I have two general questions I hope folks here may have suggestions on.

1. Cleaning film I just got a new scanner (a Nikon LS-4000) and in playing with it last night, I was a little too vigorous in cleaning a 6-frame strip of transparency film. Small scratches appeared in the scan. They were not visible when I put the strip on the light table and looked at it through a loupe but surprisingly, I could see them when I held the strip at a shallow angle and viewed it directly. Fortunately, the Digital ICE product is very impressive in removing scratches. I had put some Edwal film cleaning fluid on a piece of micro-fiber cleaning cloth, then pulled the strip through the folded cloth. Squeezing too hard put the scratches on the film.

"Well, don't squeeze so hard!", I hear you say. Probably the answer but does anyone have other film cleaning tips?

2. M6 bags. I have a small Tamrac bag I use to carry my M6 but it just has a flap that closes over the top of the case, rather than a zip that would keep dirt out. Or, as I discovered on vacation in Australia last month, a zip that'd keep sand out! I want to carry a spare roll of film, a spare battery and a small notepad. What are folks using? I've browsed several shops and not found quite what I want.

Suggestions would be much appreciated on both of these. Also, if anyone has questions about the new Nikon scanner, I'd be happy to answer them (or send you a sample scan).

Regards, Fergus

-- Fergus Hammond (fhammond@adobe.com), April 05, 2001

Answers

On the film scratches: I just use an anti-static brush and/or compressed air to remove dust. Removing dust should not require liquid film cleaner or the scratch-prone wiping. That tactic should be reserved for when you have something really nasty to remove, and even then with the understanding that you may damage the acetate and/or emulsion in the process. For me, it's a "last resort".

On the bag: I use a very small Billingham that has the protection you're looking for, but less of the bulk and boxiness typical of most Billingham models. I want to say the "f/5.6 model", but I'm not sure about that. I'll check the Billingham site and confirm or correct.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

I just checked www.billingham.com. The bag I refer to above is the "Series 3" model. Great protection with less than the typical Billingham bulk. Downsides are...

1) Not cheap. B&H lists for just under $200 USD. But then neither is a CLA cheap, for your precious Leica et al.

2) In the process of tightening the bag up to keep sand and prying fingers out, the bag can be a little slow for you to access. The bag does have the provision for folding back the top zippered flaps, and I don't find this a really objectionable problem.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

For almost 40 years I've been wiping the dust off of my film with the same tool--my fingers. I'm blessed with hands which aren't particularly oily, neither wet nor dry, and not corrosive either (in my current field that can become painfully obvious), which I guess is a matter of personal body chemistry. Anyway, To make a scratch an object must be harder than the film, and I guess my fingers aren't, whereas objects trapped in soft cloth sometimes are. I just squeege the film between my first two fingers immediately before working with it. Static is never a problem this way, either. I've had a number of anti-static and film wiping products through the years, and none has ever matched my fingers. It's probably not for everyone, but you might want to give it a try. I never touch the surface with my fingerprints, however.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), April 05, 2001.

Bag: Domke F5XB "Belt and Shoulder Bag". Same size as Billingham Series 3, with additional belt tunnel so it can be worn as a waistpack, shoulder bag--or both for greatest comfort and security. Under $50 at B&H. Can be customized to hold up to 2 M bodies and 4 lenses plus flash and filters. Comes in Tan, Navy or Black canvas, looks much less like a woman's handbag than the Series 3.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

On the Billingham Series 3 - forgot to mention: lots of room for my compact, lipstick, and an extra pair of earrings.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

1) Don't let film get dirty. Use a dry antistatic brush and canned air to remove dust.

2) Domke F5x bag.

Godfrey

-- Godfrey DiGiorgi (ramarren@bayarea.net), April 05, 2001.

I too use the fingers and canned air. Every once and a while, if I have a neg with water stains, the can be removed with a light wiping with a CLEAN microfibre cloth, but I cringe everytime I've done it. For bags I love the new MClassics Leica bag which is a direct copy of the old Leitz canvas bag from the 60's. It wraps right around your hip, holds a body, three lenses, accesories, and has enough room for a notebook or such.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), April 05, 2001.

Just comments about bags, I use a Billingham Photot Hadley, the size is OK for a body plus 2 extra lenses, or 2 bodies with 1 lens on each. It doesn't come with any fancy feature, but it looks good for city tours, can protect the camera from heavy rain or snow, no wife factor here(not ugly). For general purpose I think Domke is an all- around bag.

-- Fred O. (yo5454@yahoo.com), April 05, 2001.

Since you want to carry so little grear, take a look at the LowPro Camera Pocket or Porta Pocket belt pouches. They are so easy to carry (wear) and will hold an M6 + 50mm (or wider) lens with plenty of room for film, paper, and battery. I got one for my SLR, but then my M6 took it over. Perfect for street shooting (dare I say perfect?)

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbll.net), April 05, 2001.

Fergus, are you using the Tamrac Superlight 5? I have one. It will hold an M6 with 50mm lens, plus four more lenses, and a second M body with no lens. Plus assorted lenshoods, filters, & film. Unfortunately, it's no longer Superlight when thus burdened, though that's not the bag's fault. As you say, the main compartment doesn't zip, so it's less than optimal. Also a bit large.

