My first B&W film development - Here we go!

mindthemix · Jan 17, 2013

Wish me luck! this is my first B&W development.

T-max 100 & 400

I read that Photo-Flo is not needed with TF-4. Is that correct?

All recommendations and advice are truly welcome!

henry finley · Jan 17, 2013

Use the photo flo. No valid reason not to.

Konical · Jan 17, 2013

Good Morning, Mindthemix,

Some probably get by without Photoflo. That may depend on the characteristics of your local water supply. I had not heard that the choice of fixer makes any difference. Usually the last solution to hit your film will be a washing aid, to shorten washing time. Several minutes of water wash usually follow. The Photoflo is just a surfactant to help water drain off without leaving spots. If you use Photoflo, be aware that you can probably get by with a much more dilute solution than Kodak recommends; a drop or two in a tank with one 35mm reel should generally be enough.

Konical

mindthemix · Jan 17, 2013

Konical said:
Good Morning, Mindthemix,

Some probably get by without Photoflo. That may depend on the characteristics of your local water supply. I had not heard that the choice of fixer makes any difference. Usually the last solution to hit your film will be a washing aid, to shorten washing time. Several minutes of water wash usually follow. The Photoflo is just a surfactant to help water drain off without leaving spots. If you use Photoflo, be aware that you can probably get by with a much more dilute solution than Kodak recommends; a drop or two in a tank with one 35mm reel should generally be enough.

Konical

Thanks for the advice Konical.

cjbecker · Jan 17, 2013

You are using the same chemo that I just used to develop my last roll. I suggest the photo flo. Hc110 is one of my favorite developers. I use it as dilution b 1-63.

mindthemix · Jan 17, 2013

Michael R 1974 said:
Start out by following the directions given by Kodak (and Formulary for TF-4). You can also find excellent papers on Kodak's website about how to develop film and process to high quality.

Regarding the chemicals in your picture, you don't seem to have a stop bath there. There are differing opinions on whether or not you need to use one, but if you don't, you'll need a proper water rinse after you pour out the developer and before you pour in the fixer.

TF-4 is an alkaline rapid fixer. I think when you're saying you read you don't need Photo-Flo with TF-4, what you really mean is you don't need a Hypo Clearing Agent with TF-4. Here is the background: After fixing, you need to thouroughly wash the film. Using a Hypo Clearing Agent after the fixer can reduce the washing time. It is said with an alkaline fixer like TF-4 (as opposed to most other rapid fixers which are acidic) the wash times will already be shorter than usual, meaning a Hypo Clearing Agent isn't needed to speed up washing. Having said all this, you don't need to use a Hypo Clearing Agent with film anyway. You just wash the film longer. Again, follow Kodak's directions (and the directions for TF-4).

Photo-flo is a wetting agent used after the final wash. It helps the film to dry more evenly and prevent drying spots.

Thank you very much fot the advice Michael. Based on previous readings I'll be using water as stop bath.

kbrede · Jan 17, 2013

I mix photo-flo 10ml to a gallon. I hang my film in the bathroom. I put the clips on and hold the film over the bathtub, and pour just a little down each side. Then just hang and let dry. It works for me, no spots anyway. Enjoy the process!

imokruok · Jan 17, 2013

Use Photo-Flo (or the Arista, etc. version) unless it's specifically indicated NOT TO USE by the manufacturer of the other chemicals. For example, I think those C41 development kits require you to make the final wash the stabilizer wash, or else your negatives will start to look funny after a few months.

I hang film in my shower as well, never had a problem with spotting when using Photo-Flo. I dump the solution right into the open developing tank and carry it into my bathroom. I gently remove the film from the reels, dunk it in the solution, and pull it out from one end slowly and then hang the film from that starting end. This gives a bit of "wicking" action that takes off most of the solution anyhow, and I've never needed to squeegee.

mindthemix · Jan 18, 2013

Thank you everyone for all the great tips and advice on my journey. I'll post the result for sure.

mindthemix · Jan 27, 2013

Finally my "keepers"

First things first. Thank you everyone for all your feedback and knowledge, I've learned more with your replies than hours of reading.

The experience was super (my wife and 5 years old son has joined the party), and the smell of film, mmm...sexy.

