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Last active March 20, 2020 20:46
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Black and White Film Development Checklist
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bw-film-development.md

Black and White Film Development Checklist

Shopping List

  • Film tank
  • Changing bag
  • Developer
  • Stop bath (optional)
  • Fixer
  • Hypo-clear
  • Hypo-check
  • Bottle opener
  • Safety scissors
  • Bottles
    • 3 of them that are > 20oz
  • Measuring cups
  • Funnels
  • Clips for hanging film to dry
  • Practice roll of film ($2 or $3)
  • Drying rack
  • Squeegie

Getting Ready

  • Practice loading film in tank.
    • Out in the open
      • Open cheap roll of film with a can opener.
      • Trim the leader off the film without looking.
        • “As straight as you can—preferably between the sprockets.”
      • Get comfortable loading the film on the reel with your eyes open.
      • Get comfortable loading the film on the reel with your eyes closed.
    • In the changing bag — part 1
      • Put the film and the reel in the changing bag.
      • Load film on the reel.
    • In the changing bag — part 2
      • Put everything (the film, reel, canister, and can opener) in the changing bag.
      • Load the film on the reel.
      • Cut the spool off.
      • Put both reels in the tank and close it up.
  • Prepare chemicals (other than the developer)
    • Dilute stop bath
      • 1+63ish
      • ~ 10mL + water up to 20oz
    • Dilute fixer
      • 1+4
      • 5oz fixer + 15oz water
    • Put hypo clear into an eyedropper bottle.
    • Calculate how to mix the developer.

Develop the Film

Note: developer is only used once per batch and then poured down the drain.

  • Dilute your developer into a bottle.
    • Mix with tap water that’s the right temperature based on the chart.
  • Developer
    • Agitate continuously for the first minute.
    • Agitate for 5 seconds every 30 seconds
  • Stop bath
    • Continuously agitate for 30 seconds and you’re done.
  • Fixer
    • 4 minutes total.
    • Agitate continuously for the first minute.
    • Agitate for 5 seconds every 30 seconds until you’re done.
  • Rinse in running water for ~10 minutes
  • Put a couple of drops of hypo clear in the tank and agitate continuously for ~1min.
  • Pull out the film, squeegie it, and hang it to dry an hour or two.
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