If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
Hi Folks,
I am nearly ready for a first attempt at processing my own black and white film. I have been shooting using Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 for the last few months, and although I have processed my own film in the lab at college, I haven't done it at home using my own equipment. So far I have the following kit: 1 x Darkroom changing bag 1 x Patterson System 4 Universal Developing Tank, inc Spiral Reel. 3 x Bellowed Chemical Storage Tanks 3 x Measuring Cylinders 1 x Darkroom Timer 1 x Thermometer 1 x Squeegee 2 x Negative hanging clips Other than chemicals, filtered water and photo-flow, can anyone spot anything I have missed off of my shopping list? I know I need to warm the chemicals before use but I am a bit confused as to how I do this! Do I place the chemical storage tanks on a heat tray set to the correct temperature, or do I place a stay of water on a heat tray and place the chemicals in that? Is there any special kit you can buy that will heat your equipment, or would a 35U developing tank and a tropical fish heater work? Do I need to keep the developing tank at the correct temperature during developing too, or will the stored heat in the chemicals be sufficient for the process? Finally, can someone recommend some "brand" chemicals that are good for a beginner? Thanks, Andrew McCall -- Web: http://www.h2o.demon.co.uk/ |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
You could well to read this.....
http://www.ilford.com/html/us_englis...20Hobbyist.PDF Settle into a temperature (generally 68 or 70F) that is easy to maintain with a tempering tub. A simple rubbermaid type wash tub is enough. My basement darkroom tends to stay within a degree or 2 of the same so I've settled into an ambient temperature that requires very little tempering. I've had poor luck with the accordian bottles (early oxidation) but many people do quite fine. Don't panic while in process! It's really quite forgiving and you'll soon be doing it in a repeatable sort of routine. Consider a wetting agent (Agapon, Photo-flo, etc) in your final wash soak (very, very dilute...perhaps 1 drop per 250ml) and you'll struggle with streaking a lot less). Use some sort of weight on the bottom of the hanging negatives and you'll fight curling a lot less. I use old 4X5 hanger weights but even clothes pins would do for 35mm film. Practice with your Paterson tank.... I've struggled with them and do better with stainless reals but that's just a personal quirk. Let us know how you do! On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 18:03:49 +0100, Andrew McCall wrote: Hi Folks, I am nearly ready for a first attempt at processing my own black and white film. I have been shooting using Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 for the last few months, and although I have processed my own film in the lab at college, I haven't done it at home using my own equipment. So far I have the following kit: 1 x Darkroom changing bag 1 x Patterson System 4 Universal Developing Tank, inc Spiral Reel. 3 x Bellowed Chemical Storage Tanks 3 x Measuring Cylinders 1 x Darkroom Timer 1 x Thermometer 1 x Squeegee 2 x Negative hanging clips Other than chemicals, filtered water and photo-flow, can anyone spot anything I have missed off of my shopping list? I know I need to warm the chemicals before use but I am a bit confused as to how I do this! Do I place the chemical storage tanks on a heat tray set to the correct temperature, or do I place a stay of water on a heat tray and place the chemicals in that? Is there any special kit you can buy that will heat your equipment, or would a 35U developing tank and a tropical fish heater work? Do I need to keep the developing tank at the correct temperature during developing too, or will the stored heat in the chemicals be sufficient for the process? Finally, can someone recommend some "brand" chemicals that are good for a beginner? Thanks, Andrew McCall |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 13:17:27 -0500, Craig Schroeder
wrote: [---] I've had poor luck with the accordian bottles (early oxidation) Likewise. The folds are very difficult to clean, and when compressed, a negative pressure exists which will encourage air to permeate the plastic - I find even old glass fruit-juice bottles to be better than those accordion containers. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
On 6/12/2004 10:03 AM Andrew McCall spake thus:
I am nearly ready for a first attempt at processing my own black and white film. I have been shooting using Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 for the last few months, and although I have processed my own film in the lab at college, I haven't done it at home using my own equipment. So far I have the following kit: 1 x Darkroom changing bag 1 x Patterson System 4 Universal Developing Tank, inc Spiral Reel. 3 x Bellowed Chemical Storage Tanks 3 x Measuring Cylinders 1 x Darkroom Timer 1 x Thermometer 1 x Squeegee ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Whoa, stop right the I suggest before you do anything that you throw this last item away. Don't even think about selling or giving it to anybody--they'll just scratch *their* negatives with it! Just Photo-Flo (or equivalent), hang and dry. -- Civilization is just a temporary failure of entropy. - Christine Nelson |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
I know I need to warm the chemicals before use but I am a bit confused