Summary:

Camera: Yashica Lynx 14E
Film : Kodak T-Max 400
Developer: Kodak HC-110 (@75F)- Dil B
Stop Bath: Water
Fixer: TF-4 

Presoak: 1 minute (mixed feelings here)
Development: 4.5 minutes (30 seconds agitation then 5 inversions every 30 seconds)
Stop Bath: 1 minute (continuous agitation)
Fix: 6 minutes (5 inversions once a minute)
Final wash: 5 minutes
Soak in PhotoFlo: 1 minute

I messed with the exposure so no a lot of keepers this time, but I think the development came out really good. At east I have pictures on film!

Feedback are extremely welcome. More rolls tonight.

Note: The fixer ends up with a reddish tint to it. Is that normal? Thanks!

Konical · Jan 27, 2013

Good Evening, Mindthemix,

Looks as if you're off to a good start.

1)You can get by with water for a stop bath, especially if you fill and dump several times. 2)The wash time is shorter than I would use, but five minutes should be OK if preceded by a two-minute treatment in a hypo-clear solution; I use Permawash, but there are others available. 3)The reddish (magenta?) tint is not unusual, especially with T-Max film; washing should eliminate it anyway.

Konical

aleksmiesak · Jan 28, 2013

Be careful with PhotoFlo when using plastic reels as the solution tends to gunk up in the ball bearings. But if you use SS reels then it's no problem. Not bad results for first try

mindthemix · Jan 28, 2013

My second try and the third T-Max roll

Olympus OM-1n / Zuiko 21mm F/3.5
Yellow filter

Film : Kodak T-Max 100

Developer: Kodak HC-110 (@75F) Dilution H
Stop Bath: Water
Fixer: TF-4 

Presoak: 1 minute
Development: 10 minutes (30 seconds agitation then 5 inversions every 30 seconds)
Stop Bath: 1 minute (continuous agitation)
Fix: 6 minutes (5 inversions once a minute)
Final wash: 8 minutes
Soak in PhotoFlo (two drops): 1 minute

TareqPhoto · Jan 29, 2013

mindthemix said:
Olympus OM-1n / Zuiko 21mm F/3.5
Yellow filter

Film : Kodak T-Max 100

Developer: Kodak HC-110 (@75F) Dilution H
Stop Bath: Water
Fixer: TF-4 

Presoak: 1 minute
Development: 10 minutes (30 seconds agitation then 5 inversions every 30 seconds)
Stop Bath: 1 minute (continuous agitation)
Fix: 6 minutes (5 inversions once a minute)
Final wash: 8 minutes
Soak in PhotoFlo (two drops): 1 minute
View attachment 63280 View attachment 63281 View attachment 63282 View attachment 63283 View attachment 63294

Nice results.

So, are you happy with what you get so far? I do the same steps as you did buy i stop bath for 30sec instead of 1min and fix for 5min instead of 6 and wash for 10min, will that make any difference you think or you still new to know the difference?

mindthemix · Jan 29, 2013

TareqPhoto said:
Nice results.

So, are you happy with what you get so far? I do the same steps as you did buy i stop bath for 30sec instead of 1min and fix for 5min instead of 6 and wash for 10min, will that make any difference you think or you still new to know the difference?

Thank you! I'm extremely satisfied with the results and of course I need to shot tons of rolls to start controlling every part of the process.

I'm not there yet but I'm here to stay! love film

wblynch · Jan 30, 2013

Those look great!

I just developed some Fuji Neopan 400 in HC-110(H) and am very pleased with the outcome. I think I am a new fan of HC-110(H).

mindthemix said:
Olympus OM-1n / Zuiko 21mm F/3.5
Yellow filter

Film : Kodak T-Max 100
Developer: Kodak HC-110 (@75F) Dilution H

View attachment 63280 View attachment 63281 View attachment 63282 View attachment 63283 View attachment 63294

Molli · Jan 30, 2013

Love the V-Dubs Very nicely done!

TareqPhoto · Jan 30, 2013

Thanks for answer!

I also started to love HC-110 from the first few times i did developed films [i think 3 times], so it will be my second or first maybe fav dev with TMAX.

Jeff Kubach · Jan 30, 2013

I love those pictures!

Jeff

baachitraka · Jan 30, 2013

Beautiful tones...

My first B&W film development - Here we go!

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