mccamy@topcat.DEC (08/10/84)
From: "...decvax!decwrl!rhea!Topcat!McCamy" Merrimack, New Hampshire >I have one question. What about the dyes in slide film? I use slide >film exclusively, printing my favorite shots. Are the slides subject >to fading as well? I haven't looked back at any of my old slides to >check this out. I'll fill you in on some useful information that my father gave to me while he was Director of Photographic Research at the National Bureau of Standards. Slide film dyes, as stated on nearly every film package, are susceptible to fading. There is nothing much you can do about the natural "decomposition" of the slide pigments. But, there is a proper way of storing slides to prevent possible damage from hydrocarbons emitted from wood; don't store your slides in wooden boxes, wooden slide trays, etc. I store my slides in a metal slide box and try to keep the slides in a cool, dark place. I have 25 year old slides that are like "new". For those of you who have ever been interested in the Kennedy Assassination Investigation, my father was chosen to investigate all photographs and movies that may have been taken during the assassination. My dad, along with a ballistics expert, were able to prove that the all the bullets hitting the car and Kennedy were shot from the window of the Depository, where Oswald's rifle was found. The Zuppruter (spelling?) film, which was the most significant record of the assassination, was somewhat of poor quality. The film was jittery to say the least. The film was analyzed and reconstructed by a computer to get rid of the distracting elements. The film could then be reviewed with much better clarity. By the way, these investigations were done about 12 years(?) after the assassination. This was felt necessary because of thought that there might be a cover-up. My dad had to prove that all photographs related to the assassination were in fact never tampered with. He was able to prove that photographs of Oswald in his back yard, holding the rifle found in the depository, were indeed genuine and un-tampered. He also proved that the rifle in the photographs was the same rifle found in the depository. He also suggested better ways to store the valuable photographs to avoid, as much as possible, degradation.