Return to Travel Processing

[Frank Petronio]

I'm looking for discussions and good examples of traveling with minimalistic B&W film developing kits -- What works well? What chemistry is easy to travel with and handle on the road? What needs to be purchased locally when flying? What shouldn't freeze or boil?... stuff like that. Also what would be the most forgiving temperature-wise developer/fixer workflow for 35mm TXP?

What are the best ways to get water to a consistent temp. in bathtubs and bathroom sinks? Also what do people do about tropical water temperatures, when the tap water is 80 degrees F?

And is anything particularly forgiving to reticulation? I want grain but not like that!

I'll have a Harrison changing tent and I'll be scanning in a hotel room, not making optical prints -- probably need to have enough chemistry to do 40 rolls per trip and maybe some 4x5 in trays too. What do you suggest?

 

[Graham Line]

HC-110 is stable and durable. Same with Ilford DD-X. Kind of depends what effects you want. The concentrates let you mix developer as needed.

In the '70s we sent people on the road for newspaper assignments with Tri-X, HC-110 and related Kodak chemicals because they were widely available. These days you should plan to bring your own or waste time hunting them down.

Will you be flying or driving or? Makes a big difference.

One guy used to take a little aquarium heater and used motel ice in the summer to cool the solutions. Take some coffee filters or a Brita-type something to strain out the big stuff in the water. Otherwise it's the same reels and basins you need at home.

Contemporary films don't reticulate unless you really shock them.

 

[Frank Petronio]

I'm driving now but I'd like to think about flying overseas at some point... So you can wash with water 5-10 degrees cooler or warmer? What is an acceptable amount?

I used to have an excellent darkroom, Zone System and the whole archival-Fred Picker set-up.... but it has been years and years...

 

[David William White]

I like HC-110 because it's quite concentrated and a little goes a long way. Could be a problem as carry-on if flying, however. In that case, good ol' D-76 in the original pouch should get past security. Kodak powdered fixer as well. It just needs to be mixed thoroughly before use and allowed to reach room temperature.

If I were processing many rolls at a time, I'd probably skip reels and tanks entirely and mix up some D-76 in a 2 quart jug and drop all the film in and stir gently with a wooden or plastic spoon or spatula. You could probably do 5 or 6 rolls at a time. Darkroom time will be minimized. If you don't figure out how to 'gear up', and undeveloped film piles up, you might get woefully behind (and not be aware of some major camera problem that develops until too late). So process every possible night.

If you are going to the tropics and cool water is not available, I would recompute my development times/dilutions for higher temperatures. Do some tests before you leave at higher temperatures.

I've done 4x5 on the road, and instead of trays, I use those jugs that normally hold quart bags of milk. Takes very little real estate to do 4x5 development, and you could do it at night or under a blanket.

That's all I can think of.

 

[delft]

Diafine gives you great latitude in time and temperature and lasts forever.
Someone concocted a monobath-developer with HC110 and fix.
Good luck,
Dirk

 

[neelin]

no darkroom, no changing bag, monobath-developer/fixer

"in cassete processing of film"

really intrigued me when I read Anchell's book. I had visions of using Caffenol developer in the coffee shop. Two coffee's please! One for me & one for my friend.

Robert
btw, I like you photographic composition/art. You're don't seem hung up by equipment and seem to get great results from whatever you're using.