Darkroom at home

[vimwiz]

Can anyone reccomend me (Amazon UK or similar sites) what I need for developing B&W at home? I got a book but i just would like some pointers about chemicals, beakers, tanks etc (AP or Paterson?) and how to do teh fiddly bits like the spool and the spiral.

Also, is doing it in a bathroom practical?

Its just that spending £9 a time getting a roll of XP2 developed (badly) at the local photo lab is becoming a tad expensive, so im looking into developing and scanning at home.

 

[Rick58]

as a bare minimum for developing negatives you'll need a:
daylight tank
thermometer
Clock with a second hand
beaker or glass measuring cup
Chemicals include:
Developer
Stop bath
Fixer
Wash aid (while not necessary, definitely beneficial)
Plastic clothes pins or film clips for hanging the film to dry

 

[Josh66]

^^^ Add a changing bag and you're set. You can get by without one, but makes it more convenient. Without one, you have to load the film into the tank in a totally dark room.

Don't forget containers to put the chemicals in. Brown glass is best, but not totally necessary...

The bathroom is actually one of the better rooms to develop film in - the humidity from the shower tends to keep dust levels to a minimum.

I like Paterson tanks, but they're all I've used - so that doesn't really mean much, lol!

As far as measuring vessels, I prefer graduated cylinders, but you can get away with other things. The problem with most beakers is that they usually only have graduations in 25-50mL increments. Depending on which developers you're going to use, that may be fine.

For something like Rodinal or HC-110, you're going to want something like a 10-50mL graduated cylinder with markings in 1mL increments though.

I'd say a 50, 500, and 1000mL graduated cylinder should cover everything nicely.

 

[timor]

Just for developing films you don't need fully fledged darkroom. If you can find a way to blacken out any small room, that would be sufficient. You will need it for 2 minutes to put the film in the developing tank and the rest by kitchen or laundry sink with lights on.
Have 3-4 feet of old film to exercise feeding the film into spool, first looking, then not looking, then in the dark before the "real thing".
Check your thermometer if shows the temperature properly, if it is off by 2 degree you might get bad results with first couple of rolls as under or over development. Don't get dismay with that, everyone needs to fine tune the process individually. That's why manufacturer info or "massive chart" is only a starting point. Off course you may get lucky right at the first time.
Look in your place for a spot with the least amount of dust in the air and air movement, that will be your place to hang your film for drying.
In sum there is a lot of variables in film development. You gonna have to work out all of them to your best advantage. Ask questions and in solving your particular problems take advantage of community massive experience. Eventually everything will work for you.
Good luck.

 

[limr]

I like the Paterson tanks too. The plastic reels are supposedly a LOT easier to deal with than the steel reels. And as Josh said, get a changing bag.

I use my phone for a timer - download a timer/stopwatch app for the second timer and you're set.

Bathroom is great for developing and drying negs. Better for less dust when drying negs.

Can't speak too much as to chemicals since I use Caffenol (homemade developer based on instant coffee). The thing I'll say is that you might want to hold onto some old milk or bleach jugs to store used developer if you are on a private septic system, at the very least for the fixer. The silver that ends up in the used fixer can screw up a septic system.

Oh and you might want to get some distilled water to use for at least the final rinses.

 

[Rick58]

Good advice here, except for the changing bag. <JK> I personally REALLY hate those things. Find a closet throw a towel under the door and you and your film are inside a large changing bag. I also like the plastic reels. I have several Nikon tanks and stainless reels but never really liked them. I've always found ratcheting the film onto the plastic reels very simple.

 

[Josh66]

Changing bags can SUCK on humid days... And the longer it takes to get the film onto the reel, the worse it gets.

Still easier than sealing off a room for me though...

I've never had a problem with the plastic reels, but like I said - that's all I've ever used. As long as they're dry, they work fine. Plus, you can use the same reel for 120 or 35mm, which is handy.

