Beginners questions

[Vixinet]

Hello guys!

I'm quite new to film. In fact, I started shooting film 2 months ago while in holidays (bought a Minolta x-300 out of eBay) and I just got instantly attracted by all that world.

In order to experience the full process, back in Finland (yes, I live in Finland now), I started collecting all the gear I need to setup a tiny darkroom / office / workshop. This place will mainly be from where I will be working now on, developing film and prints, repairing cameras (yes I wanted to know more so I bought a lot of 20 film cameras to fix).

I'll move into the office space 1st of next month and I'm waiting for that moment to start developing film and restoring those cameras.

While browsing the internet and watching videos on Youtube, I have some questions I can't get answered properly.

Therefore, here I am to ask this community.


1) Waste disposal

I bought a 30L canister to keep the waste I can't put down the W.C. but I can't know for sure what should I put in that canister and dispose at my recycling point.

I don't have a car so going on a weekly bases to the recycling point will be a pain. I'm trying to figure out a solution good for the environment and myself.

(a) Which ones have to be kept in that canister and brought to the recycling point

The chemicals I'll be using:
- Ilford Ilfotec DD-X Film Developer
- Ilford Multigrade Paper Developer
- Tetenal C-41 Developer
- Ilford Ilfostop
- Ilford Rapid Fixer
- Ilford Washaid
- Tetenal C-41 Blix
- Tetenal C-41 Stab


2) Cleaning

A lot of videos highlight the fact of always using the same tray for Developer, Fixer, Stop bath. Almost never they speak about the after development.

(b) Some videos speak about using always the same funnel / tray / tong for each chemical. But I know myself and I know I'll end up mixing them between "developing" sessions. If I wash them, I should be able to use them as I want right?

(a) With which solution we should clean it? Clean water only? Distilled Water? Soap? Alcohol?


3) Shelf time

I understand the shelf time for most part of that chemicals except for the DD-X. It says that it can't be kept and for 1L it can do 10 rolls of 135 film.

(a) It means that I can't store it in a bottle and re-use the next day? Even if I only have time for 5 rolls that day?

(b) How do I know when the Multigrade developer will be bad? The data sheet says that a liter of Multigrade at 1+9 dilution will give us 100 prints. How can I know if it's still good?


4) Distilled water

I read distilled water is better for the final wash of the film as it will leave less gray marks and drop marks. Some say we should use distilled water during the all process. As I don't have a car, getting distilled water is a pain. I stocked up 20L for a start and would like to know in what steps I should use distilled water and what steps it will be useless.

By the way, I didn't find distilled water and bought "battery water" as apparently it's the same thing in this application.


5) Keep your film cold

When I buy film, the store has it in some sort of fridge, and when people sell it on Facebook or eBay they always refer to "stayed cold from purchase".

(a) Does film that was exposed needs to be cold stored too, or only sealed rolls?


(6) Red light

Most videos show people using a red light to develop a B&W print. I get that colour should be done in a pitch black room. But what about B&W film? If I get a red light, can I load the film in my lightproof tank by using a red light at the beginning, before being used to doing it in a changing bag?


Thanks for reading so far guys!

 

[Dogman]

I haven't used film in nearly 10 years but I had almost 40 years of experience with it prior to that. I doubt things have changed much since I moved to digital.

Don't get too hung up on the details. Unless there's a specific statute in your area that forbids it, all the chemicals you name can safely be disposed of by pouring down the drain. There are some photographic chemicals that are kind of nasty but they're usually associated with alternate processes.

Mark your trays and tongs so you don't mix them. It saves time--you don't have to give them a thorough wash every session. Rinsing in tap water would be sufficient. Same with your developing tanks and reels although plastic and steel reels can eventually get a residue build up that needs cleaning with a toothbrush and a mild abrasive cleaner.

I always used one-shot, dilute developers (i.e., Rodinal, Edwal FG7, diluted D76, etc.) and tossed them out after use. It maintained consistency. I tossed out unused developer when it started to oxidize (turns brown) although some developers seemed to last virtually forever even when oxidizing. You might try buying smaller quantities of developer so there's less to sit on the shelf for long periods.

Unless your water supply is questionable or is extremely high in mineral content, distilled water is unnecessary for washing film. I always used a wash aid (hypo clearing agent) to speed up the wash and finished with a dipping in Kodak PhotoFlo before drying and I never had problems with various water sources over the years, including rural well water.

I used to buy film in large quantities (it was cheaper that way) and store it frozen for years. But I never bothered to keep it refrigerated after thawing it out. I kept what I intended to use in my camera bags. If I didn't use it after a few weeks, I might return it to the freezer.

