Darkroom starter (b/w) tips

I'm planning to start developing my own black and white films (no

printing for now) this summer. So I need to set up a primitive

darkroom somewhere in the apt. I shoot Tri-X and recently started

shooting Delta and HP5.

 

 

I would really appreciate if you could recommend an all-round

developer and general darkroom chemistry and supplies to get. I have

no prior experience in the darkroom, so please include all gory

details. It would also greatly help to know if there is a website/book

to learn the basics. I am reasonably close to New York City, so

availability isn't a problem. But please recommend not-too-high-end

stuff :)

 

Thanks in advance..

D-76 is the standard first developer for most people but HC-110 is great too. I find it more convenient because it's easy to mix up small portions and the concentrate lasts forever. Easier for me to control the temperature too. Any stop bath and fixer will do. But the important thing is to STANDARDIZE so you can exactly repeat your results.

<p>

I list some books / websites that helped me <a href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/basu/web/links/books.html">here.</a><p>-A

Dear Kasturi,

 

Take a look at the free modules in the Photo School at www.rogerandfrances.com, especially 'our darkrooms'. You might also care to look at 'Darkroom Basics' (Collins & Brown) by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz; details, again, on the web-site.

 

Ilford's free information is very good too, but you can see why I'd plug my own first...

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

I didn't like D76. Powder developers are a pain to work with IMO. I like TMax developer and ilford stop bath and rapid fix.

 

For a GREAT start try:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0879857552/qid=1146765610/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-7365853-9288603?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

 

Scott

Roger knows his stuff (and no, I've never met him nor gotten anything free from him :) ). He has published a lot of great articles about black and white photography.

 

I agree to keep it simple. I'd suggest you shoot more of the Tri-X and HP-5 and get to Delta later since it's a finickier film and requires a little more consistency and precision in development.

 

Kodak D-76 and Ilford ID-11 are great developers with which to start and are essentially interchangeable. I dilute 1:1 for higher acutance (apparent sharpness) and greater predictability of results.

 

You can get a stop bath to stop development but I just use a one-minute running water wash.

 

Use rapid fixer (it comes as a liquid instead of a powder). It's more convenient, not expensive, and much quicker. Some researchers think powdered fixers don't work properly on modern films but this allegation is very controversial. Still, if I can avoid the problem and save time, I'm a happy boy.

 

You can shorten the wash time by using a hypo clearing agent or wash aid chemical. This is a good idea.

 

Some graduated cylinders for mixing and measuring chemistry, a good thermometer, some mixing paddles, chemical storage jugs (collapsible ones are good for developers, to keep air out)... and a timer of some sort (you can use a watch but a separate timer is often more convenient).

 

Of course, you'll need a developing tank and reel if you're developing film. I have some small tanks and some large ones, so that I can develop larger batches of film if I have shot several of one type. You can get those later. The Paterson tanks are excellent, relatively expensive, quite easy to load and very durable.

"chemical storage jugs (collapsible ones are good for developers, to keep air out)"

 

NO! They are very air permeable!

 

Use plastic soda bottles with the air squeezed out to store your developers, to prevent them from oxidizing.

 

Fixer isn't bothered by air.

 

Unless you plan on developing about a half-dozen rolls per week, where D-76 is OK, I would recommend HC-110 concentrate, along with a measuring syringe you can get at the pharmacy for $1.69.

 

Don't forget the thermometer!

 

 

If you're near NYC, B&H Photo has an extensive darkroom department, and Milton will take care of you. They are on 9th Ave between 33rd & 34th, right at the Lincoln Tunnel; a block from Penn Station, and walking distance to the Port Authority Terminal.

 

Adorama is also pretty good, on 18th Street just off 6th Ave.

 

By the way, you can also use Kodak Flexicolor color negative or Ektachrome color transparency fixer for B&W: They can be cheaper, especially in quantity. [but, they aren't stocking the 5 gallon fixer size at:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=27600&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

any longer; though the 25 gallon size for $32.95

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=27599&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

is still in stock.]

I second the HC-110 and baby medicine syrenge. Mix from the syrup and it should last a long time.

 

One thing I did when I first started is pay for one good small graduated cylinder and one medium size beaker. I used those to "calibrate" some cheap plastic measuring cups I got from a $1 store along with some 3 and 5 gallon buckets.

If you are only planning to develop film then you don't need a darkroom, just a changing-bag. Other than that you need a tank, reels, thermometer, measuring cylinder for the developer and some plastic jugs.

 

There are scores of different developers but I'd suggest you start with a tried and tested one such as ID11 and use it one-shot (i.e. use and discard).

 

I store working solutions of stop and fix in old domestic bleach bottles which have been well washed out. These are high density polyethylene and have air-tight, childproof caps. Label them clearly.

Sprint Chemicals offer a D76 type developer and all of their chemicals are very low in odor, if that is a concern for an apartment situation.

So <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=612247">here </a> are some scans from my first darkroom venture. I used HC-110, water as stop bath and Kodak fixer. It was great fun for sure!

what is your exact method of development. which hc-110 dilution, what temp, how long, interval of agitation, how many times per agitation cycle do you invert the tank? Your results are very good for first time developing, so don't let what I say dissuade you any....but I think you are over developing or over agitating ever so slightly (ie your contrast is a little high)

 

I want to repeat, your results are good, so this is not a reply even remotely implying you need to make drastic changes.............I am strictly talking about taking a good result and tweaking it to make it that much better. Actually, from my own experience with HC-110 I agitate the stuff as little as possible. Like one inversion in the beginning, and one inversion every fifth of the total time there after. And if I miss one, I usually don't worry about it. HC-110 is a high energy developer and from my experience the less you agitate it the better..........regardless of what Kodak says.

 

But, then that is what works for me....it may not work for you.

Kasturi, I think these are excellent results, I actually even think the contrast is great. But I wonder what the light-colored band that runs through some of the images is caused by?

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/4567629

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/4567679

Thomas,

 

Thanks for your interest in this. Here was what I did (basically following Henry Horenstein's book for darkroom beginners and Kodak's online publication for developing times):

 

I prepared a working solution of 500 ml using 16 ml HC-110. The temperature was 20 degrees centigrade. Developing time was 3.75 minutes. I stirred continuously for the first 30 seconds, and then for 5 seconds after every 30 second interval. I didn't really invert the tank fearing spillage, but shaked it slowly but at quite a large angle roughly once every two seconds during the agitation periods.

 

Please tell me if I did something wrong, or what modifications you recommend.

 

Thanks again.

SP,

 

I had the same question after the negatives came out. First I thought it was a developing error. Then I googled something on the lines of " troubleshooting wavy bands running through the negative". It seems the negatives bear strong symptoms of damage due to x-ray scanning at the airport. I made the mistake of not requesting my films to be hand-checked. The x-ray at the security check is in principle (as the airports claim) not harmful to films below 800 ISO, but in my case, they clearly affected 400 ISO film. Sad, isn't it?

 

K.