Ilford b&w developing and accessories?

dugrant153 · Oct 22, 2011

Hey everyone,

Does anyone know of a good place to buy and buildup a B&W developing kit? I'm looking to use all the Ilford stuff (since I shoot Ilford B&W films) but don't want to get hosed on prices.

Have considered online but I'd like to support local businesses... if they stock them!

Specifically, I'm looking for beakers, storage bottles, funnels, the squeegee, film cap remover, leader retriever... etc etc. I already have a Patterson 4 developing tank. Just need the rest

paul_c5x4 · Oct 22, 2011

You can save a few quid (bucks) by leaving the squeegee. Put the money towards a bottle of photo-flo or Ilfotol instead.

Storage bottles, if you want glass, can often be obtained from a dispensing chemist at quite reasonable prices. For plastic, I use coke bottles along with one simple rule - Never take drinks in to the darkroom. Wouldn't want to take a swig of fixer in place of coke/beer/wine.

hpulley · Oct 22, 2011

Beakers and bottles most photo supply places will sell. As mentioned above do NOT get the squeegee/film-ruiner. The film cap remover, use a beer cap remover. Film leader retriever, why? If you remove the cap you don't need to retrieve the leader.

Ilfotec DD-X is a good liquid developer to start with, ilford indicator stop bath and ilford rapid fixer plus ilfotol. Sorry, not sure about Vancouver shops as haven't lived there for 20 years. Henrys.ca does mail order though.

Jeff Kubach · Oct 22, 2011

Maybe check out KEH or B&H?

Jeff

Sirius Glass · Oct 22, 2011

Go to http://www.freestylephoto.biz/index.php

They are an APUG sponsor and they deserve our support. I have used them both in person and on the internet and they have earned our business!

Steve

hpulley · Oct 22, 2011

Freestyle is good but the shipping to Canada is dear and some stuff can't be shipped due to hazmat regs. Slow shipping to Ontario as well but might not be too bad to Vancouver.

Sirius Glass · Oct 22, 2011

hpulley said:
Freestyle is good but the shipping to Canada is dear and some stuff can't be shipped due to hazmat regs. Slow shipping to Ontario as well but might not be too bad to Vancouver.

Good point. I love going to Canada, but I have learned that shipping items there can be expensive especially when UPS [? or was it FedEx] collects unnecessary customs fees.

Contact your countrymen/countrywomen in APUG like Eric Rose, Matt King [aka mattking] for guidance on this.

Steve

iconimages · Oct 22, 2011

darkroom purchases

check craigslist many people are getting a digital slr that had darkrooms. Some stuff is almost unused and you can get everything from 100-300 dollars.I`m talking beseler or omega with gralab timers and stainless tanks etc.one in my town (portland) had a ton of paper and chemicals

be sure to do the usual check out of course...dried bellows and mold etc.

otherwise I use B&H online ordering is fast and prices good.

Bob-D659 · Oct 22, 2011

Storage bottles, use generic type 2 liter soda bottles, Safeway, Superstore, Shoppers drug mart, etc you want the straight sided ones. Also 500ml water bottles, same suppliers. Distilled water, Shoppers when it is on sale at $1 for 3.78 liters

If you can't locally source chemicals, www.photocentral.ca here in Winnipeg, they do ship. Funnels and beakers(read plastic measuring cups), try Dollarama in the kitchen aisle.

hpulley · Oct 23, 2011

Sirius Glass said:
Good point. I love going to Canada, but I have learned that shipping items there can be expensive especially when UPS [? or was it FedEx] collects unnecessary customs fees.

Contact your countrymen/countrywomen in APUG like Eric Rose, Matt King [aka mattking] for guidance on this.

Steve

Never use UPS if you can help it unless you can get one of the international expedited rates that include brokerage. Otherwise they change a rediculous brokerage fee, often more than the entire cost of the item and shipping.

Freestyle does offer US Postal Service shipping. It is a bit cheaper than UPS and much safer for brokerage fees.

