Do you develop your own B & W films

[marknyc]

Here's another perk of doing your own.

When you come home from vacation with a bunch of rolls, processing them over the next couple of weeks is sort of like making the feel of the vacation continue. Gets you through the post-vacation malaise as although it sucks that it is over you have the excitment of seeing what you got. Somehow doing it yourself makes that feel a lot more fun than just sending them out.

Oh and I concur you get better results. I have no special skills and just follow the standard directions and in over a year of processing my own I have yet to have a dud roll. Famous last words.

 

[sepiareverb]

Developing film has nothing to do with fun. It is a chore. But something that I do because I don't trust anyone else to do it like I want it to be done. Ran 12 rolls today.

 

[Blake Werts]

Yes, I develop the negatives & take them to WalMart for scanning since I don't have a scanner hooked up to my computer yet. I also have a darkroom for wet prints in a spare bathroom.

They will take your negatives and scan it for you? How did you manage to get them to do that? The cost? The results?

Inquiring Minds want to Know!
Blake

 

[The Closer]

I searched for ages to find a decent and AFFORDABLE processor on the east coast. There are some good labs here in New York but i spent half my weekend riding on the subway dropping off film.

SOOOO I went with a really great mail order lab in CT:
http://www.coopersimaging.com/

Their scans are awesome and I haven't had a bad experience yet (though I have to be patient but this could just as much be UPS rather than the folks at coopers imaging)

Here are some the negs I got back with minimal touching:
http://www.markdorosz.com/

Once I move out of my Manhattan apartment i will have a darkroom for now I'm just happy to publich digitally

Cheers

 

[dof]

Developing film has nothing to do with fun. It is a chore. But something that I do because I don't trust anyone else to do it like I want it to be done. Ran 12 rolls today.

I think of it much as I think of doing the dishes: If you like to eat, then you like to do dishes...

 

[AshenLight]

I develop and print my own. My OCD demands that I do... 😉

Ash

 

[bsdunek]

Per the Ilford site, it's bad for the septic system

Been doing it at my house for 37 years now. Had to pump the septic tank once in 1998. Can't see how a home darkroom uses enough chemicals to hurt anything. Color may be worse, but B&W chemicles are pretty much mineral salts - pretty mild stuff. IMHO.

 

[venchka]

4 sheets of 4x5 Ilford Delta 100 in Xtol 1:3 last night!

 

[Sisyphus]

Yes, I develop all of my b&w film, however, I do not always enjoy the process. In fact this is my least favorite part about photography. Sometimes I find it even to be a pain in the ass. However, the reason why I go to great lengths to process my film, is because of the TLC I provide to each role, and the meticulous notes I take as to how I want the film to be processed. Part of the problem is that I always have a lot of film to process, and i can never seem to catch up.

So, keep in mind my frustration has to do with the amount of film I already need to process. If I did not have so much that needs to be developed, I would probably enjoy it more. I think if you have a few rolls per week or less, then I think you will enjoy it.

Happy developing,

:s:

 

[Doug]

Most of my B&W is C-41 and is sent to the lab for convenience... and fortunately they do a very clean job. The rest, a minor portion, I do myself. And I think this portion would be larger if I had a scanner set up. I have processed C-41 myself as well, but the high temp and short time is a pain. I'd do more if it were room temperature for, say, 10 min.

 

[john341]

I do! It beats watching television!

 

[maddoc]

I do! It beats watching television!

I do it while watching television ! 😀

 

[AJShepherd]

I've just started doing them. I used to get my B&W films developed by Snappy Snaps (UK) but I found that often their prints were too dark and contrasty (when I scanned the negatives I found loads of detail missing from the prints) and the negatives were often scratched. The last set I had done there were also blotchy.

So I bought all the gubbins I needed to start.

I'd not developed a film since the late seventies, and it was surprising how much it came back to me once I got going.

Admittedly the first film I developed I let soak in the developer for a minute too long (got times mixed up) so it was too dense, but did manage to rescue some shots.
The second film I developed came out brilliantly. There's a set on Flickr here.

