How I Develop Black And White Film At Home

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive guide to developing 35mm film at home using a Patterson film processing starter kit. The host shares a step-by-step process, including equipment setup, chemical preparation with D76 developer, and the use of the Massive Dev chart for timing. Emphasis is placed on maintaining a consistent 20°C temperature for optimal development results. The video also covers film loading, agitation techniques, and post-development washing and drying methods, concluding with a call to engage with the community on film developing experiences.

Takeaways

• 📷 The video creator is working on a film photography project, using a Leica MP and a 35mm lens for a year to focus on creativity.
• 🎞️ They choose to develop film at home to avoid the cost and the idea of strangers handling their negatives.
• 🛠️ A film processing starter kit from Patterson is recommended, which includes essential items for under $100.
• 🧪 The kit contains items like graduates, a developing tank, reels, chemicals, and a film drying clip, but additional items like a changing bag and smaller graduates are needed.
• 💧 Chemicals discussed include D76 developer, Ilfostop stop bath, and Kodak Codefix fixer, with a wetting agent like Photo-Flo to prevent water spots.
• 🔩 The Patterson tank and reels are detailed, explaining how to load 35mm film onto the reels in complete darkness.
• ⏱️ The Massive Dev chart is mentioned as a resource for development times and as an app with a timer for the development process.
• 🌡️ Maintaining a consistent temperature of 20 degrees Celsius for the developer is crucial for consistent results.
• 🚿 After development, a series of water washes and a final wash with Photo-Flo is performed to clean the film and prevent water spots.
• 📝 The process of developing film at home is outlined in a step-by-step manner, emphasizing the importance of organization and timing.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the narrator's film photography project?

The purpose of the narrator's film photography project is to focus on the creative side of shooting with film by limiting themselves to a specific camera, lens, and film combination for the next year.

Why does the narrator choose to develop their own film at home?

The narrator develops their own film at home to avoid the expense of sending it to a lab and because they don't like the idea of strangers touching their negatives.

What is included in the Patterson film processing starter kit mentioned in the script?

The Patterson film processing starter kit includes three 600 ml graduates, a developing tank with two reels, some Milford chemicals, two sets of film drying clips, a nine-inch thermometer, a chemical stir stick, and a 35-millimeter cassette opener.

What additional equipment did the narrator purchase to complement the starter kit?

The narrator purchased a changing bag, smaller graduates for precision measuring, and one-gallon jugs to store mixed chemicals.

What developer, stop bath, and fixer does the narrator use for their film processing?

The narrator uses D76 developer diluted one to one, Ilfostop as the stop bath, and Kodak Codefix as the fixer.

How does the narrator ensure the correct temperature for the developer solution?

The narrator uses a 20 degrees Celsius water bath to equalize the temperature of the developer solution and keeps the tank in the water bath during the development process to maintain a stable temperature.

What is the development time for Ilford HP5 using D76 developer according to the Massive Dev chart?

According to the Massive Dev chart, the development time for Ilford HP5 using D76 developer diluted one to one at ISO 400 is 13 minutes at 20 degrees Celsius.

How does the narrator load the film onto the reels in the dark?

The narrator loads the film onto the reels by feeling for the entrance gate's teeth, guiding the film onto the reel, and then twisting the reel to advance the film onto it.

What is the process for washing the film after development?

The narrator uses the Ilford method of fill, agitate, dump, and repeat, starting with five inversions and increasing to 20 inversions with each cycle.

How does the narrator prevent water spots on the film during drying?

The narrator adds three ml of Photoflo, a wetting agent, to 600 ml of distilled water after washing the film to prevent water spots from forming during drying.

What is the narrator's next step after developing the film?

The narrator's next step is to figure out scanning the developed film, which will be the topic of another video.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Film Photography Project and Developing Process

The speaker is working on a film photography project, using HP5 film on a Leica MP camera with a 35mm lens. They aim to focus on the creative aspect of shooting by limiting their gear to this specific camera and lens combination. They discuss their decision to develop film at home to avoid the expense and potential handling issues associated with sending it to a lab. The speaker details the equipment they use, including a Patterson film processing starter kit, which contains various items like graduates, a developing tank, reels, chemicals, a thermometer, and a film cassette opener. They also mention additional items like a changing bag, smaller graduates for precise measuring, and one-gallon jugs for chemical storage. The speaker then explains the process of film developing, which involves developer, stop bath, and fixer, and shares their choice of chemicals: D76 developer, Ilfostop, and Kodak Codefix, along with a wetting agent to prevent water spots. They also discuss the importance of using the correct temperature for the developer and maintaining it throughout the process.

