so then

ferny · Jan 17, 2005

If I'm going to get some cheap b&w film, what developer should I get? Any random cheap stuff? Or is there a big difference between the brands?

sbalsama · Jan 17, 2005

The good ol' D-76 is the traditional stuff. Personally, I've never used it, I've been perfectly happy with my results in XTOL. XTOL comes in 5 liter packets, quite a bit of liquid. You'll get a lot of responses, those two I mentioned should be fine to start. Oh, and D-76 comes in smaller quantities than XTOL.

Also, if you're looking for any fixers, pick up the Heico stuff - it's a cheapo no-name brand, clears any film I've put in it at 2 and a half minutes - can be used with optional hardener (but I don't even know what that's used for!).

ferny · Jan 17, 2005

What are the brand names for those?
I'll either get it from www.jessops.com or www.silverprint.co.uk
I may even take a walk to the nearest photography shop. :shock:

oriecat · Jan 17, 2005

Get some Rodinal, cheap and lasts forever, so they say!

If you don't know how much you will be developing be aware that some developers can go bad and stop working. Happened to me last spring.

3 rolls of film dead. So don't buy too much of something if you won't know if it will last.

I've pretty much just used D-76, Ilfosol and Rodinal. I think D-76 only comes as a powder (not positive tho) and at this point I prefer the ease of mixing liquid chems.

oriecat · Jan 17, 2005

Rodinal is from Agfa
D-76 & XTOL are Kodak
Ilfosol is Ilford

sbalsama · Jan 17, 2005

Sorry about that, they're both Kodak. I don't see the Heico stuff on either site, by the way, but pretty much any rapid fixer will work; just read the directions. May as well take a walk down to that shop of yours, save some money on shipping. Just walk in and grunt something to the effect of "D-76 please" and they should hopefully have it.

Have fun! Oh, and, you'll learn to the love the smell of the stop

ferny · Jan 17, 2005

Thanks guys, found them.

What's it smell like then? I can make some pretty bad ones on my own.

terri · Jan 17, 2005

Maybe it's just me (should I even say that?) but I don't notice much chemically smell when developing film - that would be D-76, anyway, the only stuff I've used. And mixed from the powder in the envelope, like Orie was saying - it's easy enough, just do it a few hours before you're ready to use it to make sure it's all dissolved.

The big smelly stuff comes when you're in the darkroom with open trays full of various developers, stop bath (yummy!!!) fix, etc. :biggrin:

That's my experience, anyway.

oriecat · Jan 17, 2005

Where do you get that Heico fixer? I just ran out of fixer and need some more, cheap is good!

ferny · Jan 17, 2005

says google

oriecat · Jan 17, 2005

thanks

sbalsama · Jan 17, 2005

Yeah, I get it up at B&H for about 10 bucks a pop. But, uh, that one he posted is a crazyass size

You'll have to dilute it, so hell that would probably make quite a few gallons. Just search for NH-5 and you'll find the smaller one. Sorry for the late response.

sbalsama · Jan 17, 2005

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=21917&is=REG is the smaller size

ferny · Jan 18, 2005

Ahh, a few more questions if that's ok.
Any adcive on stop bath, fixer and wetting agent? Or shall I just buy the cheapest out of the lot?

I don't want to spend loads of money, but I don't want cheap crap that'll be useless if I buy some good film.

ksmattfish · Jan 18, 2005

ferny said:
Ahh, a few more questions if that's ok.
Any adcive on stop bath, fixer and wetting agent? Or shall I just buy the cheapest out of the lot?

I don't want to spend loads of money, but I don't want cheap crap that'll be useless if I buy some good film.

If you are mail ordering stop bath it may be cheaper to get one of the varieties that doesn't have the hazardous materials charge. I buy a quart of Kodak stop whenever I see a store that carries darkroom supplies; I do a lot of developing and printing and a quart still lasts me a very long time.

I like to use a rapid fixer; saves a little bit of time, and actually probably makes stop bath unnecessary. I was using Kodak rapid fixer, and not mixing in part B (the hardener) because I like to tone my prints. Now I've been using Photographers' Formulary T-4 rapid fixer. It's pretty cheap, and goes a long way.

Speaking of the Photographers Formulary, if you don't already have one you should order one of their catalogs. You can get their products through other dealers, such as Freestyle, but the catalog is a great source of information about darkroom chems.

http://www.photoformulary.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=7&tabid=29