A few questions before my first b/w development

[foc]

Before processing your 1st B&W film, you might have a look here.

Hope they are of some help.

Ilford's Film Developing Guide

Ilford's Developing Your First Film PDF

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I will begin developing 35mm, but will eventually like to move into 120

Chemistry:
1) Do you prefer to buy the developer in powder form and then dissolve in water when needed ? Perhaps this way is more amenable for longer term storage ?

Powdered developers like ID-11/D76 are fine, but mix the whole package at once into a stock solution (as directed) and then mix working solution from that. Mixing small amounts of powder is not recommended since you risk getting the wrong proportions.
Liquid concentrate developers are often more convenient and you can mix the working solutions directly from the concentrate using a pipette or a syringe to measure the concentrate.

2) Do you use separate developers for developing the prints (paper developer) versus developing the film (film developer) ?

Yes, you must. Print developers are formulated differently from film developers (stronger). It is generally uneconomical to use one developer for both prints and film.

3) For stop baths, do you prefer to use something like acetic acid or some other weak acid - or just water is sufficient ?
4) I understand it must be up to personal preference, but I am curious to learn what is your preferred product for b/w development? Brand and model.

Many use a water stop for film. If you do, make sure to use running water or a few changes of water in the tank for a minute or a bit longer to ensure stopping the developer. I prefer an acetic-acid stop bath (Kodak Indicator Stop) for both prints and film. Ilford makes a citric-acid stop (Ilfostop), which is fine, but the working solution only lasts a day or so before things start growing in it. Working solutions of an acetic-acid stop will last till exhausted.

Development tanks
1) I was thinking about getting a tank that holds 2 - 35mm film rolls / 1 - 120 roll ? Do you think this is practical ? If so, do you fill the entire tank volume even if there is just one 35mm roll inside ?

You should fill the tank. Too little solution in the tank causes foaming and churning and can lead to uneven development.

Other equipment
1. What do you think is the most practical setup to begin with ? For example, what volume graduated cylinders do you find most useful ( e.g.1 x 50mL + 1 x 500mL ?)
2. Is a thermometer useful for b/w development ?
3. Storage containers: do you prefer to store both developer and fixer in 5L containers ? I saw some sites that sell accordion bottles so that they are compressible to eliminate any empty space and adjust to different volumes. Are these bottles worth their value ?

You'll need some graduated cylinders/measuring cups. For one 500ml tank and a couple of rolls at a time, all you need is two 500ml graduates, one marked developer, one fixer. Use the developer graduate for developer only. Mix everything else in the "fixer" graduate to prevent contamination. You can use other vessels to hold solutions once mixed

Waste management
1. I know that the fixer has Silver in it - have you found that these amounts are negligible or do you coordinate with local waste management to dispose of them ?

The best solution for used fixer is to take it to a photo processing lab in your area for silver recovery. Labs are usually happy to help if you let them keep the recovered silver. If there are no labs around, check with your local waste-water authority to see what the regulations are for small amounts of photochemicals from hobby applications. Often, it is permissible to dispose of everything into the municipal waste-water system. If not, you can choose to recover the silver yourself at home (Google is your friend here) or take your used fixer to a hazardous-waste collection facility near you.

Hope that helps,

Doremus

Thank you for sharing your insights and knowledge,

Aaron

 

[fophem]

Salut et bienvenue!
A lot has already been said, and photrio is a great place to find valuable informations. Nevertheless, there is a french book I can recommend (not sure it's still available new...) it's Philippe Bachelier's "Noir et Blanc, de la prise de vue au tirage". Reading a simple book is sometime much more time efficient that searching hours for "serious" youtube videos. (I'm not talking about the ilford video from the previous post, I didn't see it!!)
Now if I dare give my humble opinion: keep it as simple as possible.

 

[Charles O'Connor]

I will begin developing 35mm, but will eventually like to move into 120

Chemistry:
1) Do you prefer to buy the developer in powder form and then dissolve in water when needed ? Perhaps this way is more amenable for longer term storage ?
2) Do you use separate developers for developing the prints (paper developer) versus developing the film (film developer) ?
3) For stop baths, do you prefer to use something like acetic acid or some other weak acid - or just water is sufficient ?
4) I understand it must be up to personal preference, but I am curious to learn what is your preferred product for b/w development? Brand and model.

Development tanks
1) I was thinking about getting a tank that holds 2 - 35mm film rolls / 1 - 120 roll ? Do you think this is practical ? If so, do you fill the entire tank volume even if there is just one 35mm roll inside ?

Other equipment
1. What do you think is the most practical setup to begin with ? For example, what volume graduated cylinders do you find most useful ( e.g.1 x 50mL + 1 x 500mL ?)
2. Is a thermometer useful for b/w development ?
3. Storage containers: do you prefer to store both developer and fixer in 5L containers ? I saw some sites that sell accordion bottles so that they are compressible to eliminate any empty space and adjust to different volumes. Are these bottles worth their value ?

Waste management
1. I know that the fixer has Silver in it - have you found that these amounts are negligible or do you coordinate with local waste management to dispose of them ?

Thank you for sharing your insights and knowledge,

Aaron

As others have said. First time through keep it simple. we all love this process but you may decide its not worth it, its a hassle, whatever. I suggest all liquid chemicals for starting out, just add water. Easier still get the ready to go stuff from Ilford. Look on Craigslist and buy up someone else stuff who wanted to try B/W, they may toss in an enlarger. Contact VC Battleboro they can set you up for next to cost of shipping. Unless you like shiny and new. Patterson puts volume needed on the bottom of the tank.

on waste water I am a bit more concerned/crazy than others so I do drop fixer off at waste collection. That scarcity thing is a reality in CA. Developer I use Xtol and pour in yard, same as with the stop. I suppose there are lots of worse things going into drains, ponds, ocean, but I do choose my path let others decide their level. some of the chemicals do contain some pretty nasty stuff for aquatic life but again ppm is what matters.

yes use a thermometer and use a water temperature mix equation to nail water volume and water temp without guessing.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Si vous repassez dans le coin, faites-moi signe. Je serais heureux d'organiser un apéritif pour vous montrer la chambre noire que je suis en train de construire.

Merci pour l'invitation!

This has "Darkroom Workshop in Provence" written all over it!

 

[Daniela]

This has "Darkroom Workshop in Provence" written all over it!

yes!