Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Since 2007

What’s a guy who still shoots film supposed to do?

Jim Grey
70 comments on What’s a guy who still shoots film supposed to do?
2 minutes
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It is a sad day for this camera collector – my neighborhood CVS has stopped processing film. Theirs was the last one-hour color lab (that I know of) near my home on Indianapolis’s Northwestside. Goodbye, $6 processing and scanning.

BurnedCVS

Just a few years ago I could get my color film processed all over town: Wal-Mart, Meijer, Target, Walgreens, CVS, and Costco. These labs have shut down one by one. Oh, for the halcyon days of Costco’s startlingly good processing and giant high-quality scans for about four bucks.

I do have options. A camera store on the Northside still has a one-hour lab. But their processing and scanning is expensive at about $15 per roll, and I’ve had too many of their scans feature stray hairs that got into their equipment. Of course I can keep sending film off to The Darkroom or to Dwayne’s Photo, the mail-order processors I use most. I send all of my medium-format and black-and-white film to them already, because the drug-store labs won’t process it. They both do very good work, and they process almost anything you care to send them, including defunct film formats such as 110 and 620. Their prices for processing and scanning are reasonable (but go up fast when you send in odd formats or ask for higher-resolution scans). But thanks to shipping charges the overall cost starts at $14 per roll, which isn’t much of a bargain. And then you have to wait a week, give or take, to get scans back.

CVSSign

I’m cheap and impatient. I’m thinking seriously about processing my own film. For an initial outlay of no more than $100, I can buy all the equipment I need to process black-and-white film. (The sources I read say that color film is trickier to process and many recommend just leaving color processing to the pro labs.) My scanner can handle 35mm negatives, but I’d want a scanner that can do medium-format film too. I think I could get a serviceable one for around $200. After the initial outlay, though, I can process film for less than a buck a roll.

Two things hold me back. First, I processed a roll of film once, in high school, and I thought it was the most boring thing I’d ever done. Second, my life is busy enough today that I wonder where I’d find the time to mess with it. It is just so convenient to drop off or mail in film.

I know that some of you reading this process your own film. What advice do you have to offer me?

Film is still a bargain compared to 30 years ago. Read about how this is true.

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Comments

70 responses to “What’s a guy who still shoots film supposed to do?”

  1. Earth Ocean Sky Redux Avatar
    Earth Ocean Sky Redux

    New here, followed a comment you made at Preservation in Pink. Great blog.

    I used to process my own film in the days when I had time (and patience!). But like most, I’ve gone all digital but I admit to cheating on my Lumix and looking longingly at my old film cameras and wonder if I should make the giant leap backwards (or forwards, which is it?)

    I’m excited to see what advice you get…maybe if it’s all positive, it will be enough encouragement for me to go back to film. I am lucky where I am to still have two mom and pop camera stores that sell and develop film.

    Good post.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      We’ll see how the comments go today! I got an e-mail from a reader early this morning encouraging me to process my own, and even to do color — he says that if he can do it, so can I.

      I shoot digital too, most of the time. There’s nothing wrong with getting a film camera out from time to time just for nostalgia’s sake and just to get the look of film into your work.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  2. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    On average, it takes me about 15 minutes to process my b&w film — 10 for the developer and 5 for the fix. Washing is 10 minutes, but requires minimal attention, as does an hour for drying.

    Scanning one negative at a time on a flatbed scanner like my old Epson 2450 easily runs over an hour per roll, even though I hold the scanning resolution at 1200 since I seldom do anything other than publish on line.

    For 35mm you can save a lot of time by using one of the small automatic scanners that will suck in a whole strip of shots in a matter of minutes. You can probably find a such a scanner for $200-$300, but the reliability may not be ideal.

    Of course, you could do the full monty with a wet darkroom, contact sheets and silver prints, but then you are looking at real time.

    I’ve never much minded the amount of time required to do my own scanning. The results are superior to what you can get from anyone else doing it for you, and there is a lot of satisfaction in having complete control and seeing the results appear in front of you — much the same feeling you get from seeing the image gradually appear in a tray.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Mike, thank you for sharing your experience. The other day, I scanned the film I developed in 1984. (I have an Epson V300.) The scanning wasn’t terribly time consuming. If I get into a groove with it, I think I can manage to do a 24-exposure roll in 20 minutes or so at 1200. I spent half an evening in Photoshop with those photos, however, breathing life into them — most of them were badly exposed. I’ll share some of those photos here next week.

