I'm a Teen Looking to Learn to Develop B&W Film

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

Hello Everyone!

I'm 14 years old, and I've been into photography for just about as long as I can remember. I've been using a Nikon D300 for the past year, yet I feel a yearning to spend some quality time with film. You can check out my website to see some of my work.

I plan on using my grandfather's Nikon F2 Photomic with its 55mm /1.2it was on this camera that I learned the basics of technical photography. My heart is set on gaining this experience...I always read and hear about the darkroom, but I want to be able to truly connect with it.

Anyway, I thought I'd join APUG to have somewhere I could turn to for help/advice. I mostly want to learn this myself (rather than taking a course), as I have for all my photographic knowledge.

And yes, I already have a few questions (is this the wrong forum to ask?). I found an online guide, but I'm not sure how necessarily good it is.

I've also created a "shopping list", yet I'm not sure if I'm missing something or I chose something that's incompatible or I'm just making a stupid mistake:

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I've already got protective sleeves for storage, and I didn't include anything I might need for printing because I'm not sure if I want to take that road yetfor now scans are perfectly alright.

I'm very open to ideas/thoughts. Thank you!

tkamiya · Jun 23, 2010

Welcome to APUG!

In your shopping list, you have a slight problem. The tank you linked to is a 16 oz tank. It can develop two 35mm films at once. I *think* you meant to do it one at a time, no? If so, you'll need an 8 oz tank. Adorama also carries it. I have the exact same tank, 8 and 16 oz and they are great. Also keep in mind, those tank does not come with reels. You'll need to buy stainless steel reels to go with it.

You really don't need to buy film clips. You can just go to Walmart or some other store and buy inexpensive clothing pins. They'll work just fine.

For Mix up cups, go to dollar store and buy up lots of kitchen measuring cups. I have the same Adorama cups. They are fine and inexpensive but you may have local sources. Most kitchen measuring cups have bright and clear marking for measurements. Adorama cups you linked to, are kind of hard to read.

One more thing I might add to your chemical list would be Kodak Stop Bath. It's an acid to stop development. You don't have to have it, however....

You'll need a good thermometer as well.

If you watch classified section of this forum site, you'll often see developing tanks and reels for few bucks each. You might want to do that if you are looking to save money.

Good luck.

keithwms · Jun 23, 2010

Welcome and yes, you'll find lots of good advice here. Go ahead and ask away. Sounds like you have everything you need.

It'd probably be helpful to find an apugger in your area to go through the dev process once or twice... but, of course, you should exercise full caution when making contact with anyone from any website and keep a parent in on the loop at all times. I am just saying Why not look out for an apug gathering in your area. There is a section here for finding apug groups in your area. You will probably find teachers and darkrooms via apug as well.

When I started developing and printing, I simply followed the directions on the containers and voila, decent results right away and few problems. Getting acceptable results is easy; getting optimal results, now that's where the time, effort and patience is required.

My suggestion, shoot partial rolls for a while or shoot a whole roll and then snip it up into test batches for easy test development. If you shoot everything two or three times, you won't have to worry about snipping through a precious shot. The absolute hardest thing about development is feeding the film on the developing spool! So practice in daylight with a sacrificial roll.

JBrunner · Jun 23, 2010

Hey dude, welcome to APUG. In my sig you will see a link to some videos about developing film. It's about 120, but the procedure is just the same for 35 except the reel. It's super fun. Congrats!!

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

Thank for the welcome tkamiya!

I knew I'd make some sort of silly mistakeyes, one at a time will be more than enough for me! Thanks for the point about the reelsI would have had no idea otherwise.

I'll look around for clips and measuring toolsyou're right, it's silly to order them from Adorama when I could find them here.

I added the Stopper, and now that you mention it a Thermometer is crucial to the development process!

Thanks again!

tkamiya · Jun 23, 2010

I just thought of something....

You'll need a storage tank to keep your chemicals! You *could* order from Adorama as they are fairly cheap, but you also may be able to find an air tight container around your house. Be sure to mark it clearly so it cannot be mistaken for a drink though. Developers (D-76) will last longer if you divide it into smaller containers and keep them full.

Again, good luck, have fun, and ask lots of questions....

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

Hello keithwms!

I may eventually want to look for an instructor's help, but first I want to give a shot at it on my ownI think that as long as I don't rush and I'm careful I should be able to learn on my own. I'm ready to put in the time/dedication to perfect my process, that's why I made this a summer project!

You're idea about doing partial rolls sounds like a good one to me...I was worried about putting the film in the spool from what I read. But that'll give me enough room to experiment and mess up without destroying an entire roll. I thing I might have read somewhere that Tri-X was more flexible to small errorsis this true?

And I think I have an old undeveloped film strip around somewhere leftover from a little "accident" in the F2...LOL.

Thanks for your help!

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

Thanks JBrunner! I'll check out your videos for a run-throughI think that'll definitely give me a stronger sense of confidence. I'm very excited!

