A question for the Photo makers!

[Jonny]

Hi guys,

I was thinking of buying an old camera and want to learn how to develop my own pictures.

What do you need to process your own film?

I appreciate that its such a large area to try to master, and that it can be expensive.

But I am keen to learn about how to do it!

Thanks in advance

[Botty]

Ohhh where to start?

At the least you will need:

1) equipment: film developing tank, light proof photographic bag (don't know the technical term), 4 measures, 3 photo developing trays, 3 tongs, timer, photographic paper, some pegs
2) chemicals: film developer, stop bath, fixer, paper developer, wetting agent.

this will allow you to do contact prints e.g. place the negative in direct contact with PAPER and make an image. Obviously for 35mm film this will give you very small photos.

To get bigger prints you will need a photographic enlarger. Everything is available from ebay for not much money if you are not worried about the era of the item.

Check out:

http://ilfordphoto.com/home.asp

There used to be tutorials on the ilford website about film processing and printing. Have a look.

Also this place is your friend for supplies:

http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/

or come and see me at the Victory show.

[Botty]

Found them:

Film developing

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/200629163442455.pdf

and printing:

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/201 ... 242292.pdf

[Hannibal Brooks]

As an alternative, or if you just want to have a go on an old camera before investing in a darkroom, try using film that uses the C41 process (any colour film or Ilford XP2 b&w film). you can then get it easily processed commercialy. I used some Kodak ISO 200 colour film in my 1939 Kodak Retina 2 at Fortress Wales last week and was very impressed with the results. If your local lab is any good, they might also do conventional b&w processing. I'm very lucky as mine does. They also scanned my negs onto a CD for a quid! Shops like that are rare these days .

Just be ware if you try XP2, it's ISO 400, so it's a bit fast for some cameras - keep your shutter speed high and aperture small .

I recommend getting a Kodak Retina 1 or 2. They are much cheaper than Leicas and Contaxes and the optics are great. Just make sure you do your research, as there are lots of models - the pre-war ones look very differerent to the post war ones. Incidentally, the factory stopped production in 1940 and went over to making bomb fuses!

[Hannibal Brooks]

If you want to learn about developing and printing, try getting hold of one of the many books by John Hedgecoe - he's done loads over the years and will help to get you started .

[Jonny]

Guys amazing! Thank you very much for taking the time to respond!

I have enough information now to keep me very busy fir a while!

Kindest Regards

[Jonny]

Hi Botty and Brooks,

I have finally got round to buying everything I needed... Including Two Cameras...

I have watched endless youtube videos and read the documents that you provided...

I will first try to process the negatives in the tank that I bought...

But thanks guys, you set me off on the right foot... Cheers for the links etc...

I will keep you posted...

I will let you know how I got on...

Regards