      I have a demanding job and am raising teenagers, and also write this blog and am involved with my Michigan Road group. So as you can imagine, time is limited to take on new things. At least it is for the next few years until the nest empties. But I am leaning heavily toward buying some equipment and chemicals to process b/w and see how it goes.

      Reply
      1. cinderelladobbs Avatar
        cinderelladobbs

        I wish I had a darkroom! I took a photography class in high school and loved processing and developing my own B&W photos back then!!! When we can get into a house (we live in a mobile home right now), I plan on having a dark room at some point! I wouldn’t mind learning color, especially if it is cheaper than having them done.

        Reply
        1. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          You can really process your own b/w without a full darkroom. You just need a processing tank and a dark bag. A full darkroom is really only truly necessary when you want to make prints!

          Reply
        2. cinderelladobbs Avatar
          cinderelladobbs

          I know, but what fun is it to process your film without making any prints! LOL! We don’t even have camera yet, but a friend is giving my husband a Canon EOS Elan II, so I am looking into film again.

          During my research, I saw that there were some attempts to make a digital film cartridge! That would be an awesome thing to have! Then we could switch to digital when we run out of film! I wish someone had made this successful already. I want one!

          Reply
        3. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          Here’s a link to some good quality and very inexpensive b/w film. I shoot it; it’s good stuff.

          http://www.freestylephoto.biz/192364-Arista-Premium-400-ISO-35mm-x-36-exp.

          Reply
  3. RRAlexander Avatar
    RRAlexander

    I’ve been developing B&W negatives at home, then scanning with an Epson V600, which does a good job of scanning more than 99.9% of the time. A friend recently got a V700, which is capable of scanning more negatives at one pass.
    Yeah, developing is somewhat time-consuming. I usually listen to music while doing that. But the biggest problem I have is dust, since I live on the edge of the Mojave Desert. I’ve found that adding a drop of dishwashing liquid a couple times during the rinsing process, then using Kodak’s Photo-Flo at the end eliminates the majority of the dust. Though developing negs is a bit boring, the act of pulling the long negative off the reel and holding it up to a light to look at it seems to balance it out for me – I get more enjoyment out of that part of it than I probably should.
    I occasionally shoot color film and get it processed at Costco, which is very consistent. Results from the other local one-hour places are universally deplorable. Though scanning the color negatives is also time-consuming, it does save a bit of money, and I have more control over the digital end of it. If you have a scanner, you can cut some of the cost off the film you HAVE to send out.
    I only have a small tank that will develop two 35mm reels at a time, but I rarely shoot more than 2 rolls of 35mm in a day (and usually not that much). If you’re going to batch process every couple of weeks or so, a 4-reel tank might be a good investment, though you will use more chemicals.
    I gradually moved away from “all digital” to “mostly film” and recently acquired enough equipment to set up a darkroom in my garage. Though it is time-consuming, I enjoy film considerably more than digital. When I get through the film process, I feel like I’ve accomplished something, which is not always the case with digital.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      I still shoot 50% digital. You can’t beat it for instant results and easy handling.

      I can only imagine the dust problems you have. Dust isn’t a problem where I live, but dog hair sure is — I find it everywhere.

      I almost never have more than one roll to process at a time, so a tank that handles one or two rolls of 35mm or one roll of 120 would do fine for me.

      Reply
  4. Ben Cotton Avatar
    Ben Cotton

    It’s been a while since I did B&W developing, but in 8th grade, I spent countless hours in the darkroom processing something like 60% of the film for my middle school yearbook. B&W is pretty easy, you just want to make sure you get your temperatures right. I’ve only done color a few times, and it was slides, but I don’t remember it being monumentally harder.

    One thing you might try is to see if any nearby universities have a camera club. They may be willing to let you crash their party to try your hand at a few rolls before investing in your own setup.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Everybody says that b/w isn’t that challenging. I’m inclined to just buy the tank and chemicals and have a go at it. I can afford it, and then even if I still end up sending most of my film out to be processed at least I can do it if I want.