B&H has a ground shipping option with included taxes and fees. It is convenient for me here in Ontario, just 2-3 days ground shipping from NY. Might not be so good for Vancouver.

Henrys offers Expresspost shipping. There must still be a decent photo store in Vancouver, hopefully one of the local members will chime in.

goodfood · Oct 27, 2011

Check with Lens and shutter or Kerrisdale Camera. I always purchase dark room stuff, b/w chemical, paper and film. One more is Beau Photo close to downtown.

jordanstarr · Oct 27, 2011

I always liked Lens and Shutter on Broadway when I was living in Vancouver. You can even visit a used camera store to save some money.

dugrant153 · Oct 27, 2011

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I've tried a few of the local places but am having trouble with finding a good changing bag locally. Chemicals seem to still be available plenty!

Will definitely check out all the options as there's so many to choose from!

Btw, if I put enough towels underneath my bathroom door to block out the light, I don't need a changing bag and can turn on the lights once the film is in the developing tank... is that right? sorry! I know it's a newb question

bdial · Oct 27, 2011

Btw, if I put enough towels underneath my bathroom door to block out the light, I don't need a changing bag and can turn on the lights once the film is in the developing tank... is that right? sorry! I know it's a newb question

Yes, once the film is in the tank, with the lid secured, the lights can go on.

You can block the light under the door with towels or whatever might be handy. The darker the better. Also pay attention to the other three edges. If you're looking to use the bathroom for loading/developing regularly, putting weatherstripping around the door, and a door sweep on the bottom should take care of the light, without the hassle of towels or permanent changes. One way to test is spend 5 - 10 minutes in the room with the lights off, and see if you can then detect any light coming in. If you can't, you're set. You can get away with small leaks, but there isn't any easy way to describe what might or might not be a problem.
Another test, after 5 or 10 minutes, you should not be able to see your hand in front of your face, for example, if you can, something is leaking too much light.

If possible it helps to have any lights off in the space outside the door. Some darkrooms can only be used at night.

goodfood · Oct 29, 2011

Kerrisdale Camera carry changing bag in stock. I saw at Richmond store. Visit any store and ask, they will ship to any store you want within 2 days.

dugrant153 · Nov 4, 2011

Lovin' the Loonie Store

Just an update. I haven't bought the chemicals just yet as I have to budget for it and find what I'm looking for (I shoot Delta 400 and Delta 3200, but mostly the Delta 400 pushed to 1600).

In the meantime, I've purchased measuring cups (2 x smaller increment (200ml) cups and 1 x larger (800ml) pouring cup) and some funnels. that's about it. I'm not even sure if I need the funnels if I'm using the Patterson 4 developing tank!

Anyways, more to come if I can find more bargains. Lovin' the Loonie store!

MartinB · Nov 4, 2011

Looks like you found the local sources.
Another inexpensive source of beakers, funnels is Ikea - their plastic measuring stuff, funnels, and brushes (for cleaning out long thin containers) are only a few $ and work great.

Ditto on the info about using USPS mail for getting stuff from Freestyle. Freestyle is great and I use mail all the time when I can't find it locally - Canada Post only charges $5 or $8 to do the brokerage (unlike the big brown guys - I once was charged $40 brokerage for a $20 book because the sender shipped the wrong way!!! #$**GRR.... will never ship by UPS if I don't have to)

A couple of other Canadian suppliers are BigCameraWorkshops in Ont, and locally (to me) TheCameraStore run by a great bunch of guys who still stock quite a bit of analog in Calgary and ship mail order.

Martin

Andrew O'Neill · Nov 16, 2011

Does anyone know of a good place to buy and buildup a B&W developing kit? I'm looking to use all the Ilford stuff (since I shoot Ilford B&W films) but don't want to get hosed on prices.

Have considered online but I'd like to support local businesses... if they stock them!

