In this post, I wanted to discuss the process of developing film at home, more specifically what materials are needed and considerations should be made. The chemicals and steps for each process will vary depending on what kind of film you choose to shoot (color vs. black and white), but only slightly. In fact, the processes share the same principle steps/chemicals: a developer, stop bath/bleach, fixer, and final rinse/stabilizer.
The Chemical Process
The first step in developing your freshly exposed roll of film is to treat it with a developing solution, which creates your gray tones or colors. In black and white film, the developer converts the silver halide crystals in the emulsion layer into silver particles. In color film, the developer is oxidized when reacting with the exposed silver halide crystals. This oxidized developer then reacts with dye couplers resulting in the formation of color dye. Color film consists of multiple emulsion layers, each sensitive to a specific type of light and containing a specific set of dyes.
The second step in the development process is to stop the action of the developing solution. In the black and white process, an acetic acid solution known as a stop bath is typically used to neutralize the alkaline developing solution. In the color process, a bleach step is used to indirectly stop development by converting the silver halide crystals into soluble silver halides, effectively breaking down the silver image and stopping the formation of color dyes.
Following the stop bath/bleach is the treatment with fixer. Fixer dissolves and removes the remaining silver halides making the image permanent and light-resistant.
The final step is either a final rinse with distilled water (black and white) or a stabilizer (color), which protects the dyes from fading.
Temperatures and Flexibility
The biggest differences between the two development processes are the temperature ranges at which the chemicals must be at and the flexibility of those ranges as well as the times of the individual steps within each process. For the most part, black and white processing occurs at room temperature (~20-24 degrees C) and the development times will change depending on what temperature you choose to process at.
Black and white processing tends to be a lot more flexible in its temperatures and times. This is where experimentation comes in and is what draws a lot of photographers to the B+W process. By playing with temperatures, times, and dilution factors of the chemicals, the final characteristics of the developed film such as acutance (sharpness), grain, and shadow detail can be changed. Additional variation can be introduced by swapping out and combining different chemicals, i.e. "A" developer with "X" stop bath" and "Y" fixer will yield different results when compared to "B" developer with the same stop and fix solutions.
Color developing on the other hand is much more rigid in its process. Very little variation can be made within each set of chemicals. Doing so will usually lead to undesired change. For example, the developer is very temperature sensitive and should be closely monitored throughout the processing time. Any change outside the recommended temperature will lead to color shifts. Fortunately, the introduction of film scanners and digital editing helps alleviate some of the pressure, but caution should still be practiced. The chemicals in the color process typically run at a higher temperature range (~38-39 degrees C), meaning the use of water baths is necessary unless you live near or in a volcano.
Materials
Below is a laundry list of items I use to develop film at home. As a side note, this list is based on personal experience and I have not tried alternatives, meaning there could be better solutions out there! The goal of each of my kits is to keep it is small as possible.
Color (C41) Process
Chemicals
- Tetenal C-41 Press Kit: This kit includes a developer, a combination bleach and fixer (known as BLIX), and a stabilizer. These come in powder form.
Misc. Items
- 1000mL Amber Glass Bottles: These bottles will store your rehydrated chemicals from the press kit. It is important to protect your chemicals from light!
- Graduated Mixing Beaker/Jug: I only use one to mix all my chemicals, making sure to wash well between each.
- 12" Glass Thermometer: Be sure to get one that is of high quality (reacts quickly to temperature change) and is long enough that cannot be lost when dropped into a jug of chemical.
- Paterson Tank: I recommend this particular brand because it eliminates the need for an actual dark room. Chemicals can be poured in and out with exposing the film to light. Pretty ingenious really.
- Film Clips: These will hold your film as it dries.
- Film Changing Bag: This will keep your film protected from light as you move it from the camera to the Paterson Tank. There are different sizes. I recommend getting one that is a little bigger than you think you will need. The last thing you want is clutter in a bag which you cannot see into.
- Timer
- Funnel
- Gloves
Black and White Process
Chemicals
- Kodak D76 Developer
- Photographer's Formulary TF-4 Rapid Fixer: This solution is nice because it combines the stop bath and fixer into one solution. I actually use a newer formulation called TF-5 since it is carried at my local store. There is little difference between the two.
Misc. Items
- Same items listed above in the Color Process
General Tips
- Distilled Water: If the tap water in your area is not clean, use distilled water for mixing your chemicals. If you choose to end your process with a water rinse, use distilled water. Tap water can leave residue on your developed negatives once dried.
- Keep It Clean: If you have the bathroom space, it is recommended you process your films there versus the kitchen as this will eliminate the possibility of contaminating your foods with chemicals. If you do use the kitchen area, be sure to clean well after each processing session.
- Practice with Changing Bag: If you have not used a changing bag before, I highly recommend practicing with a dud roll of film before the real deal. It can be challenging to properly insert the roll into the reel when you cannot see it.
- Keeping It Cool: Keeping a moderate to cool temperature inside your home or wherever you process is a good idea, especially for the changing bag process. A hot environment will make your hands sweat and make the emulsion of the film susceptible to smearing. This happened to me one hot summer day. Do not let this happen to you!
- Dry Your Film in the Bathroom: The steam from your showers will help settle all the dust in the air, which means less dust on your film.
After developing the film, I scan the negatives into my computer using a CanoScan 9000F, make any adjustments in Lightroom if needed, and call it a day. I read great things about the Epson v700 but the price difference between the two made me go for the CanoScan and so far I do not regret the decision.
I hope this post helped reveal how accessible developing at home is and I encourage every photographer out there to try it themselves.