      Reply
  5. pesoto74 Avatar
    pesoto74

    I got back into film because I was never satisfied with the b&w conversions that I could get with digital. Sometimes I would get a result that I liked, however it was a lot of work. For me it is a lot simpler just to use b&w film to get b&w images. One thing I am doing now as far as developing goes that I hadn’t done before is using one-shot developers like Rodinal and HC-110 more. I like not having to mix up a lot of solution and then worrying if it will go bad before I use it. Both Rodinal and HC-110 seem to last forever. I also use one of the fixers that don’t smell bad. My current favorite is the one by Eco-Pro. I also don’t use stop bath. Instead I just rinse with water before adding the fixer. I use what I think is called the “Illford method” to wash at the end. You fill and empty the tank three times shaking 10, 20, and then 40 times. After washing I always use a little Photo-Flo. The whole process from loading the film to hanging it to dry rarely takes more than 20 minutes. Another thing that I have done this time around is what is called “stand developing”. This seems to be used mostly with Rodinal. Here you use a very small amount of developer and just agitate once at that start and then once again in the middle of the process. The time this takes is usually and hour. I have gotten some very good results doing this with slow films. I found it to be perfect for films like Neopan. http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php is a good place to get info about film and development times. Anyway it can be a fascinating subject. Better stop before I run to the comment word limit.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      I’ve read about stand developing. Sounds plenty easy. I think that if I take this plunge I’ll try traditional methods first. I think I’d probably do the Rodinal or HC-110 too, to avoid the mixing and worries about waste.

      I hear you on b/w digital conversions. I’ve done some and it just never satisfies like real b/w film.

      Reply
  6. Jennifer S Avatar
    Jennifer S

    I did black and white developing in high school and found it really creative and fun. There’s so much you can do to alter each print individually… and sometimes get unexpected results. My dad used to process his own film and had the equipment set up in a bathroom in the house. Color sounds a little intimidating… but I’m sure you could handle it.

    It’s sad there’s nowhere convenient that still develops film in your area. (It’s probably the same thing here. I haven’t used anything but digital in about ten years.) This is another technology that kids today will consider totally antiquated. My son found an audio cassette the other day, and I had to perform a tutorial so he’d understand how it works. The idea that you have to fast forward and actually wait to get to the point on the tape where the song you want to listen to is… and then flip it over for more songs? Crazy.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Printmaking is where the creativity is — processing film is just chemicals and agitation and waiting. I won’t set up the printmaking side of a darkroom — just the processing side. I’ll scan my negatives and go digital with them from there. I’ll probably set up in a bathroom like your dad.

      Don’t tell your son about 8-track tapes. It’d make his head explode.

      Reply
  7. Cooking Film Avatar
    Cooking Film

    Hello Jim, and first of all, forgive me for my poor English.

    For me, home developing black and white film, allows me to get the results I want out of a certain film. I can choose the developer, the dilution, to control the time, the contrast, the grain… all of this is part of the whole process of shooting film. Like Jennifer said it is indeed a creative and fun process.

    Many times I get home from work and after taking care of my son, bath, homework, dinner, spending time with him, etc… I put on some music and it’s like a therapy. It’s just me, the chemicals and the clock. My 10 year old sometimes likes to help which is great. I’m sure you will have fun and your photography will benefit a lot.

    If you are really thinking about doing it, it’s not hard at all, go with Rodinal or Agfa R09 (as it is sold in Europe) or Adox APH09. It has a long shelf life and if you use it at high dilutions it will last a long time.

    As for the scanner I use a cheap Canon 9000F and it’s a pretty fast scanner that delivers very decent results. On top of that it scans 35 and 120mm film.

    Jim, once you start doing it, you will never look back. :)

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      I’ve been wondering which scanner to buy. I like my Epson V300 but its lack of 120 capability really brings me down. Thanks for recommending the Canon.

      I’ll give processing my own a try. Maybe I’ll find a way to fit it in and that won’t be as hard as I worry it might be.

      Reply
      1. rangerdon Avatar
        rangerdon

        Higher end Epsons have 120 holders, I’m sure, and the Epsons are probably better than Canon

        Reply
  8. Lone Primate Avatar
    Lone Primate

    Oh, Jim… do it! Go the whole nine yards, really. These things are only going to get rarer and more expensive. Shoot and shoot and shoot, and then pick a day you’ve got time, and make a day of it. Your laundry day. :) You have a hobby that’s got real charm, and something not many people do anymore, but it means something to you. My two cents… go “pro”. Then nothing can hold you back. :)

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Yes, that’s for sure. The selection of films keeps shrinking along with the availability of processing. I doubt it will entirely go away anytime soon, but I am sure we’re not done seeing processors quit the business and films stop being made.