05:00

🌡️ Temperature Control and Film Developing Techniques

The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining a consistent temperature of 20 degrees Celsius for the developer during the film developing process. They describe their method of using a water bath to achieve and maintain this temperature. The speaker also provides a tip for distinguishing between developer and fixer by using a rubber band on the developer's graduate. They explain the process of pouring the developer into the tank, starting the timer, and performing agitation every two seconds for the first 30 seconds, then once a minute for the remainder of the development time. After development, they describe the process of using a stop bath, followed by a fixer, and the importance of using a wetting agent like Photoflo to prevent water spots during drying. The speaker concludes by discussing the washing and drying process, including using a bathroom with hot water to create humidity for dust-free drying, and hanging the film to dry. They invite viewers to share their experiences and preferences for film and developer combinations and encourage them to develop their own film at home.

Keywords

💡Film Photography

Film photography is the process of capturing images on photographic film, which is then chemically developed to create a physical print. In the video, the creator is undertaking a film photography project, emphasizing the creative and tactile experience of using film over digital photography. The script discusses the use of a Leica MP camera and HP5 film, highlighting the artist's choice of equipment for this project.

💡Leica MP

The Leica MP is a 35mm rangefinder camera, known for its precision engineering and high-quality optics. It is a tool that the video creator uses for their film photography project. The choice of the Leica MP reflects the creator's commitment to quality and the hands-on process of film photography, as it is a camera that requires manual focus and exposure settings.

💡HP5

HP5, or Ilford HP5 Plus, is a black and white film known for its fine grain and wide exposure latitude. It is chosen by the video creator for their project due to its versatility and the ability to capture a broad range of tones. The script mentions using HP5 on the Leica MP, indicating a focus on black and white photography for the project.

💡35mm

35mm refers to the width of the photographic film, which is a standard format in film photography. The video discusses developing 35mm film, which is a common size for both still photography and motion pictures. The creator's choice to develop 35mm film at home is part of their journey to control the entire creative process from capture to final print.

💡Developing

Developing is the chemical process of revealing the latent image on photographic film to create a visible image. The video script details the steps the creator takes to develop their own film at home, including mixing chemicals and using specific equipment like a developing tank and reels. This process is central to the video's theme of hands-on creativity and control over the photographic process.

💡Patterson Film Processing Starter Kit

The Patterson Film Processing Starter Kit is a collection of equipment and chemicals needed to begin developing film at home. The video mentions this kit as a cost-effective way to start film development, including items like graduates, a developing tank, reels, and chemicals. It underscores the creator's commitment to investing in the necessary tools for their film photography project.

💡D76 Developer

D76 is a black and white film developer known for its predictability and reasonable price. The video creator uses D76 diluted one to one for developing HP5 film. The choice of D76 reflects a balance between cost and quality, and it is mixed from powder according to the instructions provided, which is a detail that shows the hands-on nature of film development.

💡Ilfostop and Kodafixer

Ilfostop is a stop bath, and Kodafixer is a fixer, both of which are used in the film development process. Stop bath halts the development process, while fixer solidifies the image on the film. The video creator uses these chemicals to ensure a proper development cycle, highlighting the importance of each step in achieving high-quality film negatives.

💡Changing Bag

A changing bag is a lightproof bag used to load film onto reels without exposing it to light. The video mentions using a changing bag to load film with the lights on, which is a practical solution for those without a fully equipped darkroom. It exemplifies the resourcefulness needed when setting up a home film development setup.

💡Massive Dev Chart

The Massive Dev Chart is a resource mentioned in the video for determining the correct development times and chemical recipes for various film and developer combinations. The creator uses this chart to find the development time for HP5 film with D76 developer, demonstrating the importance of accurate timing in achieving the desired photographic results.

💡Photoflo

Photoflo is a wetting agent used to prevent water spots from forming on film during the drying process. The video creator adds Photoflo to the final wash to ensure clean and spot-free negatives. This step is crucial for the quality of the final product, as water spots can ruin the appearance of developed film.

Highlights

The film photography project is focused on using HP5 film on a Leica MP camera with a 35mm lens for a year.

The aim is to limit gear choices to focus on the creative process of shooting with film.

The decision to develop film at home is driven by a desire for control over the process and cost considerations.

Patterson's film processing starter kit is recommended for beginners, offering essential equipment at an affordable price.

The kit includes a developing tank, reels, chemicals, drying clips, a thermometer, and a film cassette opener.

Additional equipment needed includes a changing bag, smaller graduates for measuring, and one-gallon jugs for chemical storage.

D76 developer is chosen for its affordability and consistency, mixed in a 1:1 ratio with water.

Ilfostop is used as a stop bath, and Kodak Rapid Fixer is the fixer of choice.

