Equipment for developing B&W film in your kitchen or bathroom sink. (With commentary).
1. Someplace dark to move film around, (I use a closet after midnight, but I'm thinking of investing in a film changing bag). 2. Film developing tank, (I prefer stainless steel with PVC plastic tops, but almost any will do). 3. Reels to match the tank, and your film format. (I prefer Kinderman, no longer available new as far as I know, but their optional automatic film loaders make loading the reels a snap, not that it's difficult to do otherwise, but it does take practice.). If you're using stainless steel, as opposed to plastic watch out for slightly bent reels, they can make film loading impossible, If you're using plastic, keep the reels scrupulously clean and dry before each use for the same reason). 4. Minimum three bottles for working solutions. One for Fixer, one for Stop, one for Developer). You can skip the stop bath, and just rinse the film with water, but it's cheap and Ilford produces a citric acid version that's very environmentally benign. You can use a varsity of other chemicals as well to make your live easier. I usually treat my film with Kodak photo flo, (really just a very concentrated detergent, which improves chances that the film will dry spot free). Never made a stock or working solution. an old cap from a bottle that takes a screw on medicine dropper will work fine as a measure. About 1/2 a cap full is enough to treat 1-4 35mm or 1-2 120 rolls. There were at one time various fast film drying agents available, maybe there still are, DON"T USE THEM. There were also a number of Hypo Clearing agents to reduce washing time and water use, but I haven't seen any of them in years. 5. One or Two graduated cylinders for measurement, (you can get away with using a measuring cup depending on the chemicals you use, but you can usually find plastic photo graduates inexpensively, some shops are figuratively speaking giving them away). 5. An immersible thermometric, with temperatures in 1/2 degrees. showing the range from 60° F. ~15.5° C to 80° F ~26.5° C. 6.) Some kind of timer. (I've been using my watch, a dedicated timer is nice but not necessary, if you're capable of enough organization to have gotten this far a watch is all you need). That's all you really need. If you're using chemicals that need to be mixed to a stock solution, you'll need more bottles but the basics are very simple. Glen Tortorella wrote: > Whoa, $0.60 a roll--that beats the heck out of $16.95 (plus tax)! > Unfortunately, I have never developed a roll of film. What equipment > would I need? I do not have a "darkroom" per se. I have a > basement. Would I be able to develop at night in my basement? > > Regards, > Glen > > On Sep 7, 2007, at 10:48 AM, Adam Maas wrote: > > >> Glen, >> >> Mailers are a cheap option for getting E6 slide film processed. >> They are not economical for B&W. For cheap processing of Fuji >> Acros, do it yourself. I recommend Agfa or A&O Rodinal at 1:50 >> dilution for 12 minutes at 20C, 30 seconds initial agitation with 2 >> inversions per minute. Should run you about $0.60 or less per roll >> (including stop & fix) if you 1-shot the dev and reuse stop & fix. >> >> -Adam >> >> >> Glen Tortorella wrote: >> >>> Hi Adam, >>> >>> Recently, I have gotten some rolls of non-C41 B&W, some Fuji Acros >>> 100. I see you mention mailers here, indicating that they are >>> cheaper. What (or who) do you recommend for developing these >>> prints? I would like to be economical--but get good quality--and a >>> mailer would be fine. The mailers I had been looking at, though >>> (about a year or so ago), seemed rather expensive (and one had to >>> send several rolls in order to save what seemed like only a small >>> amount of money). Please let me know what you think. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Glen >>> >>> On Sep 7, 2007, at 7:58 AM, Adam Maas wrote: >>> >>> >>>> John Sessoms wrote: >>>> >>>>> From: >>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>>> >>>>>> I think Adam is correct. The popularity of the disposals is >>>>>> waning. Most cellphones can take a better picture than a plastic >>>>>> lens, fixed focus disposable. And consumers will eventually >>>>>> figure that out. But films that are applicable to fine art >>>>>> photography will continue to be available indefinitely, although >>>>>> at higher prices. >>>>>> Paul >>>>>> >>>>> May be. All I know is what I see, and I'm getting nine disposable >>>>> 35mm >>>>> cameras for every one 35mm roll of film. About half the 35mm rolls >>>>> I do >>>>> get are chromogenic B&W film and I get the occasional disposable >>>>> camera >>>>> loaded with that film. >>>>> >>>> Remember that you aren't going to be seeing almost all B&W film >>>> (Since >>>> that's mostly self-developed) and much E6 (since mailers are so much >>>> cheaper). C41 is for the most part a consumer product, and that's >>>> what >>>> you're seeing. When the disposables evaporate (and that's coming), >>>> consumer film is dead. >>>> >>>> >>>>> I'd also say about half the disposable cameras are "No-Name" >>>>> cameras in >>>>> cardboard sleeves. When you open them they frequently turn out >>>>> to be >>>>> recycled disposables, held closed with electricians tape and >>>>> loaded with >>>>> whatever film the manufacturer bought at bulk rates. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> Not shocking, the no-name's are a fair bit cheaper. >>>> >>>> -Adam >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>> >>> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> > > > -- Remember, it’s pillage then burn. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