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

@tkamiya - About how much space would I need in storage for the chemicals? And am I just storing D-76, or the Fixer, Wetting Agent, and Stopper as well? Thanks.

Whiteymorange · Jun 23, 2010

Hi alphanikonrex, and welcome to APUG. It's a great place to come with questions, so ask away. Don't worry about seeming stupid- everybody has been there. You'll get conflicting opinions here and there but you will get answers.

You don't say where you're located, but there may be a way for you to find a group darkroom or a mentor if you're near a metropolitan area. I don't know about you, but watching somebody do something cuts my learning time in half over reading about it. Check your area for workshops and groups that share darkroom space. You might also look around for photo shows and used equipment sales. Lots of good darkrooms are being broken up and sold off. It's a good way to pick up the basics without spending too much money.

The 16oz tank is not really a mistake, just a choice. You may want to buy two reels and use that tank by putting an empty reel in on top of your full reel. It may save you having to buy one later when you get used to the process and want to do more than one roll at a time. I haven't used stop bath in years - water will stop the action of the developer and it's one less chemical you have to buy. If you really think it's necessary, go for it, but many of us just use a water bath between developer and fixer. I would also question the need for hardener in your fix. There is another thread on here now about that issue, but suffice it to say that many of us also feel that it is unnecessary - and actually causes much more water use in washing out the fixer. Go with the basics- develop, wash, fix, wash, wash, wash. If you want, add a fixer remover between the first post fix wash and the second, it cuts the washing time.

Good luck, and welcome to the club.

fotch · Jun 23, 2010

Hello and welcome to APUG. I would recommend used darkroom stuff if available locally rather than cheap new food grade measuring stuff. May be different in your area but the crap at Walmart is an absolute disgrace.

You have a nice web site and photos.

Good luck on your new venture.

Jeff Kubach · Jun 23, 2010

Hello and a warm welcome to APUG! You do have a nice site. Just take your time.

Jeff

tkamiya · Jun 23, 2010

The way I do it.....

I mix 1 liter of D-76 and store it in two smaller bottles, both full initially.
I mix 1 liter of fixer and store it in one larger bottle.
Stop bath and Photo-Flo, I have them pre-mixed to correct dilution and stored in one bottle each. I do this for convenience.

You can use D-76 as one shot or reuse them.
Fixer is definitely re-usable. 1 liter will process 26 films.
Stop bath and Photo-Flo, I use them as one shot.

One shot means... use it once and discard.

There are so many different ways to do it. This is just how I do it and works for me.

Dennis S · Jun 23, 2010

A good Thermometer can be found on eBay as an aquarium thermometer. For +or- $5.00 you can get a great one with digital read-out (OOPS I said the D word) . Not referring to picture taking though. I usually buy 3 or 4 at a time. I still have 2 left
I also vote for buying tanks for 2 rolls. It doesn't take long to grow the need for a larger tank. You will be using the same amount of chemistry just the large tank will only be 1/2 full.
The only thing stop bath is vinegar & water. neutralizing acid.

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

Thanks Whiteymorange.

How necessary is a dark room? The guide I found just said you needed a dark place to get the film into the tank and then after that a bathroom would suffice...or is that a crazy idea? I'll keep an eye out for a chance to get darkroom equipment. BTW I'm actually "Boston Area" as well!

So now I've got to make some decisions...8oz or 16oz tank? I can perhaps see the 16oz tank being useful in the future, but doesn't that mean using more chemicals on puny amounts of film? I hate to be wasteful...

And if the stopper really isn't necessary, I'm not too crazy about it. To start, it's "Hazardous", and then if Mother Nature's H2O really does the same thing there is no need to use chemicals.

But what about that fixer? The reviews on Adorama seem to be very positive about it. Isn't it supposed to prevent water spots?

vdonovan · Jun 23, 2010

Go for it and have fun. Developing your own stuff really is a thrill.

Here in San Francisco, folks very regularly post whole darkrooms for sale on Craigslist --tanks, reels, thermometers, bottles, etc. It can be a cheap way to go, if you need to go cheap.

Experiment, make mistakes, try weird stuff. Anyone can shoot a decent digital pic, but that roll of Tri-x you develop with your own hands is a singular and unique work of art.

alphanikonrex · Jun 23, 2010

Thanks for checking out my site fotch and Jeff!

fotch · Jun 23, 2010

"a dark place" means no light like in black. Stopper, you mean short stop? Not heard that it is hazardous, maybe I misread.

cfclark · Jun 23, 2010

Welcome to APUG--this thread brings back fond memories, as I think I was about that age when I first learned to develop film and then print (both B&W), back in...well never mind when it was. I remember having issues with loading the film reels, and finally using a junk roll of film (our photography teacher had deliberately set aside a roll for this purpose) in open light to get the hang of it--but then, I wasn't paying for my own film.