      Reply
  9. Eric Avatar
    Eric

    I’m going to join the chorus here. Process your own. It will save you tons of money (after the initial investment). I only process C-41. Unlike most, B&W intimidates me, while C-41 is just so cut and dry, it’s hardly art.

    For a scanner, I use the Epson V500. It does 120.

    Film, like vinyl records, is coming back. It’ll take the normals some time to figure this out, but trust me.

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Really? B/W intimidates you? I’ve never heard of such a thing! But really, whatever works for you.

      I’m sure film photography will be a strong niche for some time to come, but like digital music, digital photography is going to dominate and that’s that!

      Reply
  10. Chang Avatar
    Chang

    Hi Jim, I stumbled upon your blog as I tried to find out more about the Olympus XA which is on its way to me. Nice blog!! I have read a number of your personal articles as well :)

    Anyways, I recently started developing my own B/W film, and Im also a supporter of the rodinal stand development.

    Pretty easy, load the film into the developing container (in the changing bag), mix the chemicals, pour it in, agitate for a minute (like really 60 seconds) and you leave it there for another 59 minutes.
    You can go about doing what you want for an hour, a few minutes off wont make a difference, and after that another 2 mins for rinsing with water (I dont do a stop bath), and 5 mins for fixing. And thats that!

    Effectively, it’d be about 10 mins of real work (once you get the hang of it), and the rest of it is just waiting.

    Furthermore, you can try to find a bigger film developing container (the same steps above apply). As far as i know, the largest I’ve seen is one that can contain 5 rolls of 35mm film. So thats 10 mins of work for 5 rolls of 35mm film! :)

    Scanning might be a bit more time consuming, i guess that depends on your scanner though.

    Cheers!

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Chang, thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ll keep reading. Thanks for the encouragement. I’ve decided to try b/w processing — even if I don’t like it for whatever reason, I can afford the risk (in equipment costs). I’ll start with 35mm, which my current scanner can handle. If I really take to it, I’ll upgrade the scanner later to handle 120.

      Reply
  11. Derek Avatar
    Derek

    Do your own black and white! It’s cheaper, easier, and faster, don’t have to wait. Even the scanner I am using can do 120 is under $150. I might even do my own color in the near future, since I am a control freak. I heard something about dust and hair you worry about. Dry your film in a cabinet or closet can help, I also bought a air purifier from goodwill for $5. Also, each time before scan, wipe the scanner off with microfiber cloth, and then use a plastic pump blower to blow off any dust on the film and the scanner surface. I see you mention about being boring. Well for black and white you can simply do this if you are as lazy as I am http://dehk.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/using-unicolor-motorbase-developing-roll-film-with-small-tank/ . For color you’d need something like a Jobo to regulate the temperature.

    I think developing is not the painstaking part, scanning is, however, since I control each step, I can easily control the outcome.

    I heard about the labs you send your film to, I hear good things, but just to give you another option, i send my film to Old school photo lab in Dover NH http://www.oldschoolphotolab.com , they are also great, $11 processed only shipped both ways per roll, pretty much any size film and any type. As a matter of fact I just sent a roll of portra 800 out today to them. Had to return back to them since I am not happy with the lab in cleveland even though it’s cheaper.

    I’d strongly recommend you to get a scanner. since lab scans are not necessary the best, they don’t know what you want. And also start doing your own bw. Might be fun, something for you to master!

    If You need anything just give me a holla,

    Reply
    1. Jim Avatar
      Jim

      Derek, I’ve decided to invest in some processing equipment. I’m going to buy a tank that can handle 35mm and 120, and some b/w chemicals, to start. I have a scanner that can do 35mm so I’ll try shooing some 35mm b/w and see how it goes with processing and scanning. If I hate it, well, it was worth a shot. If I like it, then I’ll consider upgrading to a scanner that can handle 120 too. I’ve been okay with the lab scans I’ve gotten — the CVS scans were on the grainy side, the Costco scans were WONDERFUL, and I’ve seen everything in between.

      Reply
      1. Derek Avatar
        Derek

        I keep hearing good things from costco, but I don’t think there’s any around here.

        Great news! Music to my ear, bout your investment, can’t wait to see the results.

        Reply
  12. Kenn Alan Avatar
    Kenn Alan

    What’s your time worth? How many rolls will you save p until you mix your fresh chemicals? Printing is one thing, but I prefer leaving the film developing to the professional; labs.

