Home B&W development: feasability and equipment recommendations

[rodinal]

I do use either photo-flo or sistan as a last dip for the film then hang to dry. No squeeging or anything else. As I understand, photo flo was designed to have the water flow off the film. Works for me.

Agfa Sistan was a totally different product, not an Agfa alternative to Photo-Flo, and its proper use demanded wiping the film before hanging it to dry. AFAIK, Sistan is already discontinued, so this warning has only an historical purpose.

 

[giganova]

See if you can find a Photoflex Changing Room

That changing room looks fabulous -- but pricy at $100!

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

That changing room looks fabulous -- but pricy at $100!

It is quite pricy indeed! But I just took delivery of a new one anyway

 

[Whateverist]

MacoDirect just sent me a very apologetic email to tell me my developing tank and chemicals are a bit delayed. I haven't forgotten to put all the advice here into practice!

 

[Whateverist]

Development attempt one: failure. Lessons learned: properly label your containers so you don't accidentally develop in fixer and fix with developer.

Development attempt two: hopefully with 100% less egg-on-face.

 

[Whateverist]

Development attempt two: drying now and looking good (recognisable images!). I now also have a half litre of lovely pink residu that the first attempt stripped clean off the film.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Development attempt two: drying now and looking good (recognisable images!). I now also have a half litre of lovely pink residu that the first attempt stripped clean off the film.

Yeah!!

After doing this for years, I still am absolutely certain the whole roll is going to be blank, every single time. 😀

 

[michaelwj]

Development attempt one: failure. Lessons learned: properly label your containers so you don't accidentally develop in fixer and fix with developer.

Development attempt two: hopefully with 100% less egg-on-face.

It won't be the first face palm. Labelling help with the chemicals, but wait until the film won't go on to the reels and you open the bag to see why. You say you'll never do it, so did I...

Glad the second time worked out well. So much more exciting that just picking them up from the shop or downloading a card to the computer!

 

[John E Earley]

The only thing more fun than developing film is developing prints under a safelight. After 50 years my sense of awe is still there when the image appears in the developer.

Have fun with the film developing and get some bulk film if you don't already have some.

 

[Whateverist]

From the second roll:

I'm out of rolls now so I guess it's time to start shooting some more.

 

[rwintle]

Development attempt one: failure. Lessons learned: properly label your containers so you don't accidentally develop in fixer and fix with developer.

Development attempt two: hopefully with 100% less egg-on-face.

Well, at least you got that classic mistake out of the way on your first roll! 🙂

Congrats on the success. Keep going!

 

[mdarnton]

Good advice all along, and I have only one comment: I keep all of my developing stuff--tanks, chemicals, etc., in a plastic dish pan--the kind that fits in one side of a sink and is about eight inches deep. That way it's easy to put away and take out, and I can contain the mess when I'm working. I also use it in the winter as a water bath to raise the chemical temps before I develop. I have my 8x10 (large format) tanks in a similar pan with the chems in them already, so even though everything large format won't fit in that one pan, I'm ready to go there, too.