as to how I do this! Do I place the chemical storage tanks on a heat tray set to the correct temperature, or do I place a stay of water on a heat tray and place the chemicals in that? Is there any special kit you can buy that will heat your equipment, or would a 35U developing tank and a tropical fish heater work? Here's instructions for rolling your own tempering tray: http://sddunnam.home.comcast.net/tempering_tray.htm That's a fancy solution. All I do is dispense the chemicals into a measuring vessel and then submerge the vessel in a second, larger vessel of hot water. I keep the thermometer in the chemical and stir it from time to time. It doesn't take more than about minute for one roll's worth (240 ml) of chemicals to get to 75 deg. F. I make all the fluids exactly the same temperature. After you've stopped and begun fixing, it wouldn't be a bad idea to measure the temperature of your developer (hence pour it out into the vessel) to determine if there's been any drift in the course of processing. If so, you might want to consider a 1 minute pre-soak in tempered water to warm up the film and the real, etc. This time of year, btw, I find myself using ice water to _lower_ the temperature. Finally, can someone recommend some "brand" chemicals that are good for a beginner? My dad taught me to use D-76, which you mix from a powder. This is the gold standard of developers in the sense that all films are optimized to work well with it, and it is said to give the best balance of grain and accutance. The downside to it is that it deterioriates relatively rapidly. If memory serves, the mixture lasts 6 months in a stoppered bottle. That's why, in act of rebellion against parental authority (at the age of 40 finally), I now use HC-110. It may be a bit granier than D-76, but it lasts forever and is reputed to be relatively environmentally friendly at working dilution. I mix it direct from stock as I use it and use it on a one-shot basis. Another advantage is that it comes as a liquid so you don't have to mix from the powder (which I wouldn't do if I weren't wearing a respirator by the way). Depending on how deeply you want to go into this, you might want to look at the Film Developing Cookbook by Anchell and Trop. It tells you more than you may ever want to know about developers. If like me you're sensitive to the acidic smell of stop batch and fixer, you might want to consider using an Alkaline fixer (search the archives of this newsgroup and you'll find lots of discussion) and a citric acid stop bath (see here for discussion: http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...c0%404ax.co m). Oh, one more thing: Adoroma is one of the cheapest places on the web to buy chemicals and, unlike B & H, they will ship liquid chemical (only by UPS ground of course). (I buy all chemicals in liquid form because I'm paranoid about inhaling chemical dusts.) Best of luck. --Phil |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
It's photo-flo.I usually process B/W films at room temperature whatever it
is.Colour usually in summer, when I have free hot water from the sun collector. -- Dimitris Tzortzakakis,Iraklion Crete,Greece Analogue technology rules-digital sucks http://www.patriko-kreta.com dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr the return adress is corrupted Warning:all offending emails will be deleted, and the offender/spammer will be put on my personal "black list". ? "Andrew McCall" ?????? ??? ?????? ... Hi Folks, I am nearly ready for a first attempt at processing my own black and white film. I have been shooting using Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 for the last few months, and although I have processed my own film in the lab at college, I haven't done it at home using my own equipment. So far I have the following kit: 1 x Darkroom changing bag 1 x Patterson System 4 Universal Developing Tank, inc Spiral Reel. 3 x Bellowed Chemical Storage Tanks 3 x Measuring Cylinders 1 x Darkroom Timer 1 x Thermometer 1 x Squeegee 2 x Negative hanging clips Other than chemicals, filtered water and photo-flow, can anyone spot anything I have missed off of my shopping list? Yes, the enthusiasm. I know I need to warm the chemicals before use but I am a bit confused as to how I do this! Do I place the chemical storage tanks on a heat tray set to the correct temperature, or do I place a stay of water on a heat tray and place the chemicals in that? None is needed for B/W.The process is *very* forgiving. Is there any special kit you can buy that will heat your equipment, or would a 35U developing tank and a tropical fish heater work? Yes, there is but I wouldn't suggest it even for Siberia. Do I need to keep the developing tank at the correct temperature during developing too, or will the stored heat in the chemicals be sufficient for the process? The stored heat will do. Finally, can someone recommend some "brand" chemicals that are good for a beginner? Agfa rodinal special, ilfostop and agfa rapid fixer (all in liquid concentrates) Thanks, Andrew McCall -- Web: http://www.h2o.demon.co.uk/ |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
IMPORTANT!! Throw the damn squeegee away, immediately. You heard me, get
