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I'm new to developing. What to consider when buying chemistry

ohnewton35

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Atlanta, GA
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I decided recently to begin a website to display some of my film work. I am working on purchasing a scanner and chemistry for first black and white and later on color. I use mostly ISO 100 or 200 films and mostly just intend of developing then scanning. What should I be considering when buying chemicals. What's best for me as opposed to someone else. I must also mention I'm largely a medium format guy
 
my views...

low volume, liquid concentrate used one shot. (HC-110, Rodinal, etc)
medium volume, powder mixed into stock then diluted and used one shot (D76/XTOL/etc)

later on you can always experiment with weird concoctions!
 
This is like asking us what kind of pizza you like. Most of us started out with D-76 and that's a good place to start IMHO, but where you end up will depend on a lot of different factors---will you want a compensating developer? A staining developer? More grain? Less grain? Would a two part developer give you the results your after? Only you can decide that.
It's sort of like Serrano chilis on your pizza---I like 'em but you may not. D-76 will give you a chance to enjoy learning the process---it's sort of like the pepperoni of developers.
 

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I don't even know what Serrano chillis are. I am just barely past your stage of film processing, been doing this at a low volume for about 3-4 years. I started out with T-max developer and found it really economical because you can do 30+ rolls with one gallon. Now I'm using D76 1:1 one-shot and really like the results. Nice, contrasty, sharp negatives. It seems to work equally well for t-max 100 and 400, tri-x, hp-5 and fp4. All of these in 35mm and 120. Although I have all the darkroom equipment a guy could ever want, I haven't built it out yet and am still doing the hybrid process as you are planning. It's not a bad way to go.
 
If you scan you may want a developer that keeps grain small. (It is just a guess, do you?).
 
Personally I enjoy very sharp film photos but I've yet to really experiment with what photographers call "grain"
 
I'd do something like nige suggested.
and don't forget to have some fun...
 
Indeed, "favorite pizza". I will say, I really love Rodinal - even louping 35mm negs, there's something 3D about the sharpness, they just pop. And it lasts for decades, easy one-shot, very very economical. You do have to add some exposure though.

For fixer - film washes pretty easily, so about anything will do - Ilford rapid, Formulary TF-5 is awesome (but more awesome when printing fiber). get a residual hypo test kit if you want to be sure about washing, takes 1 drop and two minutes, worth the peace of mind 9again, esp. for fiber printing which you're not doing).

If you don't run tons of film at a time, here's what I do with fix: mix it per instructions, and test with a piece of leader and double the fixing time (fresh rapid fix clears film in about 25 seconds, I fix for a minimum of 60 with constant ag to be safe). Test every couple rolls and adjust times if needed.

I bottle the used fixer and spray some tetenal spray to replace the air in the bottle (or just "canned air" which is butane.) My working-strength fix last for WEEKS this way - but do test before you start printing. When it takes more than :60 to clear a leader, I discard or refresh it. Hate throwing away good chemistry.

If you're really new to developing B&W, two things: one is get a copy of "way beyond monochrome" and read their testing strategy. The other is to test yourself.

I post this often, but testing 35? You can learn a LOT with one roll. Setup a still life that can be up for a few days with repeatable (IE, not window but artificial) lighting. Have a range of highlight details (styrofoam packing blocks are great) and shadow detail (I use dark flannel shirts) and a range of midtones, and a gray card. Load your camera, shoot 4 brackets - under, on, 1 stop over, 2 stops over. Or do 5 if you want. Advance one frame. In the dark or changing bag, stick a tiny tab of painter's tape in the middle of this current, unexposed frame, close up the camera, and advance one frame - so you have an unexposed frame with a little "tab" of tape in the middle.

Shoot 4 more brackets, repeat the tape thing, until the roll is full. Don't rewind it. In the dark, cut the film at each tape tab, remove the tabs, and store the strips in a light-tight container. Develop one strip (4 frames will stay put in a reel just fine). Examine, think about what you want as far as shadow detail, highlights, etc. I really try to do a couple small prints (in your case scans) so you get a real-world idea of your setup. Then, you have 3 or 4 more strips to try a different developer, different time, different agitation, etc. Keep notes (the frame numbers will help you determine what's what).

You will gain about 1000% knowledge of how your film reacts with your process, for your end use. One roll of film. You can even re-use the one-shot developers since they've only processed a couple frames (if you don't spread developing over a day or so). You'll feel like a badass. I suggest you wear a lab coat and huge glasses when you do it for added badassery.
 

Start with D76 (or ID11) and stick to it until you get negatives you're happy with regarding tonality and grain. Because D76 is the yardstick to which the other developers are compared, and because virtually ALL b&w films are designed to give good results with D76. If tonality is not good, or grain too big, chances are you need to adjust your processing or technique, not to use a different developer.

Afterwards then you can experiment with developers that give you finer grain, greater speed, etc.

It's like making Ice cream for the first time -- first make sure you get an excellent vanilla Ice cream and then you can try making other flavors.
 
As of now there are 74,536 signed-up members of APUG. There is real risk of getting 74,536 different, but similar answers to the question "what developer should I use".
There are many very good ones available, Kodak D-76 and Ilford's equivalent ID-11 are what all other developers are compared to. But that isn't a slight to any of the other favorites.

Pick one, that is readily available where you are, there aren't any that are simply "best". Use it for a while, and then decide if you need to make a change, it's an evolutionary process.
 

Just remember as soon as you post your decision, someone will tell you that you made a mistake in the choice of camera, lens, film, developer, darkroom equipment ... :munch::munch::munch::munch::munch:
 
Nige said:
my views...

low volume, liquid concentrate used one shot. (HC-110, Rodinal, etc)
medium volume, powder mixed into stock then diluted and used one shot (D76/XTOL/etc)

later on you can always experiment with weird concoctions!
Click to expand...

+1!
 
which 200 speed films ? do you mean B&W chemical or colour chemicals?
 
+1 for HC-110

HC-110 has a nearly limitless shelf life undiluted. No need to make a stock solution just buy a syringe. Bedside being very likable developer, life & ease of use make it desirable.
 
If you are not using negatives for projection printing or contact printing, I'd save myself a lot of trouble and expense and get a digital camera or cellphone.
 
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