    I found this through Googling “Processing 620 C41.”

    Best,

    Kenn

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Kenn, time is why I still haven’t bought any chemicals or equipment, six months after writing this post. It remains less time-intensive for me to just drop my film into an envelope and send it off.

      Reply
  13. Gary Avatar
    Gary

    Sharp Photo, sharpphoto.net, does a great job of developing MY 35mm film. Faet turn around time too. :-)

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  14. rangerdon Avatar
    rangerdon

    Color – C41 – is easy. Some b/w films are also processed in C41 – lets you use a different asa/iso for each frame. Ilford, as I recall, makes one. Temperature regulation is more critical for color, and especially transparency film, but the solution is an easy one: Use a dishpan, filled with water, and heat the water to the right temp with a fishtank heater. Also, use a Weston thermometer to make sure that you have accurate temps.

    Time is also critical for color – use a good Gralab timer or similar. Probably all digital now. Actually, digital timers on cellphones or pads should work just fine.

    Good dryer for film is a cheap hair dryer.

    Edwal FG7 used to be the best BW developer.

    And Costco is still doing film and scans, so I’d suggest them unless it’s work of Ansel Adams nature.

    Printing is where the true art comes in. Not hard to set up a b/W darkroom – color is much trickier, I’d stick with B/W. And the equipment is now available for low cost, used, I’ll bet. Durst or Omega enlargers.

    Photoshop, unless it’s Elements, is WAY overkill. Most of the pros I know use Lightroom or Aperture. Or even Elements.

    Go for it!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I just got a Freestyle catalog and am thinking anew about buying processing gear. I shot a roll of Fuji 200 on New Year’s Eve and thought I’d drop it by the only one-hour lab I know of near me, a curiously expensive one, but when I got there I learned that they no longer process film. I’m really getting tired of sending film out and waiting up to two weeks to get my images back!

      I know I can build a processing “lab” and do it all in my bathroom. I work with images only digitally, however; I don’t see myself moving into printing any time soon, if ever. I don’t have space in my home for that kind of equipment anyway.

      I use Photoshop Elements. It’s good enough for me. I like to get the image right in the camera as much as possible. Elements is there for when I don’t get it right in the camera.

      Reply
      1. rangerdon Avatar
        rangerdon

        Good way to start – easy, one step at a time. If you decide to do E-6 — transparency — the fish tank heater, water bath, Weston thermometer and precise timer make it easy.
        Also mounts – GEPE are expensive, plastic but probably the best. On the other hand, the cardboard mounts that are heat sealed work fine as well.

        Good luck, have fun.

        Reply
  15. James Jacocks Avatar
    James Jacocks

    B/W processing of film is pretty easy. I am a pro with an obscene amount of equipment–film and digital. Actually, I like to keep my personal stuff simple. Started with a closet lab and had more fun than is permitted. The thing is that use of time has to be fun and very low stress. Music is a great companion. So is a companion. Find a fellow enthusiast. Stand development is really easy and you can walk away and enjoy something else. The results are good too–auto contrast control and unidevelopment time. Am very nostalgic for traditional processes and admit that silver geletan prints are FAR better. For fun and serious art work my Bessa cameras are the most useful. They are compact and lenses are superb. Don’t think that there is a better way to shoot B/W. Love your blog. Photography is fun!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I do recall that the processing isn’t hard at all and isn’t even all that time consuming. It’s the scanning that stops me. It takes me an hour to scan a roll of 35mm and then an hour or two or three to process them in Photoshop. I love every minute of it, but I’m a busy dude and lack the time for it. So I continue to send my film out, because in a week or so it comes back all processed and scanned. That said, I’m still considering doing this anyway and figuring out if something else in my life can go to make room.

      Reply
      1. James Jacocks Avatar
        James Jacocks

        I found that scanning takes more time than printing! With chemicals premixed, enlarger pre set etc., it takes me under 3 minutes to have a wet keeper in hand. Using RC paper, that means you’re a squeegee away from done. Hang the thing on a line and walk away. It humbles a digital print for sure. Organization saves time here as with everything. What could be easier? Oh, yes, Polaroids. (That is a sad truth. No more useful Polaroid films made. My opinion.) I never have enough good things to use my time on.

        Reply
        1. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          Oh, I don’t know; I like the Fuji pack films. Stay tuned, Monday’s post is about the color version.

