Durst RCP 20

[Allanana79]

Why can't this be used to develop film? Sorry. I'm new and haven't had luck developing film. If not. What could I buy for under $1000 that develops film from start to finish without me touching it?

 

[AgX]

-) Typically these roller processors for paper got fixed procsessing times per bath. Modifying this for film processing times is not straightforward.

-) Paper is not that critical for scratching, films best need rollers that do not touch the image area.

-) There were hardly roller processors for amateurs.

-) today you might consider a used minilab. I did, but I had no idea how to smuggle it into my home...

 

[peoplemerge]

AgX is right about using an RCP20.

For about $1,000 you can get an old Jobo ATL 1500 which is about as hands off as realistically possible. You still must get the film on a reel.

You should generally be able to get good results with nearly zero investment. The conventional wisdom is to get those issues fixed before going into advanced machinery. What kind of trouble are you getting for your efforts?

 

[MattKing]

When you say "develops film from start to finish without me touching it" are you prepared to load film on to reels in the dark?

 

[Allanana79]

When you say "develops film from start to finish without me touching it" are you prepared to load film on to reels in the dark?

Yes

 

[Allanana79]

AgX is right about using an RCP20.

For about $1,000 you can get an old Jobo ATL 1500 which is about as hands off as realistically possible. You still must get the film on a reel.

You should generally be able to get good results with nearly zero investment. The conventional wisdom is to get those issues fixed before going into advanced machinery. What kind of trouble are you getting for your efforts?

All my images come out blank. All of them. I'm thinking it's a developer issue. Or temperature. It's black and white c

 

[Allanana79]

A lady is willing to sell me a HOUSTON FEARLESS 79PP for about $400. But she has no idea about it, how it works, if it works.

 

[MattKing]

All my images come out blank. All of them. I'm thinking it's a developer issue. Or temperature. It's black and white c

You are either:
1) not exposing the film in the first place (a camera problem);
2) fixing the film before developing it (a workflow problem); or
3) trying to develop the film with dead developer.

Using something other than developer in its place is a version of #3.

After you are finished developing and fixing and washing the film, is the entire strip of film blank, or is the image area blank, with the letters and numbers visible along the edge?

 

[Allanana79]

There are some x ray developers affordable on eBay. But that's it. Can I develop with x ray developing ?

 

[Allanana79]

You are either:
1) not exposing the film in the first place (a camera problem);
2) fixing the film before developing it (a workflow problem); or
3) trying to develop the film with dead developer.

Using something other than developer in its place is a version of #3.

After you are finished developing and fixing and washing the film, is the entire strip of film blank, or is the image area blank, with the letters and numbers visible along the edge?

It has to be the developer.

 

[MattKing]

Can I develop with x ray developing ?

Not really - at least not with your current level of knowledge and experience.
B&H have several film developers on their site that are less than $10.00 + shipping.

 

[peoplemerge]

Can you provide some detail on your process? Ex
1 Load triX 35mm on hewes reel in the darkroom, place in tank.
2 develop in Kodak hc110 dilution b at 20.7C for 8 min, agitating 1 min then 3 inversions 1x min
3 Kodak indicator stop bath
4 Ilford rapid fix 5m
5 rinse, perma wash 2m
6 wash 10m
7 photo flow
8 hang dry in bathroom

If you have access to a hs or college darkroom class, it could increase the fun factor significantly.

 

[peoplemerge]

After you are finished developing and fixing and washing the film, is the entire strip of film blank, or is the image area blank, with the letters and numbers visible along the edge?

Actually @MattKing has a pretty good suggestion to pinpoint the problem. With film blank, do you have letters and numbers visible on the edge?

 

[btaylor]

A simple way to determine if your developer has any life to it would be to take a bit of film leader that has been exposed to light and drop it in a glass of developer. If it turns black in a few minutes you know it has life to it- if not, it’s dead.
Also, you can develop partial rolls to test your workflow, just snip off a few frames in a changing bag, load your reel and tank. That way you don’t waste a whole roll as you are getting your workflow down.
I would highly recommend you not buy a processing machine of any sort until you are very proficient at using your inexpensive and functional daylight tank. Machines add a whole additional level of complexity to what you are already having trouble with. Don’t stress out about it, everyone has to learn. A few ruined rolls of film is par for the course. Above all, have fun!

