Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
I'm getting my scanner as everyone knows, but I've been developing film almost since I started here. One thing I really need to invest in is a changing bag...it's annoying to have to completely lightproof the large downstairs bathroom to do any developing. The only thing I do in the bathroom is getting the film out of the cartridges, too. I actually develop in the laundry room.
I started with D76. I like it, but I wanted to try Diafine because I heard that it was great for Tri-X. I don't know if I'll ever go back to using D76 as my main developer. Diafine is a lifesaver when I need to be quick with developing. I shoot Tri-X at 1250, HP5 at 800, and Pan-F at 50.
I started with D76. I like it, but I wanted to try Diafine because I heard that it was great for Tri-X. I don't know if I'll ever go back to using D76 as my main developer. Diafine is a lifesaver when I need to be quick with developing. I shoot Tri-X at 1250, HP5 at 800, and Pan-F at 50.
kaiyen
local man of mystery
Yeah, a changing bag is a great thing to have. Cheap addition to one's arsenal, too. The only thing I've found is that my "large" bag isn't enough for doing 5x7 sheet film. I will be doing that in the bathroom from now on.
For ease of use, I can't really argue against diafine. But I am becoming more and more of a fan for D76, I have to admit. That is one super versatile developer.
allan
For ease of use, I can't really argue against diafine. But I am becoming more and more of a fan for D76, I have to admit. That is one super versatile developer.
allan
amateriat
We're all light!
After many years, I started souping my own b/w again last summer. I've been shoooting mainly C41 the last six years (Largely Kodak Portra and Fuji Press for color, Ilford XP2 for b/w), but now have added HP5 and FP4 (with some Tri-X and Acros 100 here and there) for the home-developed stuff. I leave the C41 developing to one of three labs - a really good pro lab in Manhattan when I can get there, and two above-average minilabs here in Brooklyn when I can't. Since I scan and digitally print most everything, the only thing the labs do with my film is just run 'em through the machine - no cutting, no printing. The pro lab charges $6.50 a pop (but it's dip/dunk, so well worth it) while the minilabs charge about half that, and all offer two hours-or-less turnaround without a rush charge.
For home-on-the-range developing, I already had most of the hardware I needed: lots of SS Honeywell/Nikor reels and tanks, thermometer (Weston dial; some prefer glass thermometers because of supposedly greater accuracy, but I've had no problems with this one so far), metal film clips, and assorted graduates for measuring, mixing and pouring. I went out and bought a changing bag (note: make sure any changing bag you buy is actually big enough for all the messing about you'll need to be doing to get film on reels and reels in tank - they usually come in several sizes), mixing paddles (underrated tool), a handful of "compressible" chemical storage bottles, and, via the 'Bay, a pair of GE mechanical timers (partly because I wanted one as a backup, partly because they were both NIB...and mostly because one of them was the old-school, black metal version that I always loved and knew would last this side of forever).
I also scored one more item online that's made my workflow that much nicer: a wall-mounted electric film dryer that can handle up to six hanging rolls, which speeds up the process to the point that I can practially do back-to-back developing sessions without strain.
Developer of choice for now is HC-110, but I have a Diafine kit on the side to work with in due time.
Only thing left to get is a high-efficiency film washer, to cut both wash time and water consumption (how's that for a win-win?). The smallest Gravity Works model looks like the one to get for me.
And, yes, this is all actually enjoyable to do. Sometimes process (both literal and figurative in this case) is important.
- Barrett
For home-on-the-range developing, I already had most of the hardware I needed: lots of SS Honeywell/Nikor reels and tanks, thermometer (Weston dial; some prefer glass thermometers because of supposedly greater accuracy, but I've had no problems with this one so far), metal film clips, and assorted graduates for measuring, mixing and pouring. I went out and bought a changing bag (note: make sure any changing bag you buy is actually big enough for all the messing about you'll need to be doing to get film on reels and reels in tank - they usually come in several sizes), mixing paddles (underrated tool), a handful of "compressible" chemical storage bottles, and, via the 'Bay, a pair of GE mechanical timers (partly because I wanted one as a backup, partly because they were both NIB...and mostly because one of them was the old-school, black metal version that I always loved and knew would last this side of forever).
I also scored one more item online that's made my workflow that much nicer: a wall-mounted electric film dryer that can handle up to six hanging rolls, which speeds up the process to the point that I can practially do back-to-back developing sessions without strain.
Developer of choice for now is HC-110, but I have a Diafine kit on the side to work with in due time.
Only thing left to get is a high-efficiency film washer, to cut both wash time and water consumption (how's that for a win-win?). The smallest Gravity Works model looks like the one to get for me.
And, yes, this is all actually enjoyable to do. Sometimes process (both literal and figurative in this case) is important.
- Barrett