Question about C-41 Black and White film developing

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Pirate

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I don't develop my own stuff yet, no room for it.

Can a standard 1-hour photo place develop C-41 Black and White film? Or does it need a C-41 machine with different chemicals, set up just for Black and White?

Thanks
 
C41 is C41. The B&W is in the film, not the development. I have BW400CN developed at Walgreens. The negatives come out fine. The prints ... not so much.
 
Kodak CN 400, Ilford XP2 or Fuji Neopan CN400 all go on c-41 color process.
Just scan them has color (specially the Kodak) and convert to B&W.
Good to go.
 
just a thought, you don't need any "room" to develop your own black and white. get in the shower and put the film in the canister and then develop in your sink in the light. no space needed beyond necessary living space.
 
No, I really don't have the room. I live in a 13ft by 13ft box with a roommate and share the shower with 3 other guys. The "kitchen" is in the dinning facility down the road. Such is the life of a Soldier.
 
Nine cameras (if I counted correctly) won't leave much room. But all those posters are right who said that C-41 is C-41.
 
There are a few more cameras than what I have listed, but they're older obscure 'fun' cameras. And besides these, you should see all my guitars and amplifiers! I used to have a room to myself, but that won't happen again.
 
If you have never developed traditional B&W film, it's very easy, fast, cheap and funny... No space needed either...

Cheers,

Juan
 
dan_sutton said:
just a thought, you don't need any "room" to develop your own black and white. get in the shower and put the film in the canister and then develop in your sink in the light. no space needed beyond necessary living space.
Click to expand...

Just so we don't confuse the OP, but C-41 film is color film minus the color dye, not traditional silver-gelatin film. Your advice is appropriate if the OP wished to pursue silver gelatin film and hand-processing. But that's not what C-41 is.

Yes, there are kits for doing C-41 at home; but it's more cost-effective to let the drugstore do it for you.

Regarding a choice between the various C-41 chromogenic B/W films, the Kodak film has a color tint that makes it difficult to make good prints via enlarger to silver gelatin paper; so if the OP wishes at a later date to start a darkroom for enlarging his C-41 film, it would be better to shoot onto the Ilford XP-2. However, I'm not certain about the Fuji version regarding any possible tint to its film base.

~Joe
 
Huh????

Huh????

dan_sutton said:
just a thought, you don't need any "room" to develop your own black and white. get in the shower and put the film in the canister and then develop in your sink in the light. no space needed beyond necessary living space.
Click to expand...

When I get in the shower, the light still spills in over the curtain. Will this make a difference. Also, will it help if I get naked?

These and other questions have bothered me for some time.

OTOH, I have an empty shop that is 1000 square feet and no windows, but hot and cold running water. It seems to be pitch black when I close the door, whether naked or not.

Will this work? Will this work and what will develop in these conditions?
 
kuzano said:
When I get in the shower, the light still spills in over the curtain. Will this make a difference. Also, will it help if I get naked?

These and other questions have bothered me for some time.

OTOH, I have an empty shop that is 1000 square feet and no windows, but hot and cold running water. It seems to be pitch black when I close the door, whether naked or not.

Will this work? Will this work and what will develop in these conditions?
Click to expand...

When you develop a roll, you can do it just anywhere, and under light: any place. It's just for a couple minutes, before developing, while you take the film out and place it inside the developing tank, that darkness is required... For this we use a black bag that helps us to protect film from light, but it's done in any place with light too. You need almost nothing to develop... The bag, the tank, a thermometer, developer and fixer... Easy and cheap...

Cheers,

Juan
 
kuzano: Actually, for film developing, you don't even need a room: just buy a changing bag, unzip it (I recommend doing this on the dining table, where you can sit comfortably), place your film roll(s) in it, plus tank, reels, and (in the case of 35mm) something to open the film cassettes with. Then zip up the bag, slip your hands through the armholes, and get to work loading up. Once the reels are loaded, in the tank, and the lid is on tight, slip your hands out of the armholes, unzip the bag, and you're ready to start souping.


- Barrett
 
You can practice while away with a tank and any roll of exposed or unexpected film. Try it in the open in daylight before getting in the bag so to speak..
 
JoeV said:
...Regarding a choice between the various C-41 chromogenic B/W films, the Kodak film has a color tint that makes it difficult to make good prints via enlarger to silver gelatin paper; so if the OP wishes at a later date to start a darkroom for enlarging his C-41 film, it would be better to shoot onto the Ilford XP-2. However, I'm not certain about the Fuji version regarding any possible tint to its film base.
Click to expand...
Good point. FWIW, Fuji Neopan 400CN is the same as Ilford XP-2 Super for all practical purposes... and perhaps in fact. Clear base.
Not sold in the USA, AFAIK, but available from Robert White, for instance: http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=1705&PT_ID=312
 
well

well

naked or not naked? that depends on if you have hard water or soft water.

If hard water, the Ca and Mg will react with the oil based polyesters in some clothing and help reduce the overall developing time by 20%.

kuzano said:
When I get in the shower, the light still spills in over the curtain. Will this make a difference. Also, will it help if I get naked?

These and other questions have bothered me for some time.

OTOH, I have an empty shop that is 1000 square feet and no windows, but hot and cold running water. It seems to be pitch black when I close the door, whether naked or not.

Will this work? Will this work and what will develop in these conditions?
Click to expand...
 
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