How to develop your own B&W photos


hi,

a. dump it in the sink and rinse with water.

b. depends on your chemical. but some chemicals are too dangerous to be stored in the fridge....

generally, diluted chemicals aren't supposed to stored for too long. you have to be more specific.

for example, i cooked up a batch of d76 from power and store it in a 5litre tank in my toilet where it is cool.

the 5 litre of solution can probably store a month of two before it loses strength.

when i mix the d76 solution into 1+1 WORKING SOLUTION, the working solution is usually a one-off

development or sometimes I reuse it but lengthen the time, but i never store the used working

solution for more than a day.


raytoei
 

Thanks raytoei for your fast reply! So even the fixer is safe to wash it down the sink? I was thinking of storing the developer, stop bath and fixer in the fridge after I open it to prolong the shelf life a little. Okay so I wont make such big batches of chemicals. Noted. Also, how do you dry your film without wet spots? By using wetting agent like ilfotol or photo-flo? I have some dish washing liquid at home that is non sticky. Haha! Or is using a squeegee alright? I don't really like the idea of squeegeeing the film. Wont it cause scratches? Haha
 

this is what works for me.... after wash, i put a drop of liquid

hand soap into the tank, and let the tap slowly fill it up, around

20-30 seconds. then rinse. then i squeegee around 10 times and

hang in an aircon room. the drying time is around 20-30mins for me.

i usually develop 3-5 rolls at a time with a 5-tank AP tank.


raytoei
 

Last edited:
Okay! Thanks raytoei got your tips! Will try out once I receive my thermometer
 

Hi guys Ive been shooting bnw film for awhile and recently felt the natural progression was to develop my own rolls. I've browsed thru and read up as much as i can about developing black and white here and elsewhere and i have to say i have learnt alot from others to make me decide to take the plunge and buy my developing kit soon.

Although i still have a few questions that i am not able to get around.

First off, I almost always shoot tri-x at 1600 so if i were to develop in hc110 dil B, at 20deg, any tips on agitation pattern as well as how to maintain solutions at 20deg?

I am aware that whatever results works for some might not be acceptable to others but since im totally new to diy developing, can you guys who have done this recommend a tried and tested method of agitating as well as maintaining solutions at 20deg?

Secondly, if its too much a hassle to keep solutions at 20deg, ive read that developing at room temp (28deg) is possible. Im a tad clueless as how i shld go about with this. Ive read that diluting hc110 1:100 and developing at 28deg for 20mins produces acceptable results.

However, this would mean developing only one reel at a time in a 2 reel tank since if i were to go with 6ml of hc110 as recommended by kodak, it will amount to 600ml of solution just for a roll.

Was just wondering, Is there anyway around this if i need to develop 2 rolls in a 2 reel tank which cant hold 1200ml of solutions?

Thanks
 

Hi: Regarding the need to maintain at 20C... I do mostly stand development of times 60 minutes or greater. I typically start off @ 18C and at the end of 60 minutes, the solution is around 22C. I make no attempt to maintain an ice bath, etc... and I dont think the results have been impacted greatly.
 

Hi: Regarding the need to maintain at 20C... I do mostly stand development of times 60 minutes or greater. I typically start off @ 18C and at the end of 60 minutes, the solution is around 22C. I make no attempt to maintain an ice bath, etc... and I dont think the results have been impacted greatly.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Will take it as one of the methods to try out soon when i start developing.
 

Hi all,

does anyone know where to buy Xtol developer in Singapore? I went to Ruby but dont think they have it. Thanks
 

Any bro know where can i rent a darkroom in Singapore? have just started to learn kinda get addicted haha but cannot find a place that do rental of darkroom :(
 

If you're doing only development then there is no need for a darkroom. You can buy a dark bag instead. Or just use the storage room at night. My first roll was developed in the storage room. :D

Any bro know where can i rent a darkroom in Singapore? have just started to learn kinda get addicted haha but cannot find a place that do rental of darkroom :(
 

Hi all bros here, i would like to buy a kit to develop b+w at home.. is ruby still the place to go for buying B+W developing kits or is there some better/more economical ways to develop B+W? i would be more inclined to buying a complete kit with bags and tanks than to slowly build 1 set of equips haha... since theres such a thread here, might as well ask here.. or is there a better kit to purchase online?
 

