earleygallery Posted March 8, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've been processing a film every other night lately, just done another (roll of 127 bought whilst out this afternoon and run through my 'new' baby Rollei). It's such a sensory experience, the smell of the chemicals, agitating the tank, getting the temperature (about) right, getting your hands dirty (I mean wet). What's not to love about it! The best part is not being able to wait, pulling the negs out of the fixer to see if you've got anything, it's still magical. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 8, 2011 Posted March 8, 2011 Hi earleygallery, Take a look here That chemical smell!. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pico Posted March 8, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 8, 2011 James, I wonder if you would like the smell of an all-alkiline process. Tried it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 8, 2011 Share #3 Posted March 8, 2011 The smells and magic for me, in my former darkroom years, related to the print process. I found film development purely mechanical, but sloshing the papers in the trays and watching the print come up was the very special part. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted March 8, 2011 Don't think I've tried alkaline process..... Yes, seeing a print emerge under the red glow of a safelight is something else. Although, mad as it may seem, I get a little of that same pleasure seeing a print emerging from the inkjet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 9, 2011 Share #5 Posted March 9, 2011 I never got much red glow from one of these. Magical just the same. Still can't figure out how I get several hundred pictures on that little card inside my camera now. Different kind of magic. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 9, 2011 Share #6 Posted March 9, 2011 That is the magical stuff James. I've been having the same experience lately my self. About to start souping 120 film in addition to 135, haven't done that since the early 80s. Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
too old to care Posted March 9, 2011 Share #7 Posted March 9, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I do my processing in the kitchen. I cannot tell what is better, the smell of fixer, or pizza in the oven. My wife does not share my senses though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nafpie Posted March 9, 2011 Share #8 Posted March 9, 2011 the smell of the chemicals To be honest: I prefer the smell of a cup of coffee, during 'developing' the DNG files of my Leica M9. Stefan, who develops B/W-AgX films by himself, too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 9, 2011 Share #9 Posted March 9, 2011 Coffee I love to drink and like to use as a developing agent. Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
too old to care Posted March 9, 2011 Share #10 Posted March 9, 2011 To be honest: I prefer the smell of a cup of coffee, during 'developing' the DNG files of my Leica M9. Stefan, who develops B/W-AgX films by himself, too To each his own. However, today I sold my 5D2 plus my L-series and Zeiss lenses. Now, buy a M9, or more film and chemicals? I think I could be happy with a M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 9, 2011 Share #11 Posted March 9, 2011 My eczema is not bad enough to consider an M9... need to wear rubber gloves though. Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
too old to care Posted March 10, 2011 Share #12 Posted March 10, 2011 My eczema is not bad enough to consider an M9... need to wear rubber gloves though. Noel One question though, with my M6 I am having trouble with the negatives curling. With the M9, do the DNG's curl as bad? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 10, 2011 Share #13 Posted March 10, 2011 One question though, with my M6 I am having trouble with the negatives curling. With the M9, do the DNG's curl as bad? Hi Tri-x? Noel P.S. the rubber gloves keeps the ointment off the film as well... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
too old to care Posted March 10, 2011 Share #14 Posted March 10, 2011 Noel, my response was meant as a joke (DNG's) but yes, my Tri-X developed in D76 do curl a lot. I do not remember this problem from years ago. My Plus-X also curls, but not as much. I dry them in the basement which is not exactly dry in St. Louis, and it helps. But, hard to scan and get good results. In the next few weeks I am going to drag out my darkroom stuff and print some 2 1/4s. I have not developed any 120 film in years and never before had trouble with any curling. Curious to see if the new Tri-X medium format curls as well. Thanks, Wayne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPerson Posted March 11, 2011 Share #15 Posted March 11, 2011 I live for the smell and I still get the same buzz of that first glimpse of the neg as it comes off the spiral or the image appearing on the paper. I find a dab or two of Rodinal behind the ears still works wonders with the ladies! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted March 11, 2011 Share #16 Posted March 11, 2011 Noel, my response was meant as a joke (DNG's) but yes, my Tri-X developed in D76 do curl a lot. I do not remember this problem from years ago. My Plus-X also curls, but not as much. I dry them in the basement which is not exactly dry in St. Louis, and it helps. But, hard to scan and get good results. In the next few weeks I am going to drag out my darkroom stuff and print some 2 1/4s. I have not developed any 120 film in years and never before had trouble with any curling. Curious to see if the new Tri-X medium format curls as well. Thanks, Wayne Hi Wayne I was only trying to help... Please try the Ilford or Fuji alternatives, if they stay flat you might not go back. Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur Posted March 11, 2011 Share #17 Posted March 11, 2011 It's such a sensory experience, the smell of the chemicals, agitating the tank, getting the temperature (about) right, getting your hands dirty (I mean wet). What's not to love about it! Absolutely! And yes it is magical. Regrads Charles who has just returned from my local dealer with developer, stop and fixer... oh and film Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
too old to care Posted March 11, 2011 Share #18 Posted March 11, 2011 Hi Wayne I was only trying to help... Please try the Ilford or Fuji alternatives, if they stay flat you might not go back. Noel Thanks Noel. I am low on D76 and need to replace my film supply. I will try Fuji next. I want to also try some slide film too. Wayne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen in Montreal Posted March 14, 2011 Share #19 Posted March 14, 2011 ..... but yes, my Tri-X developed in D76 do curl a lot. I do not remember this problem from years ago....... The Tri-x curl is one of the many "favors" the boys at Kodak gave us when the screwed with the Tri-X formula back in 2007. HP-5 stays flat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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