Headin' to DC - I need to learn up on film

[KD5NRH]

Yeah, but there is so much more depth with true black and white film. I can tell the difference between my BW400CN prints and those printed from TMax. I notice a difference.

So why not spend less than $100 to get the chemistry and process it yourself? You can get a refurbished Epson scanner with film attachment for about $110 if they've still got them in stock that will do just fine for up to 8x10 prints from 35mm, and save the cost of printing in the darkroom.

 

[christopher walrath]

Not to mention that many hotel bathroom has been converted to a photographic darkroom for photographers on the road as to which I can well attest.

 

[Mike_E]

So, do you still have a press kit in your other bag? LOLOLOL


Wish I had $600!! Why are you selling your kit?

 

[Early]

I like Tri-X 400 specifically because of the grain.

I also push TMax 400 to 3200 instead of using a tripod at night because I like the way it looks

If you like grain, try mixing your own developer and substitute the sodium sulfite with potassium sulfite. That would give you lots and lots of grain.

 

[KD5NRH]

I've never tried Tri-X at 3200, might be interesting

I haven't got any of the photos uploaded yet, and this computer is way too slow to do much with them, but I'll try to remember to drop a few on flickr from home and link them here in the next couple of days. Working with the shadows, the push provided a great effect on the closeups.

 

[elemental]

Be careful with the T-Max or Tri-X. I shot a few rolls of Tri-X earlier this summer figuring it couldn't be that hard to get it developed, but I was wrong. In the rural area where I'm working, there's absolutely nowhere, and the only place that I can find to do it back home in the suburbs is charging about $15 a roll (24 exp) just to develop the negatives.

I have been shooting Kodak BW400CN and am happy with the results and (especially) the convenience. Once I am more settled come the end of August, I plan on getting my own setup, but until then it's just nt worth it. Moral is, if someone else is developing it, go C-41, or at least give it a try.

 

[KD5NRH]

Be careful with the T-Max or Tri-X. I shot a few rolls of Tri-X earlier this summer figuring it couldn't be that hard to get it developed, but I was wrong. In the rural area where I'm working, there's absolutely nowhere, and the only place that I can find to do it back home in the suburbs is charging about $15 a roll (24 exp) just to develop the negatives.

Just get the stuff from Adorama and do it at home; a 2-roll daylight tank, ID-11, Kodak stop bath, Ilford Rapid Fixer and Kodak Hypo cost less than $100 for enough to do a couple dozen rolls, lots more if you're willing to keep track of the usage on the developer and increase the time with each use, though with 3 stops or more of push, the times get long enough that it's worth it to just buy more developer. Restocking chemistry is pretty easy on the budget, since no two items seem to run out even close to the same time.

If you can work a thermometer and a kitchen timer, you can develop B&W film.

 

[Easy_Target]

I know you have to send the Kodachrome to Dwayne's, even if you take it to Walmart or whatever. But what's a good processing place for the T-Max? You guys think these 2 films would be good all-around for walking around town?

Thanks,
a new film-ite

Edit: what about a rangefinder?

The t-max you need to take to a lab, not a 1 hour photo. The one hour photos refuse to even look at it if it's not C41 unless they do regular processing, which is rare. At least in NYC it is.

 

[KD5NRH]

To clarify; here's what I'm working from at the moment, from Adorama. I just counted up the rolls and I've gone through 14, and will probably need more developer after another 5 or 6 unless I start reusing it -probably another dozen before I need more clearing agent, and I still have half the original bottle of fixer when my working solution finally gives up. A pint of stop bath will last a hobbyist a long time.

SKU: DKTPU $21.95
Universal daylight tank: 1 or 2 35mm rolls, or single 120/620 or 127

SKU: ILID115L $9.85
Ilford ID11 Developer, powder to make 5L, can be reused, but times can get long if you do.

SKU: KKTMXDG $10.25
Kodak T-Max developer, 1qt to make 1gal working solution, only necessary if you're using T-Max film, but it'll develop Tri-X - or pretty much anything else - just fine too.

SKU: KKISBP $5.69
Kodak indicator stop bath, 1pt, makes 8 gallons: mix up a half gallon and reuse until it changes color. You'll be using that pint for a long time.

SKU: ILRFL $8.95
Ilford Rapid Fixer, 1L, makes 5L working solution, can be reused quite a bit

SKU: KKHCA5G $5.09
Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent, Powder to make 5gal, don't think it can be reused, never cared 'cuz it's cheap

SKU: DKTDS $16.95
Thermometer, you can get away with a fishtank thermometer if you're scanning negs and don't mind a bit more work in post, but as long as you're ordering you might as well get something a bit better.

Then from Epson, go to their Clearance link and look around; I got the 4490Photo for $109 w/free shipping, and if they'd put it in a shiny box instead of the plain brown refurb box I'd have sworn it was brand new. It doesn't take long to pay for itself compared to having them scanned, and gives you some more options when dealing with commercially processed color film, since you can scan either from the prints or the negs.

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

I would probably go with the tmax 100 instead of the 400.I also like the Tri x film though its a classic.

 

[Easy_Target]

I just had another thought. If you're going to be in D.C for the entire fall, you could always just shoot till you have about maybe 2,3,4 dozen rolls of film saved up. There's the chinatown buses that you can take from D.C. to NYC. You drop off your film at a professional lab and then keep shooting for the rest of the day, then drop off that film as well. Although that would probably require coming back to NYC the following week to pick it up. (chinatown bus ranges from $25 to $45 round trip) That's if you can't find a lab in the D.C. area that'll process your film.

I personally use t-max 100. It's great for outdoor shots in the sun, super crisp when blowing up to 11x14. Can't say much for kodachrome as I've never used it.

 

[elemental]

Just get the stuff from Adorama and do it at home; a 2-roll daylight tank, ID-11, Kodak stop bath, Ilford Rapid Fixer and Kodak Hypo cost less than $100 for enough to do a couple dozen rolls, lots more if you're willing to keep track of the usage on the developer and increase the time with each use, though with 3 stops or more of push, the times get long enough that it's worth it to just buy more developer. Restocking chemistry is pretty easy on the budget, since no two items seem to run out even close to the same time.

If you can work a thermometer and a kitchen timer, you can develop B&W film.

I can't wait for the logistical ability to do that. Trust me, my current living situation won't allow it, but come September. . . .

Thanks also for the list of chemicals and things. I'll definitely be looking into that.

 

[KD5NRH]

I can't wait for the logistical ability to do that. Trust me, my current living situation won't allow it, but come September. . . .

Can you get into a dark area for ~5 minutes? I load the tank sitting on the bathroom floor. Everything else happens in a plastic tub in the kitchen sink with the lights on, and I dry and cut the negs in the living room by the computer.

I've heard from others who use the single 35mm tank, and prep all their chemistry in one session by mixing up single-roll lots in soda bottles, then putting the bottles in 6-pack holders in order of use; a holder will have a bottle of developer, stop bath, fixer, and clearing agent, along with a couple of water rinse bottles. They can then do the actual developing in a space even smaller than I use.

If you want lots of grain, you could even do in-canister processing with a monobath, but I wouldn't risk vacation photos on what amounts to a gimmick process.

I can't wait until we get moved to a house where I'll have room for an actual darkroom with an enlarger, but in the meantime, my inkjet prints look every bit as good as the 1-hour places can manage.

See http://www.apug.org for more ideas. The forums there are full of experimenters.