Developing Black & White 35mm film. I am using Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 Black & White negative film and Kodak Professional T-Max P3200 Black & White negative film. I will discuss my choice of films, their characteristics and technical data in a future post.
Publications:
- Langford’s Basic Photgraphy, 10th ed by Michael Langford, Anna Fox & Richard Sawdon Smith + Contributors Andrew Bruce & Marie-Josiane Agossou, 2015, pub Focal Press, London 554p (mine)
Film & film processing is covered in Ch10 starting at p334 - Black & White Photography Workshop by John Blakemore, pub David & Charles , Cincinnati, 2005, 159p (Westminster University)
This book is an eye opener if you really want to know what is possible with analogue photography. Absolutely stunning what this master photographer achieves from visualising the photo before shooting all the way through to amazing printing techniques. As he says himself you can learn the basics of printing in an afternoon – but spend a lifetime mastering the possibilities.
p61 “… it is the relationship between the exposure of and development of the negative and subject brightness range that is generally least understood by even relatively experienced users of black and white materials. Yet an understanding is essential to the deliberate use and control of the tonality in the print.“
p69 “The significant variables in film development are time, temperature and agitation. Use an accurate timer and a certified thermometer. Agitation is the variable most open to abuse, so it is important to establish a consistent and repeatable pattern of agitation. Inverse agitation – turning the tank upside down and returning to the vertical – is the most effective. … I would suggest making 2 inversions at the start of development and a single inversion every 30 seconds for the remainder of the development time. After inversion, rap the tank bottom on a hard surface to dislodge airbells. Systems of agitation that revolve the spiral are less effective and should be avoided. Use stop bath between developer and fix.“ - Kodak Professional T-MAX P3200 Black & White Negative Film – Technical Data by Kodak alaris, March 2018 F-4001 10p (pdf)
p4 “Small-Tank Processing (8- or 16-ounce tank)
With small single- or double-reel tanks, drop the loaded film reel
into the developer and attach the top to the tank. Firmly tap the
tank on the top of the work surface to dislodge any air bubbles.
Provide initial agitation of 5 to 7 inversion cycles in 5 seconds,
i.e., extend your arm and vigorously twist your wrist 180 degrees.
Then repeat this agitation procedure at 30-second intervals
for the rest of the development time. “
Note: this is the same advice as in the Kodak Professional Tri-x 320 & 400 data sheet. - Kodak Professional TRI-X 320 and 400 Films – Technical Data / Black & White film by Kodak alaris, Hemel Hempsted, February 2016 F-4017 9p (pdf)
- Kodak Professional XTOL developer – Technical Data by Kodak alaris, Hemel Hempsted, March 2008 J-109 16p (pdf)
Notes based on workshop handout by Westminster with amendments & additions by me:
Film Processing in Light-Tight Tanks (Daylight Tanks)
- Keep your ‘dry ‘ working area way from the ‘wet’ chemical preparation and processing areas.
- Make sure that the jugs & thermometer are CLEAN – wash & drain them.
- Ensure that your hands are clean and dry.
- Check that the tank has a spiral, column, lid and cover that fit properly or it will not be light tight.
- The tank and its parts have to be clean and dry, as otherwise spots will occur on the finished film.
- Loading of the film onto the spiral and placing it into the tank has to be done in complete darkness. Lock the darkroom door!
You can turn the light on & unlock the door when the film is loaded into the tank with its lid on. - Prepare the developer in a clean jug at 20C (Kodak XTOL Profession deeveloper is used 1:1 at Westminster)
200ml XTOL + 200ml water = 400ml total for 1 roll of 35mm film
double this for 2 rolls of 35mm film.
Adjust the developing time according to the charts for your film if the temperature is different. - Pour 400ml of stop into a clean jug (800ml for 2 rolls of 35mm film).
- Pour 400ml of fix into a clean jug (800ml for 2 rolls of 35mm film).
- Use stopwatch on phone for timing, switch to aircraft mode to avoid timing being interrupted, plug into charger or external battery as charger to avoid phone switching off or going to sleep.
- Timing starts here Pour the developer into the top of the tank, close it with the lid making sure that it is screwed on correctly. Firmly tap the tank on the tip of the work surface to dislodge and air bubbles. Provide initial agitation of 5 to 7 inversion cycles in 5 seconds, ie extend your arm and vigorously twist your writs 18o degrees. Then repeat this agitation procedure at 30-second intervals for the rest of the development time. Pour the developer into the recycling tank at the end of the development time (start 10 seconds before the end).
- Pour stop bath into the tank. Agitate as above for 1 minute then return stop bath to bottle (start 10 seconds before the end).
- Pour fix into the tank. Agitate continuously as above for 1 minute. Leave tank to stand for about 5 minutes. Return fix to bottle.
- It is now safe to look at the film.
- Rinse film in running water at approximately 20C for 20-30 minutes.
- Dunk film in wetting agent tank.
- Hang up film to dry in drying cabinet (this should only ever be opened when switched off).
- Clean and tidy up after yourself – leave the darkroom as you would expect to find it.
- Cut the dry film into strips of 6 exposures and store in acid free sleeves.