up from your chair, right now, run--do not walk--to the darkroom, grab that Devil's Tool and throw it in the nearest garbage can. You'll thank me later. Some will also say that the bellows bottles promote developer oxidation, I wouldn't know. I never buy bottles but reuse the bottles my stock solutions come in. I also use 750ml soy sauce bottles for paper developer storage--my family is addicted to soy sauce so I have a large number of very nice glass bottles for developer storage. You need some sort of timer, you can use a cassette recorder, and record a tape using your watch to time your processing cycles. Much easier than trying to watch the watch while souping the soup. Kodak actually made tapes at one time. Or if you have a Palm Pilot there's a pretty spiffy darkroom timer program available called Foto Timer by Jan Exner. http://www.jan-exner.de/software/fototimer.html -- darkroommike ---------- "Andrew McCall" wrote in message ... Hi Folks, I am nearly ready for a first attempt at processing my own black and white film. I have been shooting using Ilford HP5+ ISO 400 for the last few months, and although I have processed my own film in the lab at college, I haven't done it at home using my own equipment. So far I have the following kit: 1 x Darkroom changing bag 1 x Patterson System 4 Universal Developing Tank, inc Spiral Reel. 3 x Bellowed Chemical Storage Tanks 3 x Measuring Cylinders 1 x Darkroom Timer 1 x Thermometer 1 x Squeegee 2 x Negative hanging clips Other than chemicals, filtered water and photo-flow, can anyone spot anything I have missed off of my shopping list? I know I need to warm the chemicals before use but I am a bit confused as to how I do this! Do I place the chemical storage tanks on a heat tray set to the correct temperature, or do I place a stay of water on a heat tray and place the chemicals in that? Is there any special kit you can buy that will heat your equipment, or would a 35U developing tank and a tropical fish heater work? Do I need to keep the developing tank at the correct temperature during developing too, or will the stored heat in the chemicals be sufficient for the process? Finally, can someone recommend some "brand" chemicals that are good for a beginner? Thanks, Andrew McCall -- Web: http://www.h2o.demon.co.uk/ |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
Mike King wrote:
IMPORTANT!! Throw the damn squeegee away, immediately. You heard me, get up from your chair, right now, run--do not walk--to the darkroom, grab that Devil's Tool and throw it in the nearest garbage can. You'll thank me later. Nah hide the thing. I use one for drying test prints. The thing damages the paper but who cares it's just a test. Nick |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 09:27:46 -0500, "Mike King"
wrote: IMPORTANT!! Throw the damn squeegee away, immediately. You heard me, get up from your chair, right now, run--do not walk--to the darkroom, grab that Devil's Tool and throw it in the nearest garbage can. You'll thank me later. jun134 from Lloyd Erlick, Add distilled water to the list! I certainly agree about the squeegee. But don't throw it away - it is a really useful sink cleaning tool. Good for windows, too. Unless it's one of those clamp-like squeegees made for negatives. I haven't found a use for those, unless it's to inspire lame darkroom humour. I don't feel right involving a beginner in the controversies of the darkroom, at least not without saying ... I'm a bit of a weirdo concerning certain darkroom practices. The old standbys of wetting agent and squeegee have lost their berths in my darkroom (along with tongs, gloves, drying screens, and on and on). Here's what I do: Once my negatives are hung to dry in a dust free place, in which they will remain undisturbed until they dry, I squirt distilled water down both sides of each strip and walk away. This will not scratch a wet negative, but the squeegee is a false friend that will scratch the most important frame of your life. Wetting agent is used to cause the water to 'bead' to a lesser exent; the water will 'sheet' off the film as it hangs. Beads of (municipal) water clinging to the film can contain quite a bit of dissolved material and hence leave noticeable white 'water spots'. Distilled water sidesteps this annoying problem. Sometimes a bead of water can cause the gelatin layer on the film to dry in a physically, mechanically, distorted way. I haven't seen this happen since I was a teenager, and even then it could have been due to my rather complete lack of care. Current production, normal, everyday films are manufactured to a much greater 'hardness' than in the past (often made to be machine processed at 100F) and they often contain a wetting agent in any case. I don't even have a bottle of wetting agent any more. If you're at the beginning, you may as well try things all possible ways and find out which methods work for you. I've winnowed down the clutter of gear I need to produce the prints I want, but unfortunately I've still had to pay for and store all that stuff over the years until I figured it out. Taking my sage advice while I pull my beard would save one money, but I doubt it's going to happen. Everyone learns by scratching a few negs... regards, --le ________________________________ Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto. voice: 416-686-0326 email: net: www.heylloyd.com ________________________________ |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Nearly ready for first B&W processing!
On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 09:52:12 -0500, Nick Zentena
wrote: Mike King wrote: IMPORTANT!! Throw the damn squeegee away, immediately. You heard me, get up from your chair, right now, run--do not walk--to the darkroom, grab that Devil's Tool and throw it in the nearest garbage can. You'll thank me later. Nah hide the thing. I use one for drying test prints. The thing damages the paper but who cares it's just a test. Nick jun1304 from Lloyd Erlick, See how useful squeegees are? Really, I don't know how the poor things can be expected to put up with people like me... and they're certainly cheaper than a microwave oven for drying test prints! regards, --le ________________________________ Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto. voice: 416-686-0326 email: net: www.heylloyd.com ________________________________ |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|