 

[vimwiz]

Sigh. I had typed a long reply and then the brower crashed

Anyway, im thinking of getting this kit, and these chemicals, total, under £100 inc VAT and delivery. Is that ok (Ill be shooting HP5+) ?

https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/859/ap-darkroom-film-kit

https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/479/ilford-ilfotec-lc29-film-developer-500ml - Is ILFOTEC DD&#8211;X better?
https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/509/ilford-ilfostop-stop-bath-500-ml
https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/506/ilford-rapid-fixer-500-ml
https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/481/ilford-ilfotol-wetting-agent-liquid-1-litre

my bathroom doesnt have a window, so im thinking of forgoing a changing bag.

 

[timor]

Good advice here, except for the changing bag. <JK> I personally REALLY hate those things. Find a closet throw a towel under the door and you and your film are inside a large changing bag. I also like the plastic reels. I have several Nikon tanks and stainless reels but never really liked them. I've always found ratcheting the film onto the plastic reels very simple.

Can't agree more with that. Changing bag was invented for work in field and in essential it is a scaled down tent used by wet plate photographers century and a half ago. OMG photography is that old !

 

[timor]

Sigh. I had typed a long reply and then the brower crashed

Anyway, im thinking of getting this kit, and these chemicals, total, under £100 inc VAT and delivery. Is that ok (Ill be shooting HP5+) ?

https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/859/ap-darkroom-film-kit

https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/479/ilford-ilfotec-lc29-film-developer-500ml - Is ILFOTEC DD&#8211;X better?
https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/509/ilford-ilfostop-stop-bath-500-ml
https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/506/ilford-rapid-fixer-500-ml
https://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/481/ilford-ilfotol-wetting-agent-liquid-1-litre

my bathroom doesnt have a window, so im thinking of forgoing a changing bag.

#1 Good
#2 not sure about it maybe ID11 would be better for starters. With LC29 you need the capacity to measure 10ml
#3 use just white vinegar and save
#4 Good
#5 use a few drops of dishwashing detergent and save (very expensive this item)

What film are you planning to shoot ?

 

[timor]

HA ! I see film you will shoot !
Firstcall 400S 135-36, ISO 400
And you have my envy. AGFA is simply not available in North America.

 

[Josh66]

Anyway, im thinking of getting this kit, and these chemicals, total, under £100 inc VAT and delivery. Is that ok (Ill be shooting HP5+) ?

Should be a good start. I have never used LC29 or DD-X. From what I have read, DD-X is the Ilford equivalent of Kodak's Xtol, which I have used a lot of. Good, fine grain developer, no loss of speed, good for pushing.


You'll be fine without a changing bag as long as you have a room you can make light-tight. Loading the film onto the reel and into the tank is the only part that has to be done in the dark.

You will need a larger graduated cylinder for mixing the chemicals (1L should be fine) - that 300mL one will be enough to cover one roll (35mm). You'll mix the chemicals per the directions, then the developer will usually have to be diluted again right before use.

Stop bath and fixer you'll want to reuse. Dump it back in the bottle instead of down the drain. Most developers, you'll mix what you need from the concentrated solution, then dump it after use. Some developers are meant to be reused though. Just read the directions and you'll be fine.


If a 1L kit says it will develop 20 rolls (or whatever), then you're going to reuse it.

 

[Josh66]

#2 not sure about it maybe ID11 would be better for starters. With LC29 you need the capacity to measure 10ml

I really like ID-11. Good stuff. I haven't used many Ilford developers though. Pretty much just ID-11, actually (I think). I think I read somewhere that ID-11 was the same thing as Kodak D-76. I may be wrong though...

 

[Josh66]

About changing bags... Just one more thought. It's still a good idea to at least have one, just in case. Some film (like IR film) must be loaded and unloaded from the camera in darkness, I've found Rollei Retro 400S to be prone to "light piping" if not loaded and unloaded in the dark... It's just good to have one for emergencies... You don't have to get one right away, but it's still a good idea to have it.

 

[limr]

About changing bags... Just one more thought. It's still a good idea to at least have one, just in case. Some film (like IR film) must be loaded and unloaded from the camera in darkness, I've found Rollei Retro 400S to be prone to "light piping" if not loaded and unloaded in the dark... It's just good to have one for emergencies... You don't have to get one right away, but it's still a good idea to have it.

I agree. They can be a pain in the arse, but sometimes it's more convenient than sealing up a room, and sometimes you just want that extra assurance that you really are working in darkness.