Photo-Flo is added to the final wash to prevent water spots on the film during drying.

The Massive Dev Chart by DigitalTruth.com is a valuable resource for film development times and recipes.

The process of loading film onto the reels is explained, emphasizing the need for complete darkness or a changing bag.

The importance of maintaining a consistent temperature of 20 degrees Celsius for the developer is discussed.

A step-by-step guide on how to mix and use the developer, stop bath, and fixer is provided.

The use of a water bath to maintain the temperature of the developer during the development process is highlighted.

Agitation techniques and timings are detailed for even development of the film.

Instructions for washing and drying the developed film to prevent dust and water spots are given.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their film developing experiences and subscribe for more content.

Transcripts

my film photography project is underway

and I'm happily shooting hp5 on my Leica

MP and 35 crime for the next year I'm

limiting myself to this camera lens and

film combo so I can stop thinking about

gear and focus on the creative side of

shooting with film and so far it's going

great

[Music]

but these pictures don't just magically

appear out of thin air at some point

you're going to have to develop your

film you can send it to a lab but that

can get real expensive real quick

because I don't like the idea of

strangers touching my negatives with

their fingers so I developed my own film

at home and that's what I want to talk

about today there's a few steps involved

but it's easier than you might think

let's start with the equipment I use now

I'm no stranger to the dark room but I

haven't touched film in nearly a decade

plus a recent brush with minimalism

convinced me to get rid of anything that

I wasn't actually using so I had to

start from scratch and buy everything

all over again stupid minimalism

fortunately Patterson makes a film

processing starter kit that has just

about everything you need for under 100

bucks it comes with three 600 mil

graduates a developing tank with two

reels some Milford chemicals that I'm

probably not going to use but whatever

two sets of film drying Clips a nine

inch thermometer a chemical stir stick

thingy and a 35 millimeter cassette

opener it's like a bottle opener for

your film works the kit sells for 99.95

at b h but if you bought all the

individual pieces you'd pay over 150

bucks so it's definitely a good deal and

it's the kit I got but but I still

needed a few more things to be running

at full speed for me I also grabbed a

changing bag so I can load film with the

lights on a couple of smaller graduates

for precision measuring and finally some

one gallon jugs to store my mixed

chemicals and speaking of chemicals

let's talk about those chemicals film

processing is basically a three-step

process with developer stop bath and

fixer for developer I'm using d76

diluted one to one now there are a ton

of developer choices and everyone has

their favorite but d76 is reasonably

priced and predictable so it's a great

place to start and you have to mix it

from powder but just follow the

instructions of the package and you

should have no problem whatsoever the

kit even comes with a special Magic One

stir stick thingy so there's no excuses

mix it it's fine stop bath and fixer are

less critical but I happen to be using

ilfostop and codefix throwing a wetting

agent like photo flow to prevent water

spots from forming when the film is

drying and you've got everything you

need to develop film at home but before

we do any of that we got to talk about

these plastic reels Patterson tank comes

with plastic Wheels can be broken apart

and reassembled for 120 film if needed

but we're doing 35 so we're going to

keep this all small and nice loading

your film onto the reels is pretty easy

Once you know how they work if you look

along the outer edge of the Reel you'll

find the entrance gate surrounded by

these sort of larger teeth the teeth

make the entrance Point really easy to

find by feel in the dark there are ball

bearings just past the gate on both

sides of the Reel these little guys sit

in the sprocket holes and Advance the

film forward when you twist The Reel

back and forth the rest of the Reel is

just a spiral for the film to advance

onto that's how they work let's get some

film on there just remember anytime

you're dealing with film outside the

cartridge you need to be in complete

darkness I'm going to keep the lights on

so you can see what I'm doing but don't

do that with your own film or you'll

ruin it quick once you're in the dark

you can open the cassette grab your

scissors and trim off the film meter

this creates a straight line in the

Leading Edge and makes it much easier to

get your film on the Reel keep your film

a little squeeze along the edges to snap

it to attention locate the gate by

feeling for those teeth then guide your

film onto the reel

let's see oh that's not the gate

that's the gate there we go so again

so easy look how easy it is locate the

gate by feeling for the teeth then guide

your film onto the Reel once it's

through the gate you can sort of pull it

around halfway onto the Reel and start

twisting to load it just magically goes

into place

nine years and later

when you reach the end of the film snip

off the little plastic roller then give

the Reel a couple more twists to advance

the rest of the film all the way onto

the Reel when both reels are done you

can slide them on the stem put them back

in the tank replace the funnel click it

close to make the tank light tight and

the film is ready for a developer but we

still need to know how long to process

our film so this is a good time to talk

about the massive Dev chart by

digitaltruth.com the massive Dev chart

is a free website that contains recipes

