dchalfon Posted October 2, 2010 Share #1 Posted October 2, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) i wonder how many prefer to process bw film at home rather than going to a lab... any ideas? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 2, 2010 Posted October 2, 2010 Hi dchalfon, Take a look here process at home?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted October 2, 2010 Share #2 Posted October 2, 2010 It's so easy and cheap, why would anyone choose to send it away? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maurometallo Posted October 2, 2010 Share #3 Posted October 2, 2010 Count me in... I shoot only b/W and I have always processed it myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digbyhp Posted October 2, 2010 Share #4 Posted October 2, 2010 It's no harder than cooking the evening meal, and lasts a lot longer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted October 2, 2010 Share #5 Posted October 2, 2010 As said earlier, it's so easy that I don't see any point in sending b&w film to a lab. No need for a darkroom, just a changing bag and some inexpensive bits and pieces. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeplanter Posted October 2, 2010 Share #6 Posted October 2, 2010 I've been processing B&W at home since 1973. Can't see why I'd ever have a lab do it. Jim B. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted October 2, 2010 Share #7 Posted October 2, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) The other thing to mention, is that few things in life are better than opening the tank and unwinding a strip of wet negatives from the reel. While they are wet they look gorgeous - even if they later prove to be disappointing snaps. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeplanter Posted October 3, 2010 Share #8 Posted October 3, 2010 The other thing to mention, is that few things in life are better than opening the tank and unwinding a strip of wet negatives from the reel. While they are wet they look gorgeous - even if they later prove to be disappointing snaps. Excellent point. After 37 years of processing my own B&W film, I still get a thrill whenever I open up the tank and pull out the negs. Jim B. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted October 3, 2010 Share #9 Posted October 3, 2010 I process my own, as Steve says it's very easy to do as well as being satisfying. You can process a film in much less time than it would take to pack and post it or drive to the nearest lab! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxspbr Posted October 3, 2010 Share #10 Posted October 3, 2010 Probably most of BW work is developed at homes. Easy, cheap, funny. Ever a child can do this easily. I started with this at age 9 years old. I would do the same with slides, but is impossible to find here the chemicals, ever the kits of prepared baths. I only use labs when I want 1-hour colour deveopment; that's good to test a camera, a lens, etc. Martin Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted October 3, 2010 Share #11 Posted October 3, 2010 (edited) Permit me to suggest a two-bath developer that makes processing a little easier, and has some extra qualities - it is moderately staining so that highlight textures are more easily retained. It is temperature tolerant and also permits processing different films in the same bath at the same time. It works by a completion process. Barry Thornton's Dixatol. And the source is The Photographers' Formulary. Edited October 3, 2010 by pico Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted October 3, 2010 Share #12 Posted October 3, 2010 only home cooking for me.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxspbr Posted October 3, 2010 Share #13 Posted October 3, 2010 Permit me to suggest a two-bath developer that makes processing a little easier, and has some extra qualities - it is moderately staining so that highlight textures are more easily retained. It is temperature tolerant and also permits processing different films in the same bath at the same time. It works by a completion process. Barry Thornton's Dixatol. And the source is The Photographers' Formulary. two-bath developers are wonderful! I'm using these for years. Take a little more trouble, of course - usually the second bath you will throw away after. I used the fine-grain DK-20 in two baths (version with borax) for a long time (and never had any trouble using high-speed films). By now I'm using an old formula with sodium bicarbonate as alkali. Takes a lot more time, but the results are very good. Martin Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur Posted October 7, 2010 Share #14 Posted October 7, 2010 (edited) Count me in too, for exclusive home developing and printing. Regards Charles Edited October 7, 2010 by Bateleur Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. borger Posted October 7, 2010 Share #15 Posted October 7, 2010 Home exclusively, although there are numerous labs close to my home. It takes more time to get the car out the garage to drive to a lab. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMHOTEP PHOTOGRAPHY Posted October 7, 2010 Share #16 Posted October 7, 2010 I also do not give my Films away. I photograph, so I want to develop and scan/print the Films on my own as well. I'm using a Jobo Processor for C-41 and B/W. But B/W also works in a darkened Bathroom very well. Just do it ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted October 7, 2010 Share #17 Posted October 7, 2010 (edited) No one is mentioning that at home it is going to be better quality, if you are careful no abrasions, water marks or dust, & as others have said more fun than television... Probably a lot cheaper and quicker too. If you are processing 120 film you probably need a dark room s the 120 base is much more flexible and more prone to damage, but a dry dark room is easy to make out of any built in cupboard. If you shoot C41 mono then the home C41 process is also easy but probably not as convenient if you still have a local mini lab, the mini lab wont be as careful as you are... You can do C41 color if you want. A simple magnifier, light box or flat bed scanner allows a proof of the negative. There is the choice of a bubble jet styme printer or an enlarger and wet printing. Nowadays enlargers are really cheap as people moved to digital. They are give away items in camera clubs. If you are poor you can get bulk cine off cuts cheap, but more difficult than local chemist green or yellow boxes, and there is a cult of this on the forum. Occasionally speedtrap film is available... The other members of the household discover the fridge has no food in it... The cine is nice - beautiful cinema noir effects, the speed trap horrible. Noel Edited October 7, 2010 by Xmas spelling Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucklik Posted October 7, 2010 Share #18 Posted October 7, 2010 I proces all my b/w and C-41. C-41 is easier than it looks. I develop it with the Tetenal kit at 30C. I have a watertank with thermostat to keep the chamicals at the right temperature. The quality is better compared to the minilabs I tried before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted October 7, 2010 Share #19 Posted October 7, 2010 I usually do silver B&W at home and send C41 and E6 away. Lately I've been refurbishing the bathrooms and haven't had a place to do development so I have used a pro lab for regular B&W too. A real hassle, but the alternative is no film at all. Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted October 7, 2010 Share #20 Posted October 7, 2010 Dust was my major problem until I restored a Senrac dryer. With the new HEPA filter material in two layers, the problem has been solved. Happy days! For sheet film I am considering something similar, hand-made with a small home air cleaner. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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