Specifically, I'm looking for beakers, storage bottles, funnels, the squeegee, film cap remover, leader retriever... etc etc. I already have a Patterson 4 developing tank. Just need the rest

The Loonie store is a great place, eh? Storage bottles? Empty 500ml bottled water bottles work well. Forget the squeegee and the film cap remover and extractor. Just use a a bottle opener to pop open the canister. I know Kerrisdale Camera in Coquitlam Centre has chemistry. They don't keep it on the floor so you have to ask for it. I think they still have some b/w film, but I only recall seeing HP5. I prefer making the trek down to Beau Photo. I mix up my own developers (pyrocat-hd), fix as it's way cheaper than buying it made.

andrew

Dennis S · Nov 17, 2011

Ditto on the Freestyle shipping: 5 working days. I got the last one in 4...
And like the above statement Looni stores or our favorite "Canadian Tire" where I purchased a small 5L gas can for ID-11 or Xtol and then separate into a 1 liter as I use it up. And those old "Church Keys" are not being used for ANYTHING these days except opening film.

sly · Nov 17, 2011

I've had good service from Beau and Lens and Shutter - by mail usually, as I seldom make the trek to Vancouver. Ditto the avoiding UPS. My husband recieved a parcel today from England and had to pay $40 to UPS for it. We thought you only had to worry about UPS robbery on parcels from the States.

dugrant153 · Nov 18, 2011

Will definitely skip UPS or other "extra charge" services. Canada Post has been spectacular for me... so far.

Ah, church keys is not a bad idea! Although I may purchase my own little "can opener" to get that top off of 35mm ilford film. Can you just use your hand though? Maybe my technique stinks but I can't get that lid off without significant effort! (PS: Any place that recycles these canisters??)

Update: picked up developer, fixer, stop bath... now I think I need... thermometor, timer... wetting agent? Do I need that?

Colin Corneau · Nov 18, 2011

Try my friends at Photo Central (note: I am not financially or otherwise connected, just a customer) out of Winnipeg. Better shipping and good customer service

http://photocentralcamera.com/products.html?catalog[decision_model_guids][0]=7c2c949b-33b8-4a2f-b720-00bb14e156bf

sly · Nov 18, 2011

Yes you need wetting agent, unless you like spots on your negs.
Spend money on a good thermometer - when I bought an enlarger in the 90's and was working in a darkroom/storage closet, I used a cheap thermometer meant for fishtanks. Took me awhile to figure out that my very thin negs were due to underdevelopment because the thermometer was off.
A watch/clock/iphone can be used for a timer, if you're looking to save a couple of $$ right now. (I love my Gralabs - picked up an unused 2nd hand one for $10 last summer.)

dugrant153 · Nov 27, 2011

Yay! So I just finished developing one roll of 135 and one roll of 120 film. Lots of fun
Appreciate all the advise and tips as it helped me in my shopping

Passed on the squeegee and just used my fingers

Didn't get a setting agent but I think I should soon. No visible spots yet but we shall see!

Love this community

Side question: what's "okay" to dump down the sink? I will reuse the fixed and stop bath (have enough for years) but eventually I have to dispose of them. Suggestions?

sly · Nov 27, 2011

It is great fun isn't it?

Your fingers pose the same potential to damage as a squeegee. A little speck of something can be carried down the film, scratching as it goes, through frame after frame after frame. Most of the time you can get away with it, but the one time you've got terrific, un-repeatable, very precious negs - that'll be the time there turns out to be a tiny little piece of grit that wrecks your negatives. Photo-flo (or other brand) is cheap. It goes a long way. (I think I'm on my second bottle this century, and I entered it with a bottle less than half full.) Dunk your negatives in the photo-flo, hang and let them drip dry. Squeegees or fingers aren't going to speed the process anyway.

I dump everything down the sink except the fix. (And selinuim and dichromates, but you'll not have got to those yet :confused A silver magnet is on my wish list for Christmas.

Ilford b&w developing and accessories?

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency