Starting to develope B&W help and advice...

[jfserejo]

I have been following this forum for quite some time now and after months of pleasure reading all kind conversations about range finder cameras, black & white photography and development process, I felt the need to start something that always wanted to try: developing my own black & white film.
I’m 35 now and since young always loved to shoot in B&W. After a “break” in analog photography, the use of digital wasn’t pleasing me at all. Now I use digital camera for working tasks – architectural site recognition and building evaluation for the office – but for fun & pleasure pulled out my 35mm old friends and start using them again, a lot!

I have bought the basic stuff to start developing my own B&W and thought to start with a liquid developer – HC-110. The film that is waiting to be developed is mainly FP4 and HP5 and before the moment of truth (after training a lot the film to spiral trick in the dark) would like to ask the more experienced if I am missing anything in the development process?

The information I manage to assemble results on this workflow, based on Ilford's Information PDF - Processing Your First Black & White Film, and adding the possibility of pre-wetting and use of cleaning agent with the wash:

1.
Prepare the chemicals and solutions
Leave them at 1 or 2 degrees (C) higher than the revelation temperature

2.
In the Darkroom open the film cassette and put it on the developing tank

3.
Pre-Wetting can or not be done (see recommendations for each situation)

4.
check the developer temperature
pour developer in the tank
start clock (time depends on product and film)
tap the tank lightly to remove air bubbles
first 30s inversions
every minute 5s inversions
start pouring out developer 10s before time
stop clock

5.
check the stop-bath temperature
pour stop-bath in the tank
start clock (time depends on product)
10s inversions
pour out stop-bath
stop clock

6.
check fixer temperature
pour fixer in the tank
start clock (time depends on product)
first 30s inversions
every minute 5s inversions
start pouring out fixer 10s before time (re-usable)

7.
check water and cleaning solution temperature
pour 1st round of water in the tank
invert 5 times and pour out

pour 2nd round of water in the tank
invert 10 times and pour out

pour cleaning solution in the tank
invert 20 times and pour out

8.
remove the film from the tank and drop it in a wetting agent

9.
hang and squeegee the film before leave to dry!
____

help & suggestions are welcome...

With my best regards,
Joao

 

[NickTrop]

Here's the process I use:

Black & White Film Processing: The Twelve-Step Program
http://www.photogs.com/bwworld/bwfilmdev.html

Basic, works every time. Good luck! And "welcome back".

 

[Rhoyle]

Two things that I would add.
1) Check and regulate all temperatures before the developer hits the film. If you finish the development stage, and spend time checking temperature for your stop bath, the film will continue to develop in the residual developer on the film. So hit the film with the stop bath when the develpment time is up.

2) At the end of step 7, rinse the film (in the tank) with cold slowly running water for 10 minutes before removing from the tank and squeegying.

You're really on the right track. Shoot a roll that doesn't matter and use it for your first attempt. If your results are good, you're on your way.

 

[payasam]

Good luck, Joao. You'll do well, don't worry. Wish I had the time and resources to go back to these pleasures.

 

[40oz]

I've never used stop for film. Just fill the tank three times before dumping in fixer.

Stop might not be a problem for you, but if you search, you'll find several threads discussing stop-related issues (pinholes especially). You'll find none discussing issues from using a water stop.

And don't worry - as long as you stick fairly close to the guidelines, your film will come out. Consistency is more important than adherence to published numbers. In other words, if you let something go slightly too long or the temp isn't precisely right, it'll still work fine. But, for instance, if you flip back and forth between starting the timer before pouring and starting it after pouring, you'll never be able to manipulate time to change the result consistently.

 

[payasam]

A wetting agent should make the squeegee redundant. A plain acetic acid stop bath is quite enough.

 

[jfserejo]

Great guide Nick - It will be very useful to compare and correct any step I missed up.

Rhoyle, the temperature issue is one that scary me most... But as you said I will try to mix the solutions in a constant temperature before the development step starts... I don't think this time of the year will produce too many variations during the 20 or 30 minutes that follow (I Hope).

Payasam, thanks for the encouragement. I also think this hours I will dedicate to develope film (mostly on weekends) will be like a tranquilizer and real pleasure, compensating the week of work!

40oz as you may understand for starting I will have to be "close to the general guides" and, of course, this is the time to experiment other ways of developing and stop bath, as you say, will be on of them (just not on the 1st ones)

Thanks a lot.
(I certainly will have many questions - some of them seem very dumb, but I will post here anyway, so I will not stay in ignorance...)

Regards,
Joao

 

[oftheherd]

Concerning 40OZ's comments on stop bath and pinholes. I have heard of this but never experienced it. As someone else suggested, I would consider just taking some unimportant photos on a couple of rolls and try it. If your combination of chemical mix, water, and temperature don't produce them, you needn't worry.

Good luck. You will enjoy but prepare yourself for the occassional mistake. Stuff just happens. It's how we learn.

 

[manfromh]

I think getting all temperature exactly right is not that important. I never check the exact temperature of my chemicals. Developer is probably at room temperature, so I just add 18 or 19 degree water to it. I agitate when I feel like it. I get perfectly fine results. B&W film is very forgiving.

 

[jfserejo]

(...) for instance, if you flip back and forth between starting the timer before pouring and starting it after pouring, you'll never be able to manipulate time to change the result consistently.

🙂 this is one of those things that we only stop to think after someone with expirience poit it to us...

and oftheherd, I will try to find what most people are saying about stop-bath and HC-110 (that is the developer I will use these 1st times).

