Loving 35mm film photography. Hating developing costs. Time to develop my own?

[birket]

I'm really enjoying using my Canon t90 camera and I have also just received a Minox 35 ML camera to have a mess around with. I also have a little wooden pinhole camera knocking around somewhere - beautiful little thing.

The problem is the developing costs. We have a snappy snaps on the high street which many years ago was always considered to be one of the better high street labs. I recently took a 36exp 35mm (granted, it was colour) film for processing, printing to 6x4 and scanning to CD and it cost me about £13. I think B&W is likely to be more expensive as they probably send it away. I am therefore on the verge of having a dabble at developing my own B&W film. I have the computer/scanning equipment and know how, so I just need the negs.

I guess I'm looking at a recommendation for an inexpensive kit to get me going. If I am correct, I'll need a changing bag, a developing tank, chemicals and a thermometer. As far as measuring jugs are concerned, well I am guessing I can use our kitchen weighing scales and set them to measure ml instead of g.

What do you think I should be spending to get me going? Is £50 enough? I'm having a general Google search, but most of the bags I am seeing start at around £25-30! I'll probably keep my eye on ebay too.

 

[gsgary]

£50 is plenty you can get cheap jugs in Wilkinsons look on ebay for developing tanks they go cheap i got one for £4 as a spare (got 6 in total) do a search for RK for developer Rodinal is cheap and very good, bags are about £14 on ebay

 

[Josh66]

I guess I'm looking at a recommendation for an inexpensive kit to get me going. If I am correct, I'll need a changing bag, a developing tank, chemicals and a thermometer. As far as measuring jugs are concerned, well I am guessing I can use our kitchen weighing scales and set them to measure ml instead of g.

That's not going to work. Grams are a weight, milliliters are a volume. You need a graduated cylinder or two. Depending on the developer you're going to use, measuring cups from your kitchen may be good enough. If you're going to need to measure out very small quantities, like 5mL, that might not work though. Although - I believe that 1 teaspoon is 5mL. Not sure, maybe half a teaspoon. Anyway, I know I have a spoon of some size that is 5mL...

Don't forget containers to store the mixed chemicals in. Brown glass is best.


edit
1 tsp = 5mL
1 tbsp = 15mL
1 cup = 240mL

Assuming you have fractional sizes of those too (a 1/2 tsp or 1/2 tbsp) you should be able to come up with a combination that will get you pretty much anything you need.

A graduated cylinder makes it much easier though, lol.

 

[Gavjenks]

um don't use measuring cups from the kitchen if you aren't going to buy new measuring cups for the kitchen afterward.

You shouldn't even be mixing the same TYPE of vessel for food and chemicals, lest they be confused (e.g. water bottles), much less the same literal vessels! That's a great way to go blind / give yourself cancer, right there.

If you must use cups for both, at least put a big honking piece of duct tape or something on the handle of each chemical one.



Also @OP, you do know you don't HAVE to pay labs for prints and CDs right? Just the developing alone is probably like 3-4 pounds. That is the price you have to make worthwhile to avoid by developing yourself. NOT the price of dev + prints + scans

 

[Josh66]

um don't use measuring cups from the kitchen if you aren't going to buy new measuring cups for the kitchen afterward.

Haha - of course - that could be bad. Just trying to throw some low budget ideas out there.

 

[terri]

um don't use measuring cups from the kitchen if you aren't going to buy new measuring cups for the kitchen afterward.

Haha - of course - that could be bad. Just trying to throw some low budget ideas out there.

That's how I took it. Expensive "darkroom chemistry" items can boil down to kitchen-grade measuring cups, spoons, etc. Just leave them in the darkroom or closet with the rest of your photography stuff. For enlarging prints, I've heard of people buying kitty litter bins for trays. Cheap and effective.

 

[gsgary]

Rodinal and salt on chips is lovely