No lights. Load the film in a light-tight developing tank in the dark and don't open it until it finishes the fixing process. When printing, I used yellowish amber lights but load film in as close to total darkness as you can manage. It's possible to develop film by inspection under a safe light but the light is so dim it's seldom worth the effort. Just stay dark.

Enjoy yourself. Learning darkroom techniques is fun and it adds to the photographic experience--even if you eventually switch to digital processes.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Are you printing as well? Sorry, I'm not sure if you are after reading OP.
If you are you'll need to stick with RC paper which has minimum washing time for 30 seconds.
Where is single tray method for printing as well with minimal chemicals use even for large prints.
For film developing get tiny 250ml developing steel , reel/tank. Rodinal, HC-110 bottels are small. Shelf life is years. Diluted stop and fixer in 1L bottles will lasts for many films. And same is for 1L of PhotoFlo. Plus, same for Telenal C-41 1L kit.

My suggestion is to develop this way. 250ml tank, small bottles for working solutions. And for prints find where public darkroom is. It might be somewhere in two hours on public transit, but it is better to print once a month where, instead of trying to emulate space station.

 

[finguanzo]

1-
I only worry about my spent fixer, because of the silver. I dont think the rest of the chemicals do much harm to go down the drain, at least not any more than other household chemicals we use, especially since they are diluted anyway.
2-
I always use the same trays and graduates for their chemicals. Fixer tray is always fixer tray, etc. More to avoid my own confusion.
After printing / developing, I clean everything with soap water. They stain regardless after a while, but never had an issue.
3-
This is a hard one, all chemicals have different shelf life. I mix as I use from the concentrate to try and make them last longer. I don’t mix the full 1l bottle and use, just mix what I need.
4-
I have never used distilled water, depends on the chemical makeup of the water where you live. My Final rinse for film is with regular tap water, and a clearing agent to avoid water spots.
5-
I store everything in my fridge. More me just being extra crazy. I don’t think it matters after it’s exposed, but I’ll let someone else chime into that because I really don’t know if there is a benefit.
6-
Film should be done in complete darkness, either changing bad or your room dark., red light will affect it. Red light for printing, test the light you buy with paper, there is info online on how to do red light tests on paper.

Take all I say lightly, I don’t have the experience that most on here, so you might get better answers from others. this is just what I do and have never had any issues..

Have fun!

 

[Vixinet]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your answers.

I got 2 more questions while reading your answers. For clarity sake, I'll continue numbering from 6 then.

(7) I got a dryer when I bought my enlarger. It looks like a metal piece with fabric around it. I guess I can put one print in each side. I read online this is for some "kind" of prints to dry faster and not curve.

As I have only RC paper right now, should I still use it to speed up drying time or can I just throw it in a corner for later?

(8) When they say in Ilford manual "wash under fresh running water for 5 mins". Can it be in a tray for 5 minutes instead? I saw it multiple times in videos and wonder if the 4th tray was the wash.

---


Concerning my first questions, in short I'll:

1. dispose fixer only to start

2. mark and associate tools with the step. Clean with clear water & soap

3. Don't store anything more than the day.

4. Use this 20L of distilled water and then switch to tap water. Use Washaid for washing to save water and time for FB and Film.

5. Cold store film for long periods.

6. B&W prints amber light, everything else dark.

 

[finguanzo]

7-
Not sure about the dryer, don’t have or ever used one. Believe hear are usually for film.
8-
Yes, wash prints in a water tray, let water fun into, empty the tray a few times to get rid of dirty water. This is for rc, fiber paper needs much longer washing that 5 minutes..

About the using chemicals , fixer is the only thing I do t use one shot. I mix the whole bottle, lasts as long as the bottle says. Usually like 20 tools of film can be fixed, and a certain number of prints. Should say in the bottle.

 

[Bill Clark]

Where do you live? Is the place where your developing takes place hooked up to a municipal sewer system?

Some info to help you:

http://sprintsystems.com/q-how-do-i-dispose-of-used-darkroom-chemicals/

Where I live:

https://metrocouncil.org/About-Us/Facts/Wastewater-WaterF/FACTS-Wastewater.aspx

They process 175 million gallons per day.

Will a quart or so used every once in a while make a difference?

I do use the same tray for developer. Stop bath and fixer I use either tray.

I do have a small freezer for film but I also use a cupboard. Hasn’t made any difference, either place works for me. I have 120 film that’s outdated 13 years in the cupboard and still works just fine.

I do use empty soda bottles to store my stock chemicals, mostly 2 liter. Cap completely seals over and over, again and again.

Welcome to rangefinder forum.