 

[NickTrop]

I think getting all temperature exactly right is not that important. I never check the exact temperature of my chemicals. Developer is probably at room temperature, so I just add 18 or 19 degree water to it. I agitate when I feel like it. I get perfectly fine results. B&W film is very forgiving.

LOL... I'm the sloppiest developer, I guess. I leave everything at room temp, don't even use a thermometer. I just by cheap distilled water, several gallons, and use that. Oh, one other site is a must! Enter a film in the drop down box on the left, enter a developer - voila! Must have this site bookmarked: http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.html

 

[40oz]

40oz as you may understand for starting I will have to be "close to the general guides" and, of course, this is the time to experiment other ways of developing and stop bath, as you say, will be on of them (just not on the 1st ones)

That's fine. I'm just saying it's OK to skip the store-bought stop for film and use ordinary water.

 

[markinlondon]

You can easily skip stop bath. I'll usually use it because I have it around for printing and it reduces the number of fill/dump steps in the process. I'll agree with alexmacphee re concertina bottles. They're not worth the cost, PET fizzy drink bottles are much better at avoiding oxidation. However I'm not sure why we're discussing bottles as you're not storing developer (you are using your HC110 one shot, aren't you?). Stop bath and fixer are oxidising agents and thus keep for ages in LDPE bottles like the ones the concentrates come in. No worries, just keep track of your usage.

 

[John Bragg]

Hi, Joao.

I wish you all the best with your first film developing. HC-110 is a very good choice as a developer and I use it for nearly all of my work. I prefer to use the "unofficial" dilution H as it gives longer times and is more forgiving in use. Here is a useful link with tips on its use.

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/

Best wishes, John.

 

[350D_user]

A wetting agent should make the squeegee redundant.

Washing-up liquid is just as useful. 🙂

 

[350D_user]

Here's the process I use:

Black & White Film Processing: The Twelve-Step Program
http://www.photogs.com/bwworld/bwfilmdev.html

An interesting page. I know some people don't like them, but a changing bag can be a bit more viable, as opposed to a totally lighttight room, although the darkroom itself is essential for printing the photos.

Sodium sulfite? I take it that stuff's dropped into the developer before the developer gets poured into the tank?

 

[jfserejo]

Hi John Bragg, I read this "Unofficial Resource Page" for HC-110 and I felt the will to try the dilution H to. Not so much for the economy but for the better timing. The site also has nice Time / Temperature formulas that came in handy 🙂

350D_user, you can imagine that searching in the internet for information on development process the question of adding sodium sulfite came in various posts and pages... But is the application that simple? Just mixing in the developer? And about the amount you use? And if the developer already as the Sodium Sulfite, is it gona change anything? … to many questions, sorry!

Once again thanks a lot all,
Joao

 

[350D_user]

350D_user, you can imagine that searching in the internet for information on development process the question of adding sodium sulfite came in various posts and pages... But is the application that simple? Just mixing in the developer? And about the amount you use? And if the developer already as the Sodium Sulfite, is it gona change anything?

Beats me. I've only just discovered it by reading that page.

… to many questions, sorry!

If questions aren't asked, people don't learn. 🙂

 

[Tom A]

I have the luxury of having a dedicated darkroom. It was built when we purchased the condo we live in now. Rather than upgrading kitchen and other rooms, I built it with 3/4 inch marine ply walls, 220volt filtered water heater, 8 ft stainles steel sinks, 8 four plug outlets 5ft from the floor, etc. The water heater goes on when I turn on the tap and keeps the water at 68/70 F as long as it flows. My process for developing is very simple and standardized. I keep about 15 liter of water in large plastic beakers and all the developers/stop/fixer is kept at room temperature. IF for some reason the room is warmer than the water flow, the last rinse (after fix) is kept in the tank and the hose attched to it, Even if the room temp is a couple of degrees warmer, the wash at 70f will not "chock" the film as it is diluted with the warmer 1 st rinse. Modern film is very sturdy and you really have to chock it to get reticulation of the emulsion.
The key to succesful film processing is to keep it standardized and if you change anything - only change one thing at a time. This way you can "read" the effect properly.
As for timing, I start timing when the tank is full and stop when I start pouring it out. Which ever way you do it, just do it exactly like that every time.
Stop bath: I dont use it for film, only for paper. If you use thin emulsion films you can get pin-holes. A couple of quick rinses with plain water is fine and the pour in the hypo/fix. My neg-files holds film from as far back as 1964-65 and so far I have had no problem with discoloring.
My fix is Kodafix mixed to 1 gallon and kept in a sealed bottle. I keep track of when it was mixed and how many rolls have gone through it. It will fix clear for 6 week or 60 rolls, whichever comes first.
Agitating fixer is boring so I use an old color processor drum roller for it. It has a reciprocating action (two turns one way then reverses and does two turns the other way. This prevents streaks).Again, in 30+ years of using this process, no underfixed negs!
When i file my negs, I keep tab on what developer was used (and which camera/lens combo) and I also note down any change in the procedure on the neg file page. With 6wide and 7 down file pages you get a 4-5 frame empty space at the bottom where you can write down things like that with a permanent felt marker.
Processing your own stuff is one of the best ways to learn. You will also develop a style that suits your shooting. Once you get the result you are looking for, just keep that process. Experimenting with other films and/or developers is interesting and "educational" but always keep the "this works for me" procedure for the important stuff.
Doing it in the dark is fun!

 

[Rhoyle]

I didn't read all of the posts, so forgive me if this has been covered. To get all chemicals at the same temperature, I fill a gallon jug full of water, warm it (run hot water over the outside of it) or chill it (add some ice cubes) and mix all my chemicals with this. Quite easy.