![]() To develop color negative film you use a process known as C-41, and for slides film you use E-6.īoth cases are much more complicated than any of the black and white ones, which is why I don’t recommend them to start. Unlike the black and white process, color film only has two choices. Need some ideas of what to shoot with your B&W film? Check out this inspirational black and white portrait photography to get your creative juices flowing! Notes on Developing Color Film Squeegee – This is completely optional in case you want to remove the excess water from the film before hanging it to dry.Gloves – They’re not mandatory and not everybody uses them, but safety should always come first, and using gloves to handle chemicals is recommended.Acid-free plastic film sleeves – After developing your film you’ll need a way to safely store it.Film clips/clamps – These are helpful to hang the film and let it dry.Graduated containers or beakers – To measure and mix the chemicals.Scissors – To cut out the film from the spool.If you buy your film in 100’ cans and make your rolls then you don’t need this. Bottle opener – If you’re using commercial 35 mm rolls that come in metal canisters, you’ll need a bottle opener.The important thing is that you can count the seconds for the shaking pattern for the developer. Timer – There’s no rule for this: it can be a stop-watch, a wall clock, or a special timer.Thermometer – Developing chemicals are temperature sensitive, so you’ll need a thermometer to ensure the correct result.You can use single reel tanks to develop one film at a time, or a bigger tank to load multiple reels into it. Developing tank – This is a light-tight container that won’t allow any light in while you develop your film.There are two different types, the metal ones which are (in my opinion) harder to load, and the plastic ones which have a ball-bearing system that allows for the film to scroll in. These reels allow you to roll the film leaving space between twirls so the chemicals can pass through. Spiral / Reels – This is where you load your film after you take it out of the canister.A changing bag is a good solution to achieve this without the need for a dark room. Most of them though (and all the color ones) are panchromatic, so they need to be handled in complete darkness. Some black and white films are orthochromatic which means they can be handled safely with a red light. Therefore, you need to protect it when you take it out to develop it. Changing bag – Photographic film is sensitive to light that’s how the image gets imprinted.You can skip it without any substitutions, however, using it will help you avoid any water spots in the film and it will accelerate the drying process. Fixer – This chemical is used to stabilize the film after developing.Some people use water to stop the developing process. Stop bath – This is an optional product.I’ll talk more in-depth about this later. Also, grain and sharpness will be different. Your choice of the developer will have an impact on the contrast of your images. There are also solvent and non-solvent options. Some of them are liquids, some others are powders you need to dilute. ![]() Developer – There are different developers on the market for black and white film.Here’s what you’ll need to develop black and white film at home: Popular film stock for black and white photography include Ilford Hp5, Ilford Delta 3200 and Kodak P3200 TMAC – you can learn more about film stock here. It’s a good idea to cover it with something first: this will prevent it from being damaged by the chemicals, and also protect it from contamination (super important if you’re working in the kitchen, as you wouldn’t want to eat or prepare your food where you manage toxic substances). At home, this usually means the kitchen or the bathroom.įind yourself a working table to handle the materials. All you need is a place with running water. This is because it’s the easiest one to do at home. In this article, I’m going to focus on the 35mm black and white panchromatic film developing process. There are three types of film that you can develop at home: black and white negative film, color negative film, and slide film.Įach one of them has a different process and uses different chemicals.
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