The "How I Develop Film" thread

[Cruzingoose]

Time to revive the thread again

Here are some commercial chemicals, dilutions and usage from my notebook.................NOTE: These dilutions are my own and are tested and still used.

Champion RA4 Developer 1 Liter Mix

Water 900mL
Part A 25mL
Part B 20mL
Part C 50mL
---------------------------------------------------------
Russel Neocolor C-41 Developer 500 mL Mix

Water 460mL
Part A 34mL
Part B 4mL
Part C 6mL
----------------------------------------------------------
Champion RA4 Blix 1 Liter Mix

Water 675mL
Part A 150mL
Part B 190ml
---------------------------------------------------------
Kodak RA4 1 Liter Mix

Water 875mL
Part A 50mL
Part B 25mL
Part C 50mL
---------------------------------------------------------
Fuji-Hunt C41 Developer 1 Liter Mix
Do not exceed 2.5 minutes for 800+ iso film unless pushing. Excellent for increasing the effective ISO for night or high speed photography.

Water 950mL
Part A 57mL
Part B 14mL
Part C 14mL
------------------------------------------------------------
Russell RAP4 Developer 1 Liter Mix
Solid blacks and contrast like EP2 process
Water 900mL
Part A 50mL
Part B 20mL
Part C 50mL
--------------------------------------------------------------
Kodak RA4 Ektacolor Prime Blix 1 LIter Mix
For film and paper
Water 500mL
Part A 200mL
Part B 300mL
---------------------------------------------------------------
Champion SP VR RA4 Developer 1 Liter Mix
Single component developer
Water 880mL
Solution 120mL
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kodak Flexicolor C-41 Developer 1 Liter Mix

Water 924mL
Part A 60mL
Part B 8mL
Part C 8mL
---------------------------------------------------------------

 

[gsgary]

It seems that when people talk about film developing, it should be taken for granted that they are specifically refering to B&W film.

I've only done C-41 colour but it sounds pretty similar to B&W apart from temperature and chemicals. Is there any degree of cross-compatibillity between chemicals? No idea!

I intentionally left out the "BW" in the thread subject because I hoped someone would talk about C41 or E6.

The chems are different, although once I accidentally processed some C41 BW with the standard BW method and chems; it was bulk rolled, and I forgot to label it properly. The negs were thin, but printable.

Rodinal is great for B+W C41 my tried and tested is, Rodinal 1+25 20degs for 19 minutes 7 invertions every minute

XP2

Kodak T400CN

 

[gsgary]

Is there a good website for buying B&W chemicals from? Based in the uk.

Silverprint - Home - News - Photographic Materials and more -

http://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/Products/Chemicals

And RK on ebay

 

[timor]

Is there a good website for buying B&W chemicals from? Based in the uk.

Silverprint - Home - News - Photographic Materials and more -

http://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/Products/Chemicals

And RK on ebay

What's RK ?

 

[gsgary]

What's RK ?

A seller of Ro9 and other chemicals i will find a link

 

[gsgary]

What's RK ?

A seller of Ro9 and other chemicals i will find a link

RK RK Photographic Film Developers - Chemicals - Black and White - Traditional

 

[timor]

Thanks. Total lack of Kodak films, interesting.

 

[gsgary]

Thanks. Total lack of Kodak films, interesting.

Ive just ordered some speedibrew Resofine 2 bath

 

[gsgary]

Thanks. Total lack of Kodak films, interesting.

Ilford is much easier to get hold of not sure any of the camera shops near me stock Kodak B+W

 

[timor]

Is Kodak condemned already in GB ?

 

[gsgary]

Is Kodak condemned already in GB ?

Don't think so just don't see it in the shops much, plenty on ebay

 

[timor]

Is Kodak condemned already in GB ?

Don't think so just don't see it in the shops much, plenty on ebay

Silverprint has Kodak films. IDK what is going on, but Kodak is still almost half the price of Ilford in GB. Here (NA) Kodak prices rose to almost match Ilfords.
I never used Resofine as it is not available here. In any case to make two bath developer for classic grain films is not a brainer, only a box of 20 Mule Team Borax is needed. I am very curious how are you going to like Resofine, I heard opinions that it is soft on HP5, good for portraits.

 

[gsgary]

Is Kodak condemned already in GB ?

Don't think so just don't see it in the shops much, plenty on ebay

Silverprint has Kodak films. IDK what is going on, but Kodak is still almost half the price of Ilford in GB. Here (NA) Kodak prices rose to almost match Ilfords.
I never used Resofine as it is not available here. In any case to make two bath developer for classic grain films is not a brainer, only a box of 20 Mule Team Borax is needed. I am very curious how are you going to like Resofine, I heard opinions that it is soft on HP5, good for portraits.

Had an email from RK today all the Resofine has gone and there are no plans to make any more so it looks like i will have to try Ilfosol 3

 

[timor]

Had an email from RK today all the Resofine has gone and there are no plans to make any more so it looks like i will have to try Ilfosol 3

You are heading for disaster. D76 would be much, much better. Still it is not a 2 bath. Garry, I know, the money is always a factor but consider this: what you are doing is so called "fine photography", it is not commercial, it is for your pleasure and satisfaction you get from the quality of your creation. How much value will you place on that ? Very few people shooting 35 mm is doing 2-bath dev yet the idea is in use as long as Leica. Little history from another English photographer (whom I like very much):
2-bath developer « Darkroom User
I guess Barry Thornton you know well:
barrythornton.com
Silverprint has all needed bulk (or raw how they say) chemicals, mixing is as simple as it gets and the price is not that much.
However the whole idea of two bath could be extended further, with regular, ready to use developers like HC110, Tmax Dev or LC29 for that matter. All you need is just a regular, laundry grade borax or sodium metaborate in a case of tabular grain films. This way I concluded works even better, than classic two bath, as it is much easier to control contrast and density of the neg. as opposite to 2-bath which is an automatic development, no controls. Stoecler, Diafine and the others have tendency to be soft, the other method usually is razor sharp, easily competes with Beutler.

 

[ceeboy14]

I have re-read the thread. and I want to share with you some important tips.

Yes !!
use photo flo always and
yes use your fingers only to wipe the film

Photowipes ARE A MUST.. they have a million uses!

Color ? oh.. here.. http://majikimaje.com/eatsnow3.jpg http://majikimaje.com/dellafay.jpg

go to google C-41 too many changes siince 85 but same sorta




go to the drug stores in your area ask if they have empty brown bottles

that is how I always get a huge collection for free! Ask at hospitals also
they only throw them out! get em!

I never use Photo-Flo and consider it to be one of the worst menaces of B&W photography for students. Wash as you are set by the film's processing requirements then rinse for one minute in distilled water. You will get a much cleaner negative and will not need to "wipe" between your fingers or the ever so dreaded squegee to get off the excess liquid which for my students was the number one scratch making technique. Always discard the distilled water at the end of the rinse. I do like photo wipes but not on film.