Online film development

T

TomOScott

Guest
The guy who processes my B&W film at my local camera store quit, and the nearest lab is 30 minutes away. Can anyone recommend a good internet source to develop 120 B&W film -- generally Ilford Delta 100 or Ilford SPX 200?

Thanks!
 
Tom,

Have you tried developing the film yourself? Its quite easy and it will save you a trip. I found that locals around here didnt do a good job of developing my B&W film so now I just do it myself.
 
i'm with jorge on this one.
doing it yourself is quite easy and if you decide to print also, you will be amazed at the results.
i'm by no means a great printer but even my first attempts were better than most of the labs i tried locally.
it doesn't take much in terms of equipment and costs for the film development.
darkroom equipment costs more but if you buy used it doesn't hurt as much.

joe
 
I can't believe I'm even thinking about this, but if I were to develop the film myself, can you recommend a good book to get me started?
 
here is al you need.

Get a stainles tank and reel.
Practice loading the film with a junk roll.
mix your developer and fixer according to instructions
develope the film according to processing time on label for existing temp
wash with running water for 20 minutes
scan away when dry.

There is a little more to it than what I described. But, thats pretty much all there is to it. The most dfficult part is getting use to loading the film in the dark. Other than that the rest is simple.
 
This is twice you guys have mentioned this. Now I have printed the pages that Gene has provided so that I can read them in the room which I would/will use to develop the film. It can't hold out much longer if you keep the pressure on me.
 
Tom, I looked around and I found a place who's actual business is processing for local pros. They have a couple cameras, but I wouldn't call it a camera shop. They mostly have film and a big processing operation. They also have a room with frames and mounting materials that their customers can go in and purchase. A nice niche. If you look around maybe there is someplace like that near you.
 
Thanks for all your help, everyone. I did find an online source that looks good, but geez -- $13 per roll + shipping! That's making me more susceptible to trying my hand a developing my own.

And to think that I began photography as a digital guy! I seem to be going in the opposite direction as the rest of the world.
 
TomOScott said:
And to think that I began photography as a digital guy! I seem to be going in the opposite direction as the rest of the world.
Click to expand...

LOL !! Hey, going retro can be fun!

Digital is good too. I picked up a Digital Rebel a few months back and love it for SLR-type shooting. Got an adapter that takes my old Zuiko OM lenses.

But developing a roll of film holds a special magic. I developed two rolls last night (I don't have a darkroom, just a changebag, tanks, and a scanner) and it's such a treat to see images on a long strip of plastic.

It's great to inhabit both worlds....

Gene
 
rover said:
This is twice you guys have mentioned this. Now I have printed the pages that Gene has provided so that I can read them in the room which I would/will use to develop the film. It can't hold out much longer if you keep the pressure on me.
Click to expand...
Rover, get your tanks and chems and we'll send you the *secret handshake* :)

Gene
 
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After spending over CAD$200 on film and processing from the last vacation, and having to wait a few days to get the prints (it's cheaper than 1 hr), I was really wishing that I had a digital SLR. But then I developed 4 rolls of Tri-X from the Chinese New Year parade on the weekend and fell in love with b+w film all over again. It has such a great look which is quite different from de-saturated images in Photoshop.

I recommend that you use liquid chemicals instead of powder because they're much more convenient to work with. I use HC110 developer (and Tri-X film) which keeps for quite a long time. For a stop bath, I just use water. For a fixer, I use Ilford Rapid Fix. I bought a fairly large tank so I can do up to 5 rolls of film at a time. To make the process a bit easier, keep a radio or CD player nearby so you have something to listen to. For keeping track of the time and each step in the process, I use a freeware program called Foto Timer (http://www.jan-exner.de/software/fototimer.html) on my Palm PDA. Now I don't have to keep looking at the clock.



...lars
 
Like I wrote, I can't believe I'm even thinking of doing this. Of course, if any one 2 years ago would have told me I'd own a film camera, much less a medium format, I'd have laughed in their face.