This brings us to the Lowepro Nova 1. This bag zips, has a generous front zip pocket and slim rear zip pockets as well, and mesh side pockets. It holds one M6 with 50mm and up to four (if smallish) or 2 or three larger leica M lenses, with enough room, again, for hoods & other accessories. I took it on a trip with an M6, 50mm Summicron, 35 Lux, 28 2.8 Elmarit, 21mm Superangulon & finder, & 90mm Elmarit. It all fit, and this is a very small bag! Tenba has something similar but pricier & a bit roomier. But the Lowepro is a bargain!

Film cleaning: I brush with a 1" staticmaster. Canned air sometimes. I never wipe, never use liquids, & never scratch film. Vaccuming the darkroom eliminates most need for heroic film cleaning measures.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), April 05, 2001.

I use my fingers too but only to wet out after photo flo during developing, afterwards only brushes and special cleaning liquid, about camera carry bags, it of course depends on what are you carring, I like to have several diferent sizes, for one camera I always carry a belt bag like those you can find in any lugage store, you can always foam it and it doesn´t look as a camera bag, and it can be apropiate for any situation, they usualy have diferent size pokets for film or shade, or what so ever adiction.

-- R Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), April 06, 2001.

I've had a lot of luck with something like your clearning fluid- I don't what it was- it seemed to be alcohol based (volatile), and I just used it to swab my negs before printing. I think it was fine even with CN-400 which tends to be a bit easier to scratch than others.

As for bags... the right bag seems as elusive as the photo with great bokeh, composition and the decisive moment. I have a LowePro Nova Micro,

http:// www.lowepro.com/pages/bySeries/nova.htm#

which will probably fit what you're looking for. It's padded, boxy, small, with a removable shoulder strap and straps for a waist strap. Its lid on the top zips closed and also has a clip and strap if you don't want to zip. I wouldn't call it weather or sandstorm proof, but the zipper goes over the inside lip, so that it's somewhat sealed. It has a front zippered pocket where you can put 4-5 rolls of film, and two side pouches of mesh.

It's versatile too, if you have other cameras to carry- I've used it for a TLR, Fuji 645GS, SLR and two small lenses.

HTH...

-- Tse-Sung Wu (tsesung@yahoo.com), April 06, 2001.

I really like my Domke 803 Satchel! It's relatively small & light, very discreet and can hold 2 M bodies (w/ lenses attached) and 2 additional lenses mounted back to back (plus plenty of film and accesories).

If that's too big, then the Domke FX5 maybe what you're looking for. If you like the 803 Satchel, but want even more flexibility, then the M Classic bag looks pretty good.

-- KL Prager (www.pragerproperties@worldnet.att.net), April 06, 2001.

I've got one of the original bags that the "M-Classic" was copied from, and I've seen and felt the M-Classic when a fellow walked into my local camera store with one while I was there. It is completely destructured and has *zero* padding and unless you fasten the snap/buckle straps each time (mine has 3)there are only the smallest patches of velcro to keep it closed. You wouldn't want to set the bag down quickly on anything hard or have it swing and hit a doorjamb or wall. It's basically like a tote bag, good for film and other unbreakable items. There's no way I personally would carry thousands of dollars worth of Leica equipment in it, unless each piece was in its own padded case, which would defeat the purpose of the bag.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 06, 2001.

Jay's right. I forgot to mention it, but I have two of these "classic" bags. They do have three slip pockets in front and a roomy interior pocket. Once you put a camera in the interior pocket and lenses in the slip pockets, That's all the camera gear that should go in it, because the roomy bag interior has no provision to keep things from clanking together and getting scarred up or even damaged. It doesn't carry comfortably, because it's large and the strap is just unpadded cotton. So why do I have two of them? They make great ditty bags in the back of the jeep to store flashlight, rain gear, weather radio, etc. You could even toss a point-and-shoot in there.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), April 06, 2001.

I just used my new Billingham L2 Alice bag for the first time. It is a very nice bag. It seems to be about the right size for an M or two, and a couple oflenses, plus some film. Not sure how it compares with the other Billingham bag referenced above

-- John Holcomb (jmholcomb@fuse.net), April 09, 2001.

The Alice is a nice bag, John. You're right, if you want to carry a couple of M bodies and only a couple of lenses without a zip closure. The bag is boxier and bulkier than the Series 3, which I use for a single body and a couple of lenses. The Series 3 has a zip closure, which the Alice doesn't have, and which is where this thread all started. I use the Alice, too, but for bulkier SLR camera/lens that doesn't need protection against wind-blown sand. The nice thing about the Alice is the faster access top.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), April 09, 2001.

As the discussion shows, bags seem to be as personal as mates. Don't miss to check out my choice: http://www.lowepro.com/pages/bySeries/StreetF.htm# The LowePro Street&Field Reporter 300 AW and 400AW are my "match made in heaven" for street photography. They are comfortably baggy yet protective and do not signal "rob me" at first sight.

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), April 10, 2001.