Hi all bros here, i would like to buy a kit to develop b+w at home.. is ruby still the place to go for buying B+W developing kits or is there some better/more economical ways to develop B+W? i would be more inclined to buying a complete kit with bags and tanks than to slowly build 1 set of equips haha... since theres such a thread here, might as well ask here.. or is there a better kit to purchase online?

just buy separately

i bought my measurement glass at phoon huat bencoolen, around $1.5-2 for 500ml
i bought my termometer at local fish shop, around $3
darkbag can buy at ruby
film clips can buy at ruby
developer, stopbath, fixer, wetting agent can buy at ruby
developing tank if dun mind plastic can buy at ruby, if want stainless steel can buy hewes brand at freestylephoto online
 

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Hi all bros here, i would like to buy a kit to develop b+w at home.. is ruby still the place to go for buying B+W developing kits or is there some better/more economical ways to develop B+W? i would be more inclined to buying a complete kit with bags and tanks than to slowly build 1 set of equips haha... since theres such a thread here, might as well ask here.. or is there a better kit to purchase online?

like what oceanpriest said, if it is the development tank, clips, squeegee and chemicals, just get it from ruby. all the other containers and measuring jars, can just get from household shops. i got my measuring jars from my wife's baking equipment (just make sure she don't use it for baking!) and the thermometer from the pet shop for $2.

it is not worth it to ship the equipment from overseas. for the chemicals, some of the chemicals cannot be shipped legally to SG. unless you are looking for some specialised chemicals, the run-of-the-mill ones are easier to get from ruby. for those specialised chemicals (i am still looking for someone who can ship Rodinal legally), you probably have to look for the powder versions so that it can be shipped in.
 

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Icic! Alright I will buy those beakers , thermometer from what oceanpriest mentioned. The rest I guess I get from ruby Thanks for help !
 

for those specialised chemicals (i am still looking for someone who can ship Rodinal legally), you probably have to look for the powder versions so that it can be shipped in.

there are few ppl here mass ordered rodinal from macodirect last year, if i rmbr correctly

I am still looking where to buy sodium sulfite and sodium hydroxide in small quantity locally :bsmilie:
 

Icic! Alright I will buy those beakers , thermometer from what oceanpriest mentioned. The rest I guess I get from ruby Thanks for help !

it's optional, but normally i also buy funnel from household shops, syringe (5ml and 10ml) from guardian/watson for rodinal/hc110 syrup, and coffee filter from daiso to filter reused chemical
 

there are few ppl here mass ordered rodinal from macodirect last year, if i rmbr correctly

I am still looking where to buy sodium sulfite and sodium hydroxide in small quantity locally :bsmilie:

hehe... that's where i got my rodinal. but i saw in the old thread this is no longer allowed? i am rationing my rodinal now... :cry:
 

hehe... that's where i got my rodinal. but i saw in the old thread this is no longer allowed? i am rationing my rodinal now... :cry:

if we can source sodium sulfite and sodium hydroxide locally, we can "cook" our own (pa)rodinal :bsmilie:
 

Hi , here is my setup

2X Konica Thermometers from Seng Cheong
2X sets of Nikko or Paterson developing tanks (Nikkon is roll from inside out spiral, Paterson is roll in from out to in using ball catch)
2X 900ml measuring containers
1X square fluid container that act as a bath for developing tanks
Various small measuring cylingers
Various 10ml 5ml injection syringes
2X Plastic containers - 1 for 1:19 stop 1 for 1:4 fixer
1X kitchen timer
Kodak HC110 developer dilution H 1:64
Ilford rapid fixer

Procedures:

1. Mix 500ml of HC110 developer 1:64 with wate/ice to 20C
2. Prepare 500ml of clean water at 20C
3. Chill fixer to 20C
4. Prepare a bath of 20C

5. Pour slowly the 20C water to cool film and soak film for 3 mins to remove anti reflection layer
6. Pour out water (may be black or dark blue)
7. Start timer and pour in developer (timing from Massive development chart + your own note)
8. Agitate a few times per minute
9. Pour out the developer and
10. Pour in stop bath at 30C and stop for 30 seconds
11. Recycle/discard stop bath
12. Fix for 4-5 mins, examine film if any area not fixed properly
13. Pour out/recycle fixer
14. Pour in 500ml of 20C water with 1 tiny drop of disc washer
15. Soak for 10mins and agitate and allow temp to rise to room temp/tap water temp
16. Wash the film in running water for another 5 mins when temp reach tap water temp

17. Check if film is fixed properly, no area no fixed or stains
18. Never use sponge to wipe film when wet
19. Hang to dry
 

^ how much do those stuff roughly cost in total? mostly get from ruby? thanks in advance