OK, another question. How toxic are all these chemicals? Is this something you'll regret 10 years from now as you're hacking your lungs out?
 
just don't drink or snort any of them and you should be fine.

and use a well ventilated room. i usually load my film in the bathroom (towel at the bottom of the door) and then pour in my chemicals in the kitchen. i once had to do my printing in a large closet and it got pretty ripe in there so i started using an air cleaner and it was fine. my darkroom now is in the basement and it works well.

joe
 
in general the processing yourself is the ONLY choice;
i have trained many students to do this stuff and many were of modest intellectual ability.
the smarter ones often just didnt follow basic procedures .
in the darkroom; i have a
label on every single plastic funnel; tray etc . asto what it will be ONLY USED for. every bottle; everything & everything!!! the bottled drinking water is labeled = h2o /food.
magic marker inside and out on trays & outside on funnels;bottles AND lids;
1=developer; 2 stop; 2r=rinse tray<paper process>;3f=fixer/film only ; 3p=paper only; 4/pw=permawash; 5,< 0r w>= wash
and use separate trays for toners=all labeled clearly!!!
why screw up; the cost of separate and labeled is You Never can guess what was in there last time.< keep it simple ; stupid>
get funnels for each chemical;AND label them too. the ones at the kitchen shops are better and cheaper then the ones at the photoshop. stainless/and glass can be washed; and reused for all. but its slower.
the cycle for me is about 20minutes; and i use 2 tanks at a time -
its easier to keep track of 2 tanks.
sometimes 2 rolls and sometimes 5;or 8;you
just need to know how much mix for the different tank sizes-
make a chart;
i add a water rinse after the stop to keep the fixer cleaner-
and do the same thing with paper processing.
dont use the same bottle of fixer for film and paper- you need to have a mix for each labeled and separate.
use wash aid; and wetting agent.
squegee only the non emulsion side.
hang dry with a weight.
all books describe the process and get it pretty right.
inversion of the tank is the preferred method.
i often use liquid base mixes- =no dust.
mix that stuff from powder - go outside;where you can spill and leave the dust- you dont have to mix anything in the darkroom;and
clean all spills up very carefully - you will breathe it later as dust.
now;
you could switch to kodak s film-tcn somthing;which canbe processed by a color lab- but the prints are awalys inexcorable!
i think once you do it yourself you will find its worth the bother.
kodak darkroom guide- is worth having.
every mfgr has this info- time and temps etc in print and probably at their sites.
thats about it- i have a class now;
fcg
 
So, any recommendations out there, little tips on what to buy? Lets just say someone was going to start developing film, what kinda tanks and reels would you recommend (35mm and 120)? What size vessels are appropriate? Hey, does Kodak D-76 come in a concentrate or just powder form?

I mean, not that I would be starting to process film.
 
I use a 5-reel Jobo tank and an older 2-reel Paterson tank.

I use plastic reels which I find to work quite well, especially if you trim the leading edges of the film so that the 90 deg corners are cut off (ie: bevelled). I also make sure that I cut BETWEEN the sprocket holes.

I don't do 120 very often but when I have, I used the same plastic reels (they're adjustable for different film widths).

I've never tried the stainless reels so I can't draw comparisons.

>Hey, does Kodak D-76 come in a concentrate or just powder
>form?

Dunno but I find the HC110 (which comes in liquid concentrate form) to be very good for my requirements.

>I mean, not that I would be starting to process film.

Nor would any of us recommend it. ;-)

...lars
 
rover said:
I mean, not that I would be starting to process film.
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Well, hypothetically speaking of course, in case one of your nephews asks you about film development :)

I use Paterson tanks and reels. They're plastic and the same reel can be adjusted for 35mm or 120. I've owned stainless steel tanks and reels and they're very good, but harder to learn how to load, particularly if you're loading them inside a changing bag.

D-76 is a great general purpose developer but only comes in powder. And once you mix it up, it has a finite shelf life. For that reason I use Kodak HC-110, a thick syrupy concentrate that lasts (seemingly) forever. It's D-76 like in its characteristics.

A 1-litre graduated cyclinder is useful, and a big clean plastic pail or two. If your nephew were to consider HC-110, then a baby syringe (the kind with no needle) is good for measuring out small but accurate quantities of the yellow goo.

Kodak or Ilford Rapid Fixer and a bit of Kodak PhotoFlo are really the only other chemicals you...I mean he...would need... Plus a gallon or 4L jug to store the diluted fixer.

And a couple pairs of film clips, a can opener (church key style). If there's no completely dark room available, a changing bag is perfect (it's what I use).

All in all, probably less than $100US to acquire a starter kit + first-round chemicals.
 
My father has been after me to take the enlarger he has in his attic. If I remember correctly there is a drum dryer up there, and probably developing tanks and stuff.

Hmm................
 
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