 

[AgX]

There are some x ray developers affordable on eBay. But that's it. Can I develop with x ray developing ?

-) these not necessarily will handle film strips
-) typically X-ray films can handle scratching better than film strips, as the latter will be grossly enlarged
-) roller processors typically are set to a certain processing regime, whereas with a small tank you are utmost flexible on this matter.

But we are going circles now.


The main question is: why do you reject a classic tank processing?

I myself started with such without the internet, without a textbook. A friend told me what what I needed, showed me these items. I then went and bought them, and processed my first film just based based on the instructions that came with the film and developer. All went fine.


The ideal solution for you would be the Jobo daylight-loading tank 2400. Here you basically drop the film cassette into the tank, in daylight and without touching the film! Then you twist a bit the tank, and from then on it is handled as any classic tank with all its benefits.

(I do not know how the knife integrated in this tank copes with the PET film-base found in some films today.)

 

[gordrob]

If you are developing only 35mm why not try the JOBO 2400 Daylight Tank. No need for a darkroom or dark bag everything can be done in daylight. A lot cheaper than any of the alternatives listed above.

 

[Allanana79]

-) these not necessarily will handle film strips
-) typically X-ray films can handle scratching better than film strips, as the latter will be grossly enlarged
-) roller processors typically are set to a certain processing regime, whereas with a small tank you are utmost flexible on this matter.

But we are going circles now.


The main question is: why do you reject a classic tank processing?

I myself started with such without the internet, without a textbook. A friend told me what what I needed, showed me these items. I then went and bought them, and processed my first film just based based on the instructions that came with the film and developer. All went fine.


The ideal solution for you would be the Jobo daylight-loading tank 2400. Here you basically drop the film cassette into the tank, in daylight and without touching the film! Then you twist a bit the tank, and from then on it is handled as any classic tank with all its benefits.

(I do not know how the knife integrated in this tank copes with the PET film-base found in some films today.)

I actually might be using x ray film. But for the moment I have 350 feet (now about 340 feet) of Kodak aerographic film. I got it for $60 and it can make 4×5 or 5×7 sheets of film.

 

[AgX]

Well, now we got your point... but most likely you would use the sheets sparingly nonetheless and thus still could use a tank for processing.

 

[mshchem]

This is a silly discussion.

 

[Pitotshock]

This is a silly discussion.

I agree. Developing B&W film, whether sheet or roll is a relatively simple affair. Having a machine do it for you does not add any miracles, it just takes away the mundane tasks. Add all of the complications like expired XRay film, or unknown film and deciding which development chemicals to use etc... and this machine will solve nothing.

To my simple mind, I'd start learning to develop with a fresh known film and trusted chemical combinations, get confidence on your process. Then, experiment with other stuff for fun, but you have ruled out your process problems.

 

[mshchem]

I agree. Developing B&W film, whether sheet or roll is a relatively simple affair. Having a machine do it for you does not add any miracles, it just takes away the mundane tasks. Add all of the complications like expired XRay film, or unknown film and deciding which development chemicals to use etc... and this machine will solve nothing.

To my simple mind, I'd start learning to develop with a fresh known film and trusted chemical combinations, get confidence on your process. Then, experiment with other stuff for fun, but you have ruled out your process problems.

Absolutely. Well said. I browse Ilford Photo website. There's so much great information about the tested and trusted way to do things. Ilford has free courses on everything photographic.

They don't fiddle around with unorthodox nonsense.

 

[mshchem]

Another thing for those among us are learning analog, or living like me, always learning new things. I would encourage people to buy current indate films intended to be used as still film.
Negative materials developed (no pun intended) for use as cinema camera film complicates things. Ilford, Kodak, Foma... Have great films to choose from. Ilford is offering nearly every film they did, and much more, as was available in 50 years ago. No need to pine for Plus-X, or anything else.