Pete LePage

Thoughts on web development, life, and photography.

Film Development

These are generic instructions for developing black and white film. Each film and developer combination will have slightly different times and temperatures for which they give ideal results. You will need to test your particular film and developer combination. The values given below are just recommendations.

One of the most important things about developing your own film is consistency. Always ensure that you do everything exactly the same as you did last time. For example, if you start your timer as you start pouring the chemistry into your tank, then make sure you do that every time. Find a groove and stick with it, it will make your life MUCH easier in the future.

How To: Develop Film #

  1. Load film onto reels in light tight development tanks.

    This must be done in complete darkness

  2. Setup Chemicals

    Plastic tanks use 10oz fluid for each roll of 35mm film

    D-76

    Mix 1:1 (stock:water)

    TMax

    Mix 1:4 (stock:water)

  3. Develop [68°F for 10 minutes]

    Agitate continiously for the first 30 seconds

    Agitate for 5 seconds each 30 second interval thereafter

    Pour developer down the drain - do not reuse

  4. Stop [30 seconds]

    Agitate entire time

    Pour stop back into stop bottle - save for reuse

  5. Fix [3 minutes]

    Agitate continiously for the first 30 seconds

    Agitate for 5 seconds each 30 seconds interval thereafter

    Pour fix back into fix bottle - safe for reuse

  6. Rinse [65-70°F for 1-2 minutes]

    Use running water

  7. Perma-Wash [1-2 minutes]

    Pour back into Perma-Wash bottle - save for reuse

  8. Wash [65-70°F for 5 minutes]

    Place reels in film washer and wash with water at full pressure

  9. Photo-Flo [30-60 seconds]

    Pour back into Photo-Flo bottle - save for reuse

  10. Dry [15 minutes]


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