          Reply
          1. James Jacocks Avatar
            James Jacocks

            The Polaroid films that I liked best were the positive/negative type for reprinting the shot. I admit ignorance as to Fuji instants. I will wait for your post with interest. If you have tried manipulations with the color films, please comment on the results. I have a couple of medium format prima donnas that can take pack film adapters. Thanks for the communications!

            Reply
      2. Jim Grey Avatar
        Jim Grey

        The pack films include a negative. You wash the peel-off back with bleach and voila. There are instructions all over the Internet if you search.

        Reply
        1. James Jacocks Avatar
          James Jacocks

          Knew that but sailed right by. Mea culpa. Attachment disorder with Polaroid. Used them like kleenex before every shot for nearly 40 years. Thanks!

          Reply
  16. Peter Paar Avatar
    Peter Paar

    If you haven’t tried developing yet you might want to look at “daylight” developing tanks (you can find them on Ebay). You won’t even need a darkroom. I processed my own film for over 50 years until health problems forced me out of the darkroom. Black and white is simple. Color slides (Process E-6) is simple as long as you watch the temperature. Color negatives (C-41) is a little more difficult and less forgiving of time and/or temperature errors. I agree with an earlier poster that B&W prints are far better than digital.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Yes, I’ve mapped it all out – a tank like you describe, a dark bag, and the requisite chemicals and I should be good to go. I still haven’t pulled the trigger, though. I think it’s in part butterflies over trying something new, but also I am quite confident that finding time to scan the processed negatives will be a challenge. I’ve done some negative scanning and holy cow does it take time. I so enjoy having someone else do that! But I’m shooting a lot more film this year, and at the prices of mail-order processing I am very likely to take this plunge very soon.

      Reply
  17. Mike Benton (South Mills, NC) Avatar
    Mike Benton (South Mills, NC)

    Go for it. I have been able to pick up an Omega B22 and 2 Beseler 23 CII for under $200. Had to order some sundries to finish 1 of the 23 CIIs and converted the other to be a copy stand, tilt it up and drill a 1/4″ hole in the bottom of the triangle piece, no major mods and is still able to be used as an enlarger. Picked up some lenses at thrift shops for dirt cheap $4.oo-$20.00 off ebay. I have a Pentax SPII that I bought brand new in Germany in 1972 and LOVE it and a Canon FT QL and Nikon SP, just got a collection of classics for free from an older fellow. He gave me a Pentax SPF, a SPII and a K1000, all work ( light meters?), 2 Nikon FGs, 1 EM, 1 N2000, 2Oly OM10s, OM40, numerous Minoltas, 3 Canon AE-1 Programs and a %$(* load of lenses (etc.) Flashes yada yada. I will be looking for folks who want to shoot film and give them a camera kit under the understanding that the equipment is to be passed on or returned, but NOT sold.I just started the developing and wet dark room as an avocation since I’ve retired, I think you will enjoy it. Good luck.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      That’s awesome — amassing a collection of good film cameras and then giving them away one by one with the stipulation that they are either kept or given to someone else who will shoot them. I like it.

      Time is not my friend. I’ve got a leadership role in a software company, am raising teenagers, am heavily involved at church. So the idea of processing my own film keeps getting kicked down the road.

      Reply
  18. josephdecker0 Avatar
    josephdecker0

    My personal experience with processing color film has been mixed. Regulating high temperature baths without proper tools is difficult. I’ve achieved some good results, and lots of color-shift. Both Derek and I use the same scanner, the Epson 4490 Perfection Photo, and the results from the scanner are about the best you’re going to get from a flat-bed.

    I’ve used Rollei/compard C41 and E6 chemicals as well as Arista, Tetenal, and Unicolor. Unicolor seemed to exhaust really quickly, but the results were good, Tetenal and Arista were similar, I had a few issues with the Rollei/compard chems not being sealed correctly, but their results were the best when they arrived fresh.

    If you’re well-versed in photoshop, slight shifts to cyan or magenta really won’t matter much as you can easily adjust that in post production, but it creates a negative that you’ll never be able to print traditionally. That said, a good electronic thermostat and a deep water bath should give you decent results if you practice with a few rolls. The other side of that coin is the JOBO line of processing machines that will temper your chemicals for you. I’ve been lusting after one for some time, just so I don’t have to rely on someone else to process my film. The price per neg is much lower to do it yourself, and the results are more rewarding, especially with slide film, when it comes out of the can, and you can immediately see the positives…thats a really good feeling.

