First ever roll - Zorki 4 w/ J-8

[Kier]

Thermometer makes sense 😀
When agitating, do you simply shake it gently for a given time?

I have experience etching PCBs at home which involves chemical usage, but it's very easy because you can do it in daylight and you can watch it happen (which can take a while!)

I actually liked the un-cropped version as well... I'm not so good at post-processing! Might just leave all my shots untouched for the most part (I tamed some of the highlights in a couple)
Here's one more from the roll - was taken just further down from that crane

 

[raid]

It is the photographer and the lens that can make a difference. You have a good eye. Thanks for the photos.

 

[mindcircus]

Zorki? Jupiter? Guitar? PCBs? We have a lot in common 😱

Indeed, nice composition. Forgot to mention it before...

When agitating, do you simply shake it gently for a given time?

I have experience etching PCBs at home which involves chemical usage, but it's very easy because you can do it in daylight and you can watch it happen (which can take a while!)

You won't need the etching experience. Both processes are easy. Don't worry about it. The only thing that should concern you is the time it takes to develop a film and print it's photos, not the difficulty.

For agitation I wouldn't recommend shaking, because developers tend to create bubbles which may leave undeveloped circles on your negatives. When you buy a developing tank, there should be a small pipe that will help you turn around the reel that hold the film.

You have to know how often you should make these turns for the developing time you are given. In digitaltruth.com you will read in the faq that the times are given for 30sec continuous agitation at the beginning followed by ten seconds per minute. Agfa Rodinal datasheet gives times for continuous agitation for the first minute and then make a tilt every 30 seconds.

The rule is that the more agitation you give to the film, the less time it needs and the more contrast and grain you will have.

 

[David Hughes]

I'll add my congrats to the others re the photographs.

You should be able to find a developing tank second-hand, they get everywhere. Paterson made a nice one for 35mm only or a bigger (as in taller) one for 120 etc and 35mm, and they could take 2 spirals so you could do two films at once.

It might be best to find someone who knows (local camera club perhaps) to look at the tank because, although only a fiver, bits can be missing or damaged. Also they can put you in touch with others and gradually the thing will snowball...

Regards, David

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Agitation and Other Important Stuff.

Agitation and Other Important Stuff.

Thermometer makes sense 😀
When agitating, do you simply shake it gently for a given time?

I lived in Bristol 50 years ago - I bet it's changed! I stayed in the YMCA in Colston Street and worked at the Hosegood Flour Mill down at Avonmouth. I must dig out some of my old negatives.

Anyway - back to the subject. I really recommend going to the Ilford website and downloading the product information sheets there which cover their range of films and chemicals. In those you'll find detailed instructions for just about every aspect of developing and different film characteristics - enough to get started on anyway. <http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/default.asp>

After that you can start asking more focussed questions of the people in RFF.