ryansteup

I tend to agree with a lot of the above. I do my own B&W film at home and have been rebuilding my darkroom for printing. It takes a little practice to learn what you are doing and honestly the learning never ends. I find B&W film work fascinating, it is my preferred medium and where I have the most fun. As for a camera, since I've been a Nikon shooter most of my life I will recommend an N90S, an F4S, an F100, an 8008 and if you want to spend a bit more look for an F5 or F6. All are very capable cameras with AF capability if you want it. The first 4 are very economical as well, KEH has them for very low prices. The Nikon F2 series are also superb but mechanical manual cameras, a bit heavier but only need batteries for metering. I keep two and use them regularly. I'd get the F2 A or AS as those are able to use the AI series lenses. Last I will mention here is the F3, also an excellent camera and the older Nikkormat series, the FT2 and FT3. You have lots to choose from. Lenses, well I keep a 28mm, an 85mm and an 80-200/4 and a 300 in my bag always. Manual focus for me but they are very sharp.

 

Rick H.

Thank you!

The "best" camera is the one you can get that works well. I develop my own B&W film, but I mail my color film off to a lab - where you'd send yours would depend on what country you're in.

Tray development is the most common for prints, but not as much for smaller films or roll films. In order to develop film in a tray, there must be complete darkness. For prints, a safelight is fine (some papers need a red one and others are ok with an orange one). It needs to not be too bright and safelights can still fog paper.

Overall, chemicals are in the tray and the film or paper is placed in the tray for a predetermined amount of time. It's best to not develop prints 'til they look right as they will look different when viewed in full light. The paper or film will need to go through developer, stop bath, and fixer and then be washed. It's best to use tongs to move paper from tray to tray.

 

The best info on the process is found in books by Upton and Upton or by Horenstein.

Thank you!

Hey everyone, I'm new to black and white photography and wondered what would be the best camera to start off and where you would develop the film?

I'm also quite curious to know how tray development works. Is it for film or prints, and what process you must go through to do this?

Any help or response is greatly appreciated!

-Ryan