What do I need to Process B&W Film.

I made this a while ago, but might be useful to anyone wanting to get back into processing film. The basic kit needed.

[video=youtube_share;W3n3MdmoezM]http://youtu.be/W3n3MdmoezM[/video]

Morgan, great film, but can I suggest a different method on a few things you mention. First of all never ever use a squeegee (ever). Also you don't need a bottle opener or cassette opener, because if you listen and feel when you rewind the film, you can stop to leave a bit of film out of the cassette. You can then cut the leader to load about 6" of film that you wasted when loading the camera and load this on the spiral in daylight. Also colour coding the chemicals helps in identification.

Had a friend asking me just today how she could get set up to process film at home. And here's this video.

Thanks, Morgan — i've just emailed her a link to your video.

Everybody finds his/her way but this is an excellent starter.

cliveh said:

Morgan, great film, but can I suggest a different method on a few things you mention. First of all never ever use a squeegee (ever). Also you don't need a bottle opener or cassette opener, because if you listen and feel when you rewind the film, you can stop to leave a bit of film out of the cassette. You can then cut the leader to load about 6" of film that you wasted when loading the camera and load this on the spiral in daylight. Also colour coding the chemicals helps in identification.

Click to expand...

Is there any particular reason to not use a squeegee? I've been using one as opposed to my 2 fingers method and so far it's much better and less smelly fingers on my hand.

Oh geez, not the squeegee fight again!

Look, most films now (anything from Kodak, Fuji or Ilford) are very well-hardened and can be squeegeed fearlessly unless there's grit present. Some of the other brands (Foma in particular) run a real risk of getting scratched by squeegeeing. Doesn't mean you can't do it, just means the risks are higher and you must be gentler.

And whether a squeegee is beneficial or not to your film drying with/without spots, that all depends on your water hardness and how much photoflo you put in the final rinse. Some combinations work better with a squeegee, some work better without. Everyone of course thinks that what they do is best and that all other approaches are wrong.

More getting-started-with-B&W instructions in my FAQ linked below...

I like the video.

Jeff

cliveh said:

Also you don't need a bottle opener or cassette opener, because if you listen and feel when you rewind the film, you can stop to leave a bit of film out of the cassette.

Click to expand...

This only applies on cameras without motorized film rewind.

AgX said:

This only applies on cameras without motorized film rewind.

Click to expand...

Yup.

No it doesn't, because in that case you can use a leader extractor. Ref sqeegee, have seen to many films with tram lines down the whole length from grit on the rubber.

Or for those that provide for the option, set the motorized rewind to leave the leader extended after rewind.

Just be sure to carefully mark or segregate the exposed film, so you don't re-expose it by mistake