What I do is scan the negatives and print digitally. While it would be nice to produce 'proper' prints I don't really have space for a darkroom. I'd need some folding table for the enlarger, and run an extension cable into my bathroom, curtain over the door and window. In a way I wish I'd picked up that enlarger I saw in a camera shop last year for a fiver, but it would be hassle to set up and take down a darkroom every time I wanted to make prints.

I quite fancy having a go at C41 colour development as well, but I gather that's a bit trickier where temperatures are concerned?

 

[Keith]

I've just started doing them. I used to get my B&W films developed by Snappy Snaps (UK) but I found that often their prints were too dark and contrasty (when I scanned the negatives I found loads of detail missing from the prints) and the negatives were often scratched. The last set I had done there were also blotchy.

So I bought all the gubbins I needed to start.

I'd not developed a film since the late seventies, and it was surprising how much it came back to me once I got going.

Admittedly the first film I developed I let soak in the developer for a minute too long (got times mixed up) so it was too dense, but did manage to rescue some shots.
The second film I developed came out brilliantly. There's a set on Flickr here.

What I do is scan the negatives and print digitally. While it would be nice to produce 'proper' prints I don't really have space for a darkroom. I'd need some folding table for the enlarger, and run an extension cable into my bathroom, curtain over the door and window. In a way I wish I'd picked up that enlarger I saw in a camera shop last year for a fiver, but it would be hassle to set up and take down a darkroom every time I wanted to make prints.

I quite fancy having a go at C41 colour development as well, but I gather that's a bit trickier where temperatures are concerned?

I've shifted to doing my own C41 with a tetenal kit from Freestyle ... it's really no harder than black and white, you just have to be a little more on the ball. Temperature of around 40deg C can be maintained in a water bath fairly easily and I also always have a heater on in the small space I work in ... it gets a little warm but it helps to keep it nice and even and in summer I don't actually bother with the water bath at all. Times are fairly short .... three and hallf minutes for the developer and about six and a half for the blix (bleach fix) 🙂

 

[visiondr]

Developing film has nothing to do with fun. It is a chore. But something that I do because I don't trust anyone else to do it like I want it to be done. Ran 12 rolls today.

Stand development, baby, stand development!
There's nothing easier.
Pour it in, shake it about, do the hokey pokey (or whatever) for an hour and pour the stuff out.

 

[narsuitus]

Yes, I develop my own black and white film (35mm, 120 medium format roll film, 4x5 inch sheet film, and 8x10 inch sheet film).

I also develop my own 35mm and 120 color slide film.

 

[l.mar]

Yes for 120; sometimes for 35mm (use some c-41 "B & W" process film for 35mm, not for 120)

 

[Leighgion]

I develop all my own traditional B&W. It's a utility thing to me in that I can do it much cheaper than sending away, thus allowing me to shoot more, and I don't have to wait for anything but my motivation to actually do the process. I do look at it as a necessary task for me to get my pictures rather than enjoyable part of the hobby.

 

[Jerry Wol]

Yes, after a 31-year hiatus

Yes, after a 31-year hiatus

Inspired by my wife giving me a book of Henri Cartier-Bresson's prints, I dove back into B&W determined to mimic the quality of HCB's work. Previously I used a C330, Rolleicord, and Yashica, all 120 film. I now have a Voitlander, and lovely old Canon QL17, a Canon AE-1, an Olympus Stylus on the B&W white side (I still shoot a lot of digial). I've spent the last few months trying to replicate the lovely MF photos I took. I never worried about grain...and shot Tri-X the whole time. It's a different world now with 35mm! I've settled on Ilford FP4 plus and Fomopan 100. Best camera of the lot...the Voigtlander with the 35mm and auxiliary viewfinder. It's the most forgiving combination. The Color-Skopar F2.5 is sharp and the depth of field is very forgiving.
Currently using a little Durst off e-bay...just scored a Meopta 4a for $22.50.
I develop ALL my film...swapping back & forth between plastic & stainless steel reels.

 

[Darkhorse]

I develop my black and whites. I actually have fun doing it. Occasionally I'll do it after having a few beers, and I'll enjoy one while processing as well. That makes it even more fun.