    Derek (Dehk.wordpress.com) got me into shooting film again, and into experimenting with developers and film combinations. I’ve been developing color and b&w in my mad-scientist’s kitchen for about 3 years now, using acufine, d-76, rodinal, tmax developer, diafine, and xtol, with a range of films both expired and fresh. I’ve also done some experiments like c-41 film developed in black and white chemistry cross-processing E-6 in C-41 chemistry and C41 in E6, so if you have any questions, feel free to hit me up.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thanks for all the tips. Time remains my problem. I can buy all the equipment and chemicals today to process b/w, but it would probably be six months before I made time to do it for the first time. I just have too much going on! So I keep dropping film into a padded mailer and sending it off to be processed. But when I do take the plunge, if I have questions I’ll reach out!

      Reply
      1. josephdecker0 Avatar
        josephdecker0

        I understand the time-crunch, i have about 7 rolls awaiting development, presently. I generally try to set aside an hour or two for such a task and do it all at once. It usually takes about 15-30 min to finish a roll once you get in the rhythm of things, and depending on your developer choice.

        Reply
  19. Ri Avatar
    Ri

    Did you ever find another location to develop color film in Indianapolis? I’m in your same boat.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Nope. I hear that Roberts downtown does it, but they’re in a part of town I never visit. So I send my film to Dwayne’s Photo, dwaynesphoto.com.

      Reply
      1. rialberto Avatar
        rialberto

        Ah, thanks for the reply. Yes, Robert’s has come up in some of my searches, Dwayne’s seems to have very reasonable prices. I might give them a try, thanks!

        Reply
        1. rialberto Avatar
          rialberto

          You know what is crazy Jim? We are now co-workers! How crazy is this, my cubicle is next to Anna’s facing north. I knew your personal blog’s header picture seemed familiar and I remembered I had posted this some time ago… Small world.

          Reply
          1. Jim Grey Avatar
            Jim Grey

            The world, she is mighty, mighty small!

            Reply
  20. Ashlim Avatar
    Ashlim

    look into the pakon f135 scanner :) that will solve the scanning needs.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I’ve read about that scanner! It would be great for my 35mm. I see them on eBay from time to time.

      Reply
  21. jimmy kraktov Avatar
    jimmy kraktov

    I was raised by a professional photographer. I got a Yashica twin lens camera for my 11th birthday (1961) along with 40 rolls of B&W Kodak 120 film. Within a few weeks I was developing and printing my own pictures. Loading film on those spools wasn’t easy for a kid, in the dark. Anyway, I’m currently looking for a good scanner so I can scan my collection. I have, literally, thousands to do. I haven’t had film developed for several years now. There was a place in Toronto that developed film but I can’t find their info anymore. If you can find a place that develops film your best bet from there is to scan the film digitally and print from your computer. Doing your own developing can be expensive these days. Not too much available, chemical wise, and it’s pricey. If you know a place that develops 620/120 size B&W please let me know.
    jimmy

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      What an 11th-birthday present! When I was 11, I shot a $5 126 camera my dad bought me at K-Mart.

      What I’m reading elsewhere is that while some developing chemicals are out of production and prices have risen on the rest, processing your own is still a lot less expensive than having it done. I use Dwayne’s Photo (dwaynesphoto.com) to process all of my film. I send two rolls at a time and have them scan the negatives to CD. It costs a shade under $20. I imagine that if I had all the hardware (tank, scanner, etc.), $20 of chemicals would process a whole lot more than 2 rolls of film! BTW, Dwayne’s processes 120/620.

      Reply
    2. James Jacocks Avatar
      James Jacocks

      Jimmy, you should consider processing the film yourself. I posted (above) a few ideas on making this simple and fun. When I started doing my own prints and negs there was only the kitchen sink and a changing bag yet the results were as good as a lab. If you think you might go this way you might consider the easier to load reels for film such as Patterson since frustration reeling on is a stopper for some. Your film, unlike digital images, will last a very long time and will be useful with any future technology. If you think of old LPL albums, 33 rpm, 45s, 78s, eight track and soon cassetts of the music industry you will get the idea. I’ve heard some folks say this music is still accessible but I answer, “not readily, and not economically.” Film will not die, though for some it will wither on the vine…

      Reply
  22. Mitch Zeissler Avatar
    Mitch Zeissler

    I hear ya, Jim. The same thing has happened here in the DC area. There are a few pro places that still process film in my area, but not cheaply or conveniently. I tried Dwayne’s Photo, but they ruined a bunch of monochrome film that I sent to them.