I second the suggestion to look for good used equipment, there's a lot of it out there right now, both on the shooting side and the developing side. And remember, you will make mistakes, especially this early in the learning process--we've all done it. Enjoy!

vdonovan · Jun 23, 2010

Regarding your latter questions:

A bathroom is fine for developing film. Many millions of rolls have been developed in bathrooms around the world. If it has a window, work at night and tape towels over the window. Also tape a towel or blanket over the door to block out the light coming through the cracks and at the bottom. If you can see light when the lights are off, that's too much.

I would get a 16oz tank, because you can develop 2 rolls if you want, or develop 120. If you're developing one roll, you don't have to fill the tank, just use 8oz. But put in an empty reel so that the film doesn't rattle around when you agitate.

Stop bath is not really hazardous, it's just vinegar basically. You can skip it and just use water, but the pros use stop bath to get more predictable results.

Fixer you must have. The film will be ruined without it.

For water spots, I think you mean photo-flo. There are many opinions on this, but especially in areas with hard water I think it's a good idea. It's cheap, anyway.

tkamiya · Jun 23, 2010

A "dark" room is necessary to load films into tank. You can do it in closet at night with all lights off. (that's what I used to do) After that, you can do it in bathroom. Just don't open the top until you are done with fixer stage....

As to 8 or 16 oz, you can do either way. If you get 16oz tank, you'll need two reels, even if you only develop one at a time. You'd put the second empty reel so that loaded reel won't bang around when you agitate. You also must fill the tank full, not half full. Otherwise, you may have problem with bubbles forming. Starting out, I thought you'd do one at a time. That's why I suggested 8 oz tank. In future, you may want larger tanks. It's up to you.

"Stopper" (you mean stop bath?) isn't hazardous... no more hazardous than all other chemicals - which are pretty safe unless you drink it. Basically, it's vinegar. You can just use plain water if you want.

No, fixer won't prevent water spots. Photo-Flo is the one that prevents water spots. This isn't absolute necessity either. To process film you need developer and fixer. That's it.

removed account4 · Jun 23, 2010

hey alphanikonrex .. welcome!

im south of you outside of providence ri, but lived for a long time in the boston area. ... nice website !

you might consider getting sprint photo chemicals it comes in a 1L bottle and everything mixes 1:9. the film developer
is metol free and sort of like d76 but different, and their fix is great. seeing you are near boston, you can probably find it
at calumet ( in cambridge ) or ep levines ( waltham ). it's the same chem's that most of the schools use ...
you might be able to find used darkroom tanks / reels and graduates at ep levines too, they have always had a lot of used
camera and darkroom-stuff. it'll help you out so you can spend more $$ on film

good luck !
john

sly · Jun 23, 2010

I bought an aquarium thermometer once - and went through a time when all my films were underdeveloped because the thermometer wasn't accurate. Don't go cheap on the thermometer. Second hand quality is fine - my Kodak photo thermometer was part of the package when I bought out a 30 or 40 year old darkroom. Works great.

Also, don't judge if the bathroom (or closet) is dark enough by the first few seconds after you turn out the light. Block off everywhere light might seep in, then turn out the light and sit for 15-20 minutes and see if it is still dark. If I remember correctly from my school course (yonks and yonks ago before digital was even imagined) it takes 40 minutes for your eyes to completely adjust to the dark. More than once, in those far away days, I started loading in the "dark", only to notice the crack under the door wasn't really light-tight while I struggled to load the reel.

Dan Dozer · Jun 23, 2010

Welcome to the club - hope you enjoy the adventure you're about to get involved in. You'll fine lots of good advice here on APUG.

One suggestion regarding the fixer, Kodak Fix is a hardening fix as people have already said. Many people don't use a stop bath and from what I've read, the longer your developing time on your film, the less of a requirment Stop Bath is. Many people here use an acid based fixer called TF4 from a company called Photographer's Formulary. You don't need to use stop bath at all with it - just a short wash after the developer with water and then into the fix. It eliminates one of the chemicals in the process and stop bath isn't very nice smelling stuff anyway. You can get it from Photographer's Formulary or Freestyle Photo in Los Angeles also has it. I get all my developing chemicals from Freestyle.

In response to your other question about a dark room - you only need a darkroom if you are going to do your own printing. You can load the film into the developing tank in a closet if it's dark (put a blanket over the door) or easier still in a film changing bag and once it's in the tank, you do everything in normal room light. A bathroom is where most of us learned developing ourselves and works perfectly fine.

Good luck and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

keithwms · Jun 23, 2010

For developing 35mm or 120 film, a darkroom definitely isn't necessary. A film changing bag will do fine for opening the canister, loading the film onto the dev'ing spool and putting it in the can. I have a large Harrison film changing tent that would do well. For 35mm developing, I suggest getting one. It's much nicer than a changing bag with no rigid structure. With a tent it's much easier.

This would work but it's actually bigger than you need and I think you can do better on the price:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/172903-REG/Harrison_1000.html

I use my Harrison tent for deving, loading film, and spooling bulk film. There are tents big enough to do LF tray developing too! So.. no darkroom required, not at this point.

I'm a Teen Looking to Learn to Develop B&W Film

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