Developed my first roll!!

J

javimm

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Well, I have just inspected the dry negs. The process was:

- Camera, Leica M6 with Jupiter 8 35mm.
- Trix at 400, developed in HC-110 1+31 (dil B), for 6min 30 sec at 20ºC. Agitation, 10 seconds (5 inversions) just after closing the tank, then 10 sec inversions every minute.
- Stop bath. I used plain water, probably at 21ºC. 2 water baths. The first one quick, 5 inversions, and the second a little longer, about 10-15 inversions.
-Fixer: Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+4 at 20ºC, same agitation scheme that developer. I fixed for 3min 40sec. Is this enough?.
- Washing. Well, plenty of water. I didn't use the Hypo clearing I bought, as this is my first roll. Used the Ilford method, 5, 10, 20 inversions, and then running water for a couple of minutes.
- Final rinse with Photoflo. 2 ml for 480 ml of the tank. I agitated and it generated a lot of bubbles. AARRRGG. Running water for some time to clear all the bubbles.
- Dry, helping with my fingers a couple of times.

Problems I encountered. The tap water was at 21-22ºC (the coolest I could get), so after mixing, the chemicals went to the fridge for 30 minutes. Then I got them to 20ºC.
I must say that I didn't think that the roll was going to appear. While charging the tank in the bathroom, my mother opened the door. Apart from my hysterical screaming, I think the roll was saved because I was loading the film under a black leather jacket.

Result: I like what I see. The roll wasn't spoiled by the opening door, and the negatives are quite contrasty. I can't tell how much, as I don't own an scanner or enlarger, but the negatives shows a lot of detail in shadows and lights. Quite sharp too.

Any recommendations where to go from here?.

Javier.
 
Congradulations. Wait until you see the print come up in a tray.

Bathroom doors usually have locks. That or hang a sign on the knob.

We can`t tell if you are too contrasty or not. Never wipe down with your fingers. Use Photoflow at the proper dlution, 1:200. Sooner or later you will grab a piece of dirt and drag it down the rest of the roll.

You need to print them to see if they are too contrasty.

Work with only 6 pictures until you get everything right. Pull out 12" in the dark and develope just that much .
 
If you take the negatives to a mini lab they will scan them for a fee and scratch them (for free).

Then you can make prints on one of their machines.

Noel
 
Thanks for the tips, Ronald. I'll see if I can get some local lab to make a couple of enlargements.
The negs are contrasty, but not too much. I've been diving in my father's neg collection from the 70's, and I have found some negs and enlargements of them. One was particulary dense (way more than mine's), and the enlargement is contrasty too. My negs aren't that much dense. I've talked with my father about his development habits, and he says he didn't have a thermomether, and he estimated the time. I can see the variance there, some are way dense, and some not as much.

Mines are more "gray" than black and white, but with contrast. Anyway, I have to enlarge to see.
 
If you take the negatives to a mini lab they will scan them for a fee and scratch them (for free).
Click to expand...

LOL. There's one big lab, that have a C41 and B&W processing facilities in several points in my city. Don't know how they enlarge though, if it's digital workflow and printer, scanning first, or just classic enlargements. I have to ask them.
 
The minilabs normally scan their colour or B&W negatives and print immediately or burn a CD RoM if you ask. If they are old technology they may not be able to do this.

But you can normally get a silver paper enlarger, trays etc. for free or taking it away. Try your dad first.

Noel
 
Congratulations Javier!!!
Don't know where you want your negatives to be scanned/printed, but i think that any "Fotoprix" shop could do it in a few days. Or maybe you can try anyone who works with RosFotocolor (ie Fnac). Never send them negative sto be scanned, but I'm almost sure they provide this service.
One more option: "La Casa Encendida" near Embajadores has a developing workshop that can be hired really cheap; there you can have your negs printed (just bring the chemicals and paper) and maybe scanned too. Phone them and ask.
(NOTE: never used their facilities, but i got the info just in case I needed it in the future).
For any further comments in spanish just PM me, as usual.

Salu2!!
 
Congradulations! Now, that has got to be far more rewarding than the first time you dumped a memory card. It is such an integeral part of the entire process that I'd never let anybody do it for me. Savour your results and go and expose another roll, cheers Andrew
 
Trix at 400, developed in HC-110 1+31 (dil B), for 6min 30 sec at 20ºC. Agitation, 10 seconds (5 inversions) just after closing the tank, then 10 sec inversions every minute.
Click to expand...
Depending on the subject lighting, I suspect you might get a bit too much contrast in the highlights with that development. If so, you could try using dilution H (1+63 from the super-concentrate HC-110 instead of 1+31) and extending the dev times accordingly with a little less agitation. Though just for starters, it might be worth sticking with what you're doing but agitate less - perhaps 10 secs of inversion every two minutes, for example.

Oh, and congratulations - I remember the excitement I got when I developed my first film about 38 years ago 😀

Best,
 
Good start.

To control temperature, I have a bottle of tap water in the fridge in summer, when fresh tap water starts getting too hot. It's quicker to mix this with the fresh wather to get to the 20 degrees.

But I also like your father's process 🙂

Groeten,
Vic
 
Thanks all for the answers.

ZeMane Congratulations Javier!!!
Don't know where you want your negatives to be scanned/printed, but i think that any "Fotoprix" shop could do it in a few days. Or maybe you can try anyone who works with RosFotocolor (ie Fnac). Never send them negative sto be scanned, but I'm almost sure they provide this service.
One more option: "La Casa Encendida" near Embajadores has a developing workshop that can be hired really cheap; there you can have your negs printed (just bring the chemicals and paper) and maybe scanned too. Phone them and ask.
(NOTE: never used their facilities, but i got the info just in case I needed it in the future).
For any further comments in spanish just PM me, as usual.

Salu2!!
Click to expand...
Yes, I was thinking of Fotoprix. Don't know if they just scan and print, or do a silver enlargement. The same goes for Fnac. I have to investigate further about them. I knew about "La casa encendida". The only problem is that is quite far from where I live. I'll see how their prices are, and schedules.

Never Satisfied Congradulations! Now, that has got to be far more rewarding than the first time you dumped a memory card. It is such an integeral part of the entire process that I'd never let anybody do it for me. Savour your results and go and expose another roll, cheers Andrew
Click to expand...
Yes, It's way more satisfying and fun than the CF dump, for sure. Doing things these days without using a computer is great (and I love computers, but NOT for everything). It was a blast seeing that the negs were there 🙂


oscroft Quote:
Trix at 400, developed in HC-110 1+31 (dil B), for 6min 30 sec at 20ºC. Agitation, 10 seconds (5 inversions) just after closing the tank, then 10 sec inversions every minute.
Depending on the subject lighting, I suspect you might get a bit too much contrast in the highlights with that development. If so, you could try using dilution H (1+63 from the super-concentrate HC-110 instead of 1+31) and extending the dev times accordingly with a little less agitation. Though just for starters, it might be worth sticking with what you're doing but agitate less - perhaps 10 secs of inversion every two minutes, for example.

Oh, and congratulations - I remember the excitement I got when I developed my first film about 38 years ago 😀

Best,
Click to expand...
i'm very interested in this. I did a search on the forum, and came up with tons of different, sometimes radical different approaches. Examining my negs, I can see that the highlights (skies mainly), has less detail than I'd want to. They are almost black, but not totally blown out.
So next time I'll try less agitation, as you suggest. I've read that some people only do 2 cycles of 2 inversions in all the development time. I don't know what to use. I'll try 4 inversion at start and then 4 inversions at 2:30, and other 4 at 4:30, then stop development at 6:30. Sounds good?.
About dilution H, I have a couple of questions. I have a 485 ml Jobo tank. That gives 7.7 ml of syrup. Is that enough for developing two rolls at once?. I've read the covington page about HC-110 and it says 6ml per roll minum.
How about the time for dil H?. 13 min?, 12?. Seeing that the bathroom temperature is 25-30 these summer days, it can be difficult to mantain the temp for 13 min at 20ºC.

vicmortelmans Good start.

To control temperature, I have a bottle of tap water in the fridge in summer, when fresh tap water starts getting too hot. It's quicker to mix this with the fresh wather to get to the 20 degrees.

But I also like your father's process 🙂

Groeten,
Vic
Click to expand...
I'll try that tip, thanks.

Javier
 
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Congratulations, Javier. Look forward to seeing some images. I don't think a temperature difference of a couple of degrees will do any great damage. As another poster said, once film is hung up to dry, keep fingers off it.
 
javimm said:
- Final rinse with Photoflo. 2 ml for 480 ml of the tank. I agitated and it generated a lot of bubbles. AARRRGG. Running water for some time to clear all the bubbles.
Click to expand...

Do not agitate the wetting agent to prevent creating foam and also do not run water on film after. It's the final rinse and has it's purpose in reducing drying marks.
 
Congratulations from Seville Javier...

I've restarted to develop B/W film after 8-10 tears without doing so. You can see here a thread with my first try using a RF camera (

With respect to temperature don't worry... you can add or substract 30-40 sec for each degree of difference and you will be very near to optimun time.

Glad to know you
 
Marsopa Congratulations from Seville Javier...

I've restarted to develop B/W film after 8-10 tears without doing so. You can see here a thread with my first try using a RF camera (

With respect to temperature don't worry... you can add or substract 30-40 sec for each degree of difference and you will be very near to optimun time.

Glad to know you
Click to expand...

Hola, Marsopa 😉 . I've just seen your page, and your scans seems good to me. I've been there too, but have pictures from my DSLR. When I go back to Seville, I'll take my Leica. Thanks for the tip on the dev time.

charjohncarter Javier, Bathrooms, someone always needs them when your using it for a darkroom.
Click to expand...

Yes, you're right, but that happened 5 minutes later of saying 3 times to everyone at home not to enter the bathroom until I say it was free. We have two bathrooms at home, and the other one was being unused. I used the other one, that have a broken lock, because the door doesn't let any light in, and the other bathroom door does. Anyway, next time I'm taking all the light bulbs off, and I'm going to sit against the door 😀
 
Congratulations. Welcome to the addiction.

I'm not sure if you're fixing it long enough -- if I'm not mistaken, Ilford recommends about 5 minutes. Probably longer, if you recycle the fixer like I do.

I think you're probably using too much Photoflo. One drop. That's all it takes. If it foams over, you're using too much.

Also, probably no need to dry it out with your fingers. Drip dry. No scratches, and just as fast.
 
I'm not sure if you're fixing it long enough -- if I'm not mistaken, Ilford recommends about 5 minutes. Probably longer, if you recycle the fixer like I do.
Click to expand...

Ilford says 2-5 minutes for fixing, so I supposed almost 4 min is enough. I stored the used fixer with the intention of using it again. How much can I store it? One month?. The Ilford bottle with the concentrate fixer should last longer, I think, maybe 6 months. How much have you experienced the fixer to last (in time, not in number of rolls)?
 
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