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Film Heads

damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
edited January 22, 2011 in Street and Documentary
I officially have the film bug as I am now developing my own color film at home. To all of you who are going back to film and want to develop at home, you can do it! Here are 2 examples from my second batch using a Tetenal Press Kit:

5370760179_2250738933_b.jpg

5370759135_11568ffe40_b.jpg

Contax G2, Kodak Gold 200 (expired 2004), Zeiss 45mm Planar f/2, Tetenal Press Kit (C41)

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    lizzard_nyclizzard_nyc Registered Users Posts: 4,056 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2011
    I hold you personally responsible for the film bug, it seems to have spread.
    I have the ingredients to process (I've had them for a while), so I have a feeling PM will be coming your way, but I'm lacking the thermometer, is this crucial?
    I also don't have a dark room but I'm using a borrowed film bag and my reel is plastic not steel. Also do you save your ingredients in a seperate jar, or can you funnel them back into the same container?


    As to your post, I like the color in these though I don't know if the black and white would be better. Also isn't color more difficult to develop?
    I like the shots themselves, your mother is a classy stylish woman. I like how you have them "trained" to not even see or acknowledge your camera.
    Liz A.
    _________
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    damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2011
    Funny Liz. Since I always have a camera with me (and as you know, that includes when I'm sleeping) they are used to it.

    Thermometer is crucial for color, but not really for b/w if your home is around 70 degrees and your chemicals are around that temperature. I use plastic reels as I have read that they are easier; I've not used steel. I load up the film in complete darkness in my dark bathroom, get the film in the tank, and then the lights can go back on for the rest of the development. For b/w I keep the fixer, but I dump the developer and the stop bath. I use either 1+1 D76 or 31+1 HC110 (Dilution B). Both are fine. For color, I save everything, developer, blix, and stabilizer. They supposedly expire after around 20 rolls. I have only done 4 so far of the color. I keep all of the ingredients in brown glass bottles.

    I am having a b/w versus color battle in my brain. I'm not sure which direction I will ultimately go in, but so far I'm having a lot of fun.

    Color is actually easier to develop. It takes a shorter amount of time and, for me anyway, there's less mess. The only critical thing is that the chemicals need to be kept at around 102 degrees but this is easy to maintain in a bathtub with a thermometer.
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    PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2011
    Fantastic Damon! I always thought colour was much harder than B&W to develop at home. I'm missing a few items but expect to be souping my B&W film by Feb. I'm using steel reels. What are you using to scan your negatives.
    The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
    ... I'm still peeling potatoes.

    patti hinton photography
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    damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2011
    Hi Patti,

    Thanks!

    I use an Epson V700. It does a really nice job.
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    rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2011
    I will continue to follow your "back to the future" experiences. But I do not miss the developing/enlarging side of it. The basement of my mother's house still has a Beseler 23C and all the print paraphernalia gathering dust for the past few decades...
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    sara505sara505 Registered Users Posts: 1,684 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2011
    damonff wrote: »
    Funny Liz. Since I always have a camera with me (and as you know, that includes when I'm sleeping) they are used to it.

    Thermometer is crucial for color, but not really for b/w if your home is around 70 degrees and your chemicals are around that temperature. I use plastic reels as I have read that they are easier; I've not used steel. I load up the film in complete darkness in my dark bathroom, get the film in the tank, and then the lights can go back on for the rest of the development. For b/w I keep the fixer, but I dump the developer and the stop bath. I use either 1+1 D76 or 31+1 HC110 (Dilution B). Both are fine. For color, I save everything, developer, blix, and stabilizer. They supposedly expire after around 20 rolls. I have only done 4 so far of the color. I keep all of the ingredients in brown glass bottles.

    I am having a b/w versus color battle in my brain. I'm not sure which direction I will ultimately go in, but so far I'm having a lot of fun.

    Color is actually easier to develop. It takes a shorter amount of time and, for me anyway, there's less mess. The only critical thing is that the chemicals need to be kept at around 102 degrees but this is easy to maintain in a bathtub with a thermometer.


    I'm pretty sure temp is important for BW, also. Too warm, over-develop, too cold, under-develop. I recall that this was crucial, actually.

    I remember spending a lot of time swizzling the thermometer in the vessel of D76 (1:1, as I recall.) I would first take the temp of the straight stuff, then add water that would get the temp just about right, then while it sat in a pan of water, added either hot water or cold to the pan to get the temp just right.
    Sara

    www.SaraPiazza.com - Edgartown News - Trad Diary - Facebook
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    damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2011
    sara505 wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure temp is important for BW, also. Too warm, over-develop, too cold, under-develop. I recall that this was crucial, actually.

    I remember spending a lot of time swizzling the thermometer in the vessel of D76 (1:1, as I recall.) I would first take the temp of the straight stuff, then add water that would get the temp just about right, then while it sat in a pan of water, added either hot water or cold to the pan to get the temp just right.

    Absolutely! It should be around 68-70 I think. Luckily, my chemicals seem to stay at that precise temperature in the cupboard.
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    ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2011
    These are really good as always. But, frankly, I don't see what film has bought you except the fun of playing with the chemicals. Maybe it would show in a print?

    That lens is darn nice, though.
    If not now, when?
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    FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2011
    I like both of these - and the color palette you ended up with. Especially love the one of your mother.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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    damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2011
    rutt wrote: »
    These are really good as always. But, frankly, I don't see what film has bought you except the fun of playing with the chemicals. Maybe it would show in a print?

    That lens is darn nice, though.

    Thanks Rutt. The Zeiss 45 will keep me shooting film. The chemicals are fun. I need to get an enlarger at some point and print.
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    damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2011
    Flyinggina wrote: »
    I like both of these - and the color palette you ended up with. Especially love the one of your mother.

    Virginia

    Thanks Virginia. The palette is all thanks to the C41 kit. I am still experimenting. They are straight from my shower to the scanner.
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