Beginner's Film Development

[david_haardt2]

Hello folks,

 

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I just bought a Super Speed Graphic to enter 4x5" after I worked with 35mm and 6x6 for a while. Now I also want to develop the films on my own. This I bought a Doran 4x5" (daylight) tank. The salesperson told me that I also need the following items: developer, fixer, stopper, film brackets, moistener. I now have a basic unterstanding of which functions the single chemicals have. But could you give me a small overview on how to develop a film, assuming that I just used my changing bag to put it from the film holder into the tank. Thanks a lot.

 

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Cheers,

[haim_toeg]

David,

 

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I think you may need to get a beginner's book on black and white

photography and darkroom processes. You can go to photo.net for an

excellent list of books as well as other online resources. Black and

white darkroom work is simple as it has very few steps but complex due

to the number of variable parameters involved (type of film,

exposure, dilution, temprature, timing, agitation and more). Getting

a good base in the way of theoretical information and a good practical

coverage will take you a long way from frustration towards

accomplishment. Also, you could look at a local basic b&w photography

class in a community college or something similar.

[scott walton]

In short, you load the daylight tank, give your film a 30 second water

"presoak" and with all your chemicals diluted properly and at the same

temperature (typically 68 degrees F) add your developer for the

recommended time (find this at www.digitaltruth.com) and agitate

accordingly. After this, dump your developer and add your stop bath for

about 30 seconds using constant agitation. Next step is the fixer...

usually 3-5 minutes depending on the film... the rest of the steps can

be done in daylight. Next step is to wash your film. You can do this by

repeated fill and dump of water in your tank. It is advisable to get a

clearing agent like Heico Permawash also for your next step(it will cut

down the amount of washing you have to do to get the residual fixer off

your film. After this, rinse with water thoroughly and finish off by

dipping your film in Kodak's Photoflo and hang to dry. This is a very

BASIC way and will get your film developed. The more careful and

consistent you are, the better your results. Keep your area as dust

free as possible and you will have alot better results.

Cheers,

Scott

[david_haardt2]

Hello folks,

 

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I did already read through the Darkroom Primer available on this web

site before I posted my question. I now also ordered the book "The

Negative" by Ansel Adams.

 

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My "problem" however is that I have a German book from a German photo

journalist from the 70s, where he has a more simple procedure for

development: developer, water, fixer. Washing. Finish. So he doesn't

use a stop bath (he uses pressurised water instead), and he doesn't

use a wetting agent (instead he recommends to wash the negative for

at least 15 mins, better 30). Is this an outdated way to develop

negatives, or is this only possible with older films?

 

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Are there any recommendations on Chemicals which can be used with

many films, with larger tolerances as far as the application times

are concerned? In Germany, it's easy to get chemicals by Forte, Calbe

(former GDR), Tetenal, Agfa, Kodak, and Ilford.

 

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Is it also possible to develop (contact) prints using such a daylight

tank I just bought?

 

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Cheers,

[chris_werner2]

David,

 

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Check this site (http://www.photogs.com/bwworld/), it has a lot of

developing information and a couple of dedicated forums.

 

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A lot of people regard stop bath as unnecessary, even undesirable as

if you get it too strong it supposedly can damage the emulsion. I

have always used Photo-flo or something like it, but know a lot of

people don't. I think these things are as much personal preference

an what works for you as anything.

 

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As regards developers, Rodinal, D-76, and HC-110 seem to be the most

popular. I like D-76 the best (easy to use, fine grain), but often

use Rodinal for convenience (mix as you go - I develop sporadically

and was wasting a lot of D-76). Rodinal is a little grainy for my

tastes in 35mm, but is great for larger formats. Either of these can

be used very effectively with any number of films, but you'll get the

best results if you settle on a film developer combination and stick

with it. Also, many people report trouble with developing t-grain

films (e.g., T-Max), but I've never had any. I think this is simply

the result of being reasonably careful with the temperature of the

chemicals.

 

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Here is another site called the "Massive Development Chart"

(http://www.digitaltruth.com/photo/devchart.html) that will give you

time and temperature combinations for a lot of developers and films.

 

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Good luck

[stijn_saelens1]

hi,

 

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I 'm a bit in the same "beginners" stadion.

but I haven't got to much equipement.

is it possible to develop neg's (or dia pos.) in try's?

what are the disadvantages??

 

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sorry David for using your post to ask my question, I tought it might

fit in this post.

[kcrisp]

Developing film in trays works great, and many people who aren't

beginners stay with it. Two 4X5's in an 8X10 try work fine but you

have to keep the corner of one from digging into the emulsion on the

other. I used to do this with my hand, until I had a pizza delivered

from Pizza Hut and noticed a little white plastic tripod thing in the

pizza which keeps the lid from getting pushed into the pizza. I

glued two of those upside down in the tray, they are thin and don't

interfere with the wash of the developer during development and the

sheets of film can't ding each other and I don't have to keep the

separated with my hand.