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Newbie planning to develop first film (hp5+)

Fellipe de Paula

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Messages
50
Location
Brazil
Format
35mm RF
Hello everyone.
It's my very first topic since I've just found this community.
I'm totally newbie and I've never develop any film at all.
As I keep researching more and more I'm planning to process my hp5 films which are from my last year vacation (yes guys I'll practice first ).

I've got a few questions:

1) Can I keep the Ilford Rapid Fixer and the Ilfostop in their original bottles and just prepare them on demand?

2) I've bought Microphen (powder), the first thing I should do is prepare the stock solution right? Should it be made with distilled water?

3) I've been reading that the temperature is crucial for a good development, but I think it's very difficult to always get 20ºC, any secret?

4) The water does need to be at this temperature (20ºC) right? is it just a matter of mixing warm and cold water until the thermometer reads 20ºC?

5) It's good to use distilled water at the washing process? Mixed with a washing agent (photo-flo)?

I think it's just these question for now... Thanks so much
 
Fellipe de Paula said:
1) Can I keep the Ilford Rapid Fixer and the Ilfostop in their original bottles and just prepare them on demand?
Click to expand...

I prepare a liter at a time, it's reusable and keeps okay.

Fellipe de Paula said:
2) I've bought Microphen (powder), the first thing I should do is prepare the stock solution right? Should it be made with distilled water?
Click to expand...

I use distilled and yes stock first.

Fellipe de Paula said:
3) I've been reading that the temperature is crucial for a good development, but I think it's very difficult to always get 20ºC, any secret?
Click to expand...

Not tough, 20c/68f is a very normal room temp. A tub of water works too. Other temperatures work but the times change.

Fellipe de Paula said:
4) The water does need to be at this temperature (20ºC) right? is it just a matter of mixing warm and cold water until the thermometer reads 20ºC?
Click to expand...

Pretty much.

Fellipe de Paula said:
5) It's good to use distilled water at the washing process? Mixed with a washing agent (photo-flo)?
Click to expand...

I use distilled for mixing chems and tap water to wash. Washing is water only. A hypo clearing agent after the fix and a quick rinse and before the wash will help, it shortens the wash time and water needed.

PhotoFlo is not for washing and is not rinsed off; it stays on, bubbles and all, to eliminate spots.
 
1. Yes, mix what you need as you need it.
2. Depending on what the water is like where you live, you may not need distilled water. I live in Australia and use regular tap water.
3. If the ambient temp is below 20 C, then make up a water bath around say 24 to 25 C and let the developer warm up slowly. If ambient is above 20 C then make up a water bath around 15 to 16 C and let the developer slowly cool. Then you can use a "controlled drift" when you develop.
4. I think it's easier to use a water bath rather than trying to get your temp to exactly 20 C.
5. See 2 above.
6. Welcome to APUG, and have fun.
 
1: Fixer and stop bath can be reused. I mix up 1L of each from the concentrate and use them until exhausted.

2: Yes, mix up the powder into a stock solution. If you use the developer straight, without further dilution, it can be re-used. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for capacity. Find them here. If you dilute the Microphen, dilute only the amount you need to process the film at hand, use it once, and discard. Distilled water is usually not necessary. A good rule of thumb says that if the water is potable, then it's good enough for photographic use.

3: No secret there. 20C is usually considered a standard processing temperature, but it isn't necessary. Any temperature between 20C and 24C is fine. Since development proceeds more rapidly with warmer temperatures, you'll need to compensate with shorter development times. Ilford has a temperature conversion chart that will help you out tremendously. Poke around their web site at http://www.ilfordphoto.com/home.asp to find it. It's in there somewhere. Temperature control is very important during the development stage, less so for the remaining steps. Still, it is a good idea to keep the entire process to within no more than few degrees of the development temperature.

4: I guess you're talking temperature control here. The easiest way is to get a large tub and fill it with water a degree or so warmer than the processing temperature. Place all the bottles with the chemistry in the tub, and let them temper. Keep an eye on the temperature of the water bath and the chemistry. Adjust the temperature of the water bath as necessary until everything is at the temperature you want.

5: No. Distilled water is NOT necessary for the washing process and you don't need anything more than water. There are several washing methods. Do a search here for "Ilford wash method". It works and it's effective. PhotoFlo is a wetting agent, not a washing agent. It is used as a final step after the wash step to prevent water marks. A drop or two of Photoflo in a 1/2 liter or water just before hanging the film to dry is all you'll need to do the job.
 
Hey guys you're the best!
Thanks a lot, Mark, Kevin and Frank you've clarified a lot of things here
 
Make your initial stock solutions with distilled water and use distilled water in your final rinse with photoflo. That's about it. You don't need it in every step. Alot of people go out of their way to use distilled water the entire time, thinking they're picking up particulate matter in either the water or solutions - but in reality they're more likely having issues with dust control.
 
Got a couple more questions:

1) The instructions at the Ilford Rapid Fixer bottles says once diluted (1+4) it'll only last 7 days. Now I'm confused because I know the fixer can be re-used...

2) The ilfostop 500ml bottles makes 10 litres, should I make all at once or can I make 1 litle at a time? (I don't have 10 littles storage bottles ) Same questions applies to Rapid fixer

Thanks guys for helping me. I'll dedicate to all of you (here at apug) my first roll of film
 

Fellipe,

1. They mean when exposed to air via open tray. Check this old photo.net thread for more info: http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00NDmc

2. Make around 4 litres or so. Whatever you can store. I use Kodak Indicator Stop and make my working solution from the concentrate when I need it. I usually use a 5L container for it and then make more when I'm done with it or it needs to be thrown out.
 
If Ilford fixer expires after 4 days, then I'm in big trouble, I keep it for months!!!

It must, as clayne says, mean in the tray. I always mix 1 litre, use it for either film or paper (I keep seperate solutions for each) and then pour into into a glass bottle until I need it next. Same with developer (unless it's one shot, obviously) and stop bath. I keep a note of when I mixed them and how many films or sheets of paper I have used it for in a notebook. When the chemicals reach somewhere near their capacity, I discard them and mix another litre from the concentrate.

I wash my films in tap water. I keep a small 5ml syringe for photoflo. The photoflo I use needs to be mixed 1+200, so for a small developing tank with 500ml in it, I suck up 2.5ml and squirt it into the tank, bobbing the spiral up and down to mix it. Works fine. I discard it afterwards. You can easily get a syringe from a chemist (drug store). They will stop looking at you so suspiciously if you make sure to tell them you don't want the needle!

With critical films, where I want to make a fine print, I mix the photoflo with demineralised water to reduce drying marks, because my water is very hard. Not often, though, it is getting hard to find demin water and it is so expensive
Just my way of doing it - theres lots of ways that work.
 
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