for pretty much every film and developer

combination there is but they also make

an app version that includes the full

massive Dev charge database plus a

fantastic dark room timer so if we

select ilford hp5 plus d76 one to one

and ISO 400 we can see the development

time is 13 minutes at 20 degrees Celsius

and this page is actually a timer that's

preset with all of the correct times for

every stage of the development process

the timer is actually super well

designed it has a three second warning

to let you know when it's time to

agitate the developer and it even has a

metronome during agitation so you can

keep the beat and do everything exactly

the same way every time now we know

we're development time and the timer's

all set up let's get the chemicals ready

if you're processing two reels or 35

millimeter film The Patterson tank needs

600 mils of solution now I'm doing d76

one to one so I mixed 300 mils of stock

solution with 300 mils of water to get

600 mL of working solution while you're

at it you might as well measure out 600

meals of stop bath and fixer at the same

time quick tip here developer and

fixture look almost identical when

they're in the graduates so I keep a

rubber band around my developers

graduate so I always know what's what

now according to my recipe the developer

needs to be at 20 degrees Celsius and

depending on your room temperature you

may need to raise or lower that

temperature I usually run a 20 degree

celsius water bath and set the graduate

holding the developer in that bath and

eventually they'll equalize to 20

degrees and everyone will be happy it's

also important to keep the developer at

20 degrees throughout the development

process so anytime I'm not handling the

tank by adding chemicals or agitating I

keep the tank sitting in that same water

bath and that keeps the temperature

pretty stable throughout the 13 minute

development time without the water bath

I've seen the temperature raise as much

as 2 degrees Celsius during developing

and that would affect contrast and I

don't want that so just keep it in the

bath and you're fine I don't really

worry if the stop bath and picture or a

degree or two warmer or cooler the

developer is the one that matters so

when that's at 20 degrees Celsius we're

finally ready to develop some film

finally hey line up all three graduates

in order of developer stop bath and

fixer and launch the massive Dev app so

everything's ready to go quickly pour

the developer into the tank replace the

outer lid give it a burp to seal it then

start the timer and begin your first

round of agitation it's a bit of a

juggling act to get everything started

so having everything lined up and well

organized is really important here

practitioner I'm currently doing one

inversion every two seconds for a total

of four inversions and I give the tank a

little twist on every inversion just to

keep things mixing around all nice and

good after the last inversion I give the

tank a little tap then put it back in

the 20 degree celsius water bath and

wait for the next cycle agitation

happens once a minute for the duration

of your development time for me that's

13 minutes

13 minutes is standing there

shaking that thing eventually you'll get

to the last minute I usually start

pouring out the developer with about 15

seconds left on the timer that's about

how long it takes me to pour the

developer in so everything evens out

immediately add the stop bath agitate

and let sit for a minute when that's

done empty out the stop bath and add the

fixer fixing typically takes about five

minutes just follow the times in the app

and you'll be fine when fixing's done

pour out the chemicals and you're ready

to watch the film I use the ilford

method of fill agitate dump and repeat

seems to work fine the idea is you add

fresh water to the tank place the lid do

five full inversions dump out the water

add fresh water do 10 inversions Dumbo

the water add fresh water do 20

inversions dump all the water and your

film should be cleaned as a whistle when

you're done washing fill the tank with

600 mils of distilled water and add

three mils of photoflo this is a wetting

agent that prevents water spots from

forming when the film is drying you

don't have to use photo flow it's just

the one I've always used there's a

number of different brands but don't

skip this step because you don't want to

deal with water spots on negatives it's

hideous let that sit for a second and

we're ready to dry the film you need to

clean dust free place to dry your film

you can get specialized drying cabinet

minutes but I just use my bathroom run

the hot water full blast for a couple

minutes to create some humidity in the

room this helps any dust in the air

settle before you hang your film to dry

remove the film from The Reel and attach

the clips with the black weighted one on

the bottom then all you have to do is

hang your film and close the bathroom

door on your way out wait a few hours

for the film to dry in that's it that's

really everything I do to develop 35

millimeter film at home now all I got to

do is figure out scanning but that's

another video hey I want to hear from

you guys are you developing your own

film at home what's your favorite film

and developer combination how do you

feel about these plastic reels post your

ideas in the comments down below and

keep that conversation going and as

always if you like this video hit that

thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe

I'm trying to reach my goal of 10 000

subscribers and I'd love to have you

along for the ride I got a ton of film

photography videos coming up and I'd

hate for you to miss any of them but for

now I'm carpool's future and that's

enough of me now get out there and

develop some film already it's fun if

you like standing in the same spot for

13 minutes shaking plus container filled

with chemicals I mean what's not to like