FOR THE HIGH FLYERS. Here`s a few crumbs of cumfort for those of you who may be flying off to warmer climes this summer and may have doubts regarding damage to films going through X-ray machines at an airport.

Eric Weatherill had some misgivings, too, when returning from America last year. He had words with the appropriate official at Heathrow who was able to reassure him that films are only subjected to a mild dosage and would remain undamaged even if subjected to a much greater concentration. Eric points out that this information may, or may not, apply to other airports.

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WELL? IS IT BLUE. A friend of mine, Roy Johnson - also a Club member - raised a problem encountered by a friend of his - who will, hopefully, soon become a member - who has but recently been bitten by the photographic `bug`.

This friend was persuaded by Roy to have an initial excursion with his all-singing, all-dancing electronic brand new Canon E0S 10 using the new emulsion Konica reversal film.

The problem arose when this chap`s tutor at the evening school he attended described his first exposures as having a blue cast. I have now seen these first slides, around 60 in number, and quite frankly, I consider them absolutely first class, not a sign of a cast - of ANY colour, well up to the standard we C.R.C. people now come to expect from Konica. The films, incidentally, were processed by Jessop - and they, too, come out well for their part in all this.

The first slides were devoted to studio-type shots of a lady model with the background drape of blue velvet-looking material and this could well have given the impression of a blue cast. For the background was quite dominant and indeed I did detect a shade of blue on the lady`s hair on a few shots - clearly a reflection. But the flesh tones, on both face and hands, were supurb. A few odd frames were mostly white. White lace, in fact. These looked to be... well pure white lace!

The second set of slides were almost entirely shots of a floodlit church and these were particularly impressive. Artificial light on ancient stonework gives a most attractive, warm appearance and these slides have a radiant splender in perhaps a majestic rather than a delicate sort of way. With not a sign of blue.

So where did the supposed question of a blue cast come from? Who can tell? Different eyes see colour in different ways. Or maybe a reflection, as I saw on the lady`s hair, can be wrongly seen as a cast. In the case of this gentleman`s films there can be no question of a cast - and the fact that the flesh tones on the one set of slides is proof of this, flesh tones will normally give the impression of a cast even when there aint one!

Finally I would hope that this chappie will "join-up" with the C.R.C. where he will find much help from officials and members who are steeped in reversal film problems.... and, in the main, have managed to solve them.

TEMPERATURE - AND ALL THAT. Another aspect of the processing experience occured to me recently - that of undoubted influence of the constancy of the temperature of the solutions throughout the whole sequence. That the temperature should be maintained as accurately as possible surely goes without saying - though the Bleach and Fixer may be allowed some latitude without causing undue havoc.

But should the temperature be allowed to fall after the First Developer all may not be lost. Indeed, provided the fall is within, say a couple of degrees, and provided this can be maintained at the lower level for the rest of the process the colour BALANCE should not be affected at all. What will be changed, though, is the CONTRAST of the slide.

So should you contemplate copying colour slides here is a tip which might help to avoid excessive contrast - and is much more under control than the more conventional method of slightly fogging the emulsion before exposure. (see below).

KONICA !GOLD!. Whilst I admit that to mention here a negative film is to wander somewhat from the very core of the aims of the Colour Reversal Club. I know there are many members who still stray into the unmentionable!

Now I see Konica are further into the `other` field with a new negative film and I am indebted to Tony Chuter for sending me a reprint of a write-up on negative films distributed by PHOTOpro.

After explaining the `pinching` of the GOLD nomenonclatue of Kodak, in the form of the capital `G` by Agfa (XRG-100 etc), Fuji (Super-HG 200 etc) Konica now follow with Amateur SRG 100, 200 & 400 and now the new Professional SR-G160. Says PHOTOpro "This is a film with a natural colour balance, the usual exceptionally fine Konica grain but by far the lowest contrast and longest tonal range of any current professional colour negative film. Praise indeed! The new film is available only in 120, 220, bulk 35mm (not cassettes) 6exp 120.

This leaflet also underlining points previously mentioned by Ron Croad in the Newsletter... the advantage Konica offer to small account holders. It isn't necessary to have a turnover of tens of thousands of pounds to achieve really good discounts. Special offers also allow orders for mixed film types and sizes right down to even a single roll. Which, of course, is of tremendous benefit to the Club - and to you!

PRE-FOGGING.. THE EASY WAY.. Rita & Major Pearle of Colchester have sent me details of a new-look and ingenious set-up for pre-fogging film prior to copying. The method uses two separate flash guns for lighting, one in front of the slide to be copied to provide the reflected light for the fogging, and the other behind the slide to give sufficient light to make the exposure. The front light is reflected by a piece of plate glass positioned at an angle of 45 degrees so that the light provides, as I`ve said, a reflection in order to fog the emulsion. This, of course, must be fired slightly in advance of the main, behind the slide, flash. I imagine this pre-firing is achieved by the simple expedient of using a slave unit on the front flash which would then set off the second, behind the slide flash. The camera, of course, would be pointed directly THROUGH the 45 degrees glass at a slide to be copied. This is an unusual, somewhat cunning set-up - but I`m assured that it has been tried and tested and that it does work.