Beginners Film Developer Kit

[Matt_Gill]

Hi, i'm going to buy this, What are your opinions on it? I though it looked like great value for money!

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/pp/Darkroom_Equipment/Film_Processing/AP_Beginners_Film_Developer_Kit_for_35mm.html

Thanks Matt

 

[ThomThomsk]

Hi, i'm going to buy this, What are your opinions on it? I though it looked like great value for money!

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/pp/Darkroom_Equipment/Film_Processing/AP_Beginners_Film_Developer_Kit_for_35mm.html

Thanks Matt

I think you tend to get what you pay for, and if I were buying new then I'd expect to pay around £19 for a good tank and reel alone and another £10 for a decent thermometer. This may be the bargain of the century, but it doesn't look like it, especially as it doesn't say what size the measures are, and the opener, clips and paddle can all be improvised from household items.

If I were you I'd start by looking on eBay for Paterson System 4 developing tanks.

 

[Matt_Gill]

Ok will do, what so special about the system 4?

 

[ThomThomsk]

System 4 tanks are good quality, easy to use and there are lots of them about, which means they are pretty common and cheap on eBay - there are 6 listed right now. This is the type to go for, not these older ones.

 

[Matt_Gill]

Ok thanks thats alot of help, But what about all the other gear? Shall i just look for all of that on ebay to?

 

[ThomThomsk]

Ok thanks thats alot of help, But what about all the other gear? Shall i just look for all of that on ebay to?

That is certainly where I would start. We went through the b&w development shopping list recently in this thread:

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46088

The main point is that you don't need all the things that the dealers say you do because you can improvise and save a lot of money.

 

[ksmattfish]

You may already have a bottle opener, clothes pins, measuring cups, funnels, thermometer, etc. I agree with Thom; just look for a used tank on Ebay. You'll probably see a lot of deals where all that other stuff comes with it for not much extra.

I got a dev tank that will hold 18 rolls of 120 at a time, or almost 50 rolls of 35mm, for $11 on Ebay. It came with the 18 120 size reels.

 

[obike_flick]

im new at this but i have to ask you said it came with the 18 120 rolls can u use the same rolls for the 35 as the 120

 

[Rolleistef]

depends of the reel. Metal reels are for only one format but plastic ones are often for 120, (127), and 135, by adjusting the reel width.
What is interesting in the kit is the lupe which is often quite expensive.