmic1]

Thank you for that! I have an Epson 3200 Photo with different film format trays. Well, I'm just going to try that. I was a super lover of Provia slide. I still have one Provia 400 to develop and one in the chamber in my Nikon F90. I heard discussion by word of mouth only, about wet flat bed scanning. That sounds expensive with a steep learning curve. Great channel.....

[@stevelaminack1516]

Another alterative way I have done for years is to spool the film onto a developing tank reel backwards (opposite the curl).

[@levelupprotocol]

Smart cookie u are lol that's smart

[@ToniLovesSkateboarding]

i was literally wondering this as I watched this video. thats what im going to do next!

[@GODSPEEDseven]

Thank you very much for this tip, Eric! Just started developing my own film, and this was in my list of "how do I fix this?". This answered it very well!

[@drdufault]

Much better system than putting the strips into books for several days, like I’ve been doing.

[@digitalstringsmedia]

I enjoy your videos and the details in camera features, thank you!

[@anthonys_expired_film]

Hi Eric, I just wanted to check in to see if you are ok. Haven’t seen any new videos in a couple of years. I learned so much from your videos and appreciate all you taught me from them. Let me know if you’re doing ok. Thanks. Anthony.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Lots of unfortunate health issues over the past few years. I would like very much to start making more videos. Hopefully soon!

[@anthonys_expired_film]

@ So sorry to hear. Take care of yourself first and foremost. Keep us posted. You have the best photography videos on KZbin in my humble opinion. All the best to you! 🙏🏻

[@weightsandwaifus299]

Really enjoy your content. Super concise with no filler. Straight to the point. Keep it up.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Thanks so much

[@jw48335]

​@@FilmPhotographyChannelYou ok out there?

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

I’m fine. I’ll be making more content soon. Life has been happening.

[@jw48335]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel Glad to hear it sir. I miss the content, but far more important that you're still out there doing life 😃

[@Fast58Eddie]

Nice to see you making videos again. Thank you.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Thanks for noticing. Much more to come!

[@wilf9356]

Hiya. Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos! Perfect photography channel 👍. Keep it up!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Thanks so much!

[@sirapopkiatchaipipat5817]

I thank your wisdom

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Very kind of you. Thank you 🙏

[@rbrowning8088]

Eric, do you have plans on putting out another video in the near future? .....rb

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

I might start doing shorts since that seems to be the direction things are going. I will continue to make the long for videos also.

[@ridealongwithrandy]

So glad to see you back! I have the same problem with my film, thanks for the video! Cheers!

[@anthonys_expired_film]

Great tip! I will definitely do this to the film I develop. Thank you!!

[@nmd1211]

Such good, practical advice. And so nice to see you again! Happy 4th!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Thanks. Happy 4th to you as well!

[@flyingo]

Hello. Are you still involved with film photography? It’s been a year since you posted this video. I enjoy your content. Thank you!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Yes, I am very much involved. I’ll be posting new content soon. I’ve run out of cameras to review but I have some other ideas.

[@spotsill]

I have some vintage rolls I was given and hopefully this might work for them . Thanks

[@stanleyomar]

I have some cut and under a stack of books right now. If they're not completely flat (which they often aren't, even after a few days), I'll definitely try this starting with those. Thanks for the tip!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Great. I hope it works out.

[@ChrisVidouras]

Nice! I'll give this a go with my very curly tmax.

[@Kinnup7]

Looking forward to more content from you. Please come back!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Thanks I will.

[@spangancayco]

Thanks for the tip! Definitely going to try it.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

It actually works. I’ve been doing it for years. Be gentle to avoid scratches.

[@brettona123]

I have some film from 1948. London motor show. I must try this! Carefully of course. Thanks!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Good luck!

[@andrejbjorn]

Thank you

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

You're welcome

[@VictorBezrukov]

thank you for the tip. will try with the this next curly film :-)

[@97blkbrd]

Hello, If the film does get touched or oil on it, whats a good way to clean it? A cheap and buget way, Can Alcohol be used? Thanks

[@yellowcrescent]

Nice! I started doing this recently, but using binder clips on the film to hold it together... not sure how I didn't think to use a film canister... haha. Humidity during drying also seems to have an impact on the amount of curling -- during the winter time when indoor humidity is very low, my films tend to curl much more (not sure why though). If I had to guess the reason for B&W and Slide film being more curl-- possibly because of the thickness difference (across the film) of the silver/color layers left behind, whereas in C-41 the only thing left behind are dyes -- and the middle of the film tends to be denser. I had a mostly ruined roll of E100 I developed the other day and it was surprisingly flat. For me, color negative/print films (especially Portra and Ektar) usually dry super flat -- with the exception being Kodak Gold 200 in 120 -- it's an absolute pain to process (35mm is fine though). Also most Rollei films I've tried in 120 are extremely curly for some reason -- I have some sitting in my film binder that STILL curl after a year...