    I process my own black and white now, and I’m getting the gear together to do my own color processing as well (a reader recently GAVE me a JOBO film processor for free, but it needs a bunch of stuff before I can use it).

    Black and white is easy, especially if you use developers that are less sensitive to temperature swings, like Diafine. Spool the film in a dark bag, set aside 20 minutes, and Bob’s-yer-uncle.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Somewhere around here is another post on this subject where I recommend some by-mail processors. Lately I’ve been using Old School Photo Lab. I’m still thinking about processing my own, but only after my teens are both off to college and my life gets simpler (i.e., I have the time).

      Reply
      1. Mitch Zeissler Avatar
        Mitch Zeissler

        Black and white is sooooo simple to process that you’ll be kicking yourself for not having done it sooner. Seriously. Just get some Diafine and be done with it.

        Diafine is pretty much impervious to temperature issues, and takes 3 minutes for “A”, 3 minutes for “B”, wash, fix, then dry. Done. And it produces great results! Here’s an example of monochrome that I processed in Diafine: http://exploratorius.us/2015/09/06/a-gentleman-and-a-scholar/

        Just do it, Jim! :)

        Reply
        1. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          Oh, you’re probably right. I find scanning to be a time-consuming pain in the a$$ though. Maybe it gets faster the more you do it.

          Reply
          1. Mitch Zeissler Avatar
            Mitch Zeissler

            Just like eating an elephant — just do it one bite at a time. :)

            Reply
            1. rangerdon Avatar
              rangerdon

              It is easy to process B/W, although I’d recommend Edwal FG 7 if it’s still around. E6 isn’t hard either – the key is to get a good Weston Thermometer, a very accurate timer, and a fish tank heater. Put all the tanks and chems in a controlled temp water bath in a plastic dish washing pan and use the fish tank heater to maintain an accurate temp. I’d suggest a timer with large numerals – in the old days, gralab, but today in the digital age, there should be plenty of choices. You want a timer with a quick reset feature like to Gralab. Freestyle is a good source for chemicals and film, for color and I think BW, and may also have the thermometer and timer. Calumet is another good source.

              On Wed, Nov 11, 2015 at 8:48 AM, Down the Road wrote:

              > Mitch Zeissler commented: “Just like eating an elephant — just do it one > bite at a time. :)”

              Reply
              1. Mitch Zeissler Avatar
                Mitch Zeissler

                What rangerdon said…

                Reply
            2. rangerdon Avatar
              rangerdon

              It’s easy to process B/W, although I’d recommend Edwal FG 7 if it’s still around. E6 isn’t hard either – the key is to get a good Weston Thermometer, a very accurate timer, and a fish tank heater. Put all the tanks and chems in a controlled temp water bath in a plastic dish washing pan and use the fish tank heater to maintain an accurate temp. I’d suggest a timer with large numerals – in the old days, gralab, but today in the digital age, there should be plenty of choices. You want a timer with a quick reset feature like to Gralab. Freestyle is a good source for chemicals and film, for color and I think BW, and may also have the thermometer and timer. Calumet is another good source.

              I’ve not done this for years, but still have much of the equipment to do so. Used to teach photography and color photography.

              Reply
              1. Mitch Zeissler Avatar
                Mitch Zeissler

                Good advice.

                Reply
  23. Hunter Avatar
    Hunter

    Jim,
    I have found that after around 2 years of having my own black and white darkroom that the thing that changes more is not how the film is processed but what you shoot with to get those photographs. I found that shooting 35mm for me has become boring for me in the darkroom because it takes so much time to make 24-36 prints. I have found that it is actually making me want to shoot those older, simpler cameras like my brownie hawkeye or duaflex because it give you less work to do in the darkroom and makes you focus more on those limited shots that you have available rather than thinking if you make a mistake, you can fix it on the next shot. It also makes it more fun to see what kind of image quality you can get with fixed focus single speed box cameras like these, and a smile always comes cross my face when I see an image appear in the developer.

    Just my $0.02, Hunter

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thanks for this perspective! I won’t print but I will scan, and that too is a slow process.

      Reply

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