[@DavidGriffin]

Aye man... You better be alive!!! Do 6x9 camera talk video!!!!!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Will do!

[@DavidGriffin]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel 1 glad to see your alive... 2 my bad... I meant 6x6

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Ok I have a 6x6 folder. I’m planning on getting the channel back on track

[@jimcook3882]

Great video! Just processed some Ilford FP-4+ and they are super curly! I was thinking maybe I didn't wash long enough, or bottom clips were not heavy enough during the drying? I will give this method a try next batch. THANKS!!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Good! It absolutely works. I’ve been doing it for years. Good luck!

[@BarwickGreen]

Good tip. I have the same problem with some 120 film and will have to find a suitable cylindrical container to put that in with a reverse roll. Some film is much more curly than other film, the worse I've found is Bergger, I'll never use it again! For B&W 120 I find Ilford FP4+ and Delta dry very flat.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Good info. Thanks. I had a viewer post a comment stating that he uses the film loading spool from the development tank for the same purpose. He simply loads the film on to the spool against the curve and lets it sit for several hours or even better overnight. Perfect for 120 film! You can read his comment directly in this thread.

[@severedsixteen]

Thank you this is great, Do you have any advise for film that was rolled back into cans like this but slightly wet so they have now stuck, is there anything to soak them in that could take them apart again?

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Oh wow that doesn’t sound like there would be an easy solution. I unfortunately don’t have any ideas. Maybe try to pull what you can and salvage the part that didn’t get wet? Otherwise open the can in a dark bag and reload into a plastic reusable can. I hope this helps.

[@severedsixteen]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel Ah thanks for writing back so soon, I have had them for years now afraid to try to pull them apart. It was a lab that gave them back like that too...:(

[@Hassebas88]

the one reason i prefer Ilford's HP5 over Kodak's Tri-X is that HP5 dries much flatter.. Tri-X is gorgious but it's like a long half-pipe.. Edit: I will try this method you show, great video!

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Thanks and you make a good point. It’s always better if the film just dries flat on its own. That’s why I love Ektar and Portra. There aren’t a lot of B&W films that dry very flat so this technique has come in handy over the years.

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel Kentmere 100 is the most naturally flat drying film I have used.. love this video. Thank You.

[@BarryCarlton]

Well, I've got a challenge for this technique: some 80-year-old B&W negatives my mother stored in film canisters. They are seriously curled, apparently having really liked the canister lifestyle. I'm curious to see if anything can uncurl them. I'll give this a try. At least I'll have the canisters readily available.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Make sure they haven’t gotten brittle with age.

[@BarryCarlton]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel Good point. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to soak the negatives first, then hang them up to dry, and then do the reverse roll. If I recall correctly, my last go at this was several years ago, and the roll I tried was still unusably curly even after being soaked and re-dried. But I imagine a good soaking might help with brittleness.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Sounds good. Proceed with caution (as you know).

[@richardgray131185]

I need a solution for single 35mm frames.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Same concept. Put the single frame inside an empty film can for however long it takes to uncurl it.

[@richardgray131185]

Will give it a try. Have you ever tried putting curled film in the container so that the film is bending opposite to the curl? I tried this per someone's advice but it damaged the film.@@FilmPhotographyChannel

[@kamikaze2613]

Who do you send your leica to be cla?

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

I send all of my Leicas to Youxin Ye at YYECamera.com. He did the viewfinder upgrades on my M2 and M6 and cla’d them both. He also cla’d a Leica Summitar 50mm collapsible lens that I thought was going to end up as unusable. He does exemplary work.

[@kamikaze2613]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel appreciate your response. The last few weeks Ive been back and fourth with the top 3 leica cla wizards in the usa including Youxin ye. I finally decided on him this weekend, and especially now after seeing you use him! I have some much needed work to be accomplished on newly acquired M3 and dual range 50mm similar to your setup ;) and a 35mm summaron with goggles

[@kamikaze2613]

@@FilmPhotographyChannel hope all is well and that you have a new video in the works its been to long ;)

[@swansong007]

So you cut the film into 6 frames pieces after this process. It sure would be easier it was cut in to shorter lengths prior to rolling it up. Have you tried it that way ?

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

I only cut the film into strips of 6 frames if I’m using my flatbed scanner. I’ve never tried rolling it after cutting into shorter lengths tho.

[@rickschricter]

I lay negatives flat 12 to 24 hrs before scanning.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Lay them flat with something on top to flatten them?

[@devroombagchus7460]

Thanks! I’ll try this for both 135 and 120. But always with gloves on.

[@rmd4845]

'If you're in a hurry don't shoot film' Well said.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

Ain’t it the truth, lol

[@weedhimself]

I wonder if the curliness is a product of the age of the base film? When I develop 10+year expired Kodak it turns very curly, fresh Kodak never does.

[@FilmPhotographyChannel]

That may also be a factor but I know that emulsion density affects the film curliness as does the thickness of the film stock.