Learning Film Developing

So I picked up a Pentax k1000 for $15 the other day. I was looking up film developing and such. Seems pretty simple, but I had a few questions.

1)Is there any tricks to B&W developing? From whatever Ive read its fairly straight forward, but was wondering if POTNs vast experience had any tips?

2)A lot of people say using the Sunny16 rule ISO 400 is a good all around ISO but figuring that Im going o use it for street photography so Ill be out when its nicer generally I was thinking 200 ISO may give me for aperture and shutter speed play

3) After research I here a lot about 4 films, Ilford HP5+ ; Ilford Delta Pro ; Kodak Tri X ; Kodak TMax. Are any of these good to both learn shooting AND developing? Such as forgiving in exposure, bath times, etc. I heard that TMax can be finicky to develop as well as it can be a bit tricky to get highlights right. Any other suggestions?

4)I was looking at a list of tools. This included measuring cup, graduated cylinder, thermometer, reel, developing tank, hanging clips, drying cloth, changing bag and consumables. Anything else?

5)What are my options with developed film. Scanning, printing etc?

Anything I should now or am not asking about film developing?

I highly recommend wearing rubber gloves. Darkroom chemicals can be very hazardous to your skin when used repeatedly, especially fixer. Also make sure your darkroom area is well ventilated. Back in the old days of film I had to have steroid treatments to stop the skin from peeling off of my fingers. Contact dermatitis can be a real ****.

1) The only real "trick" is getting the film on the developing reel. Sacrifice a length of film, practice in daylight, then in the changing bag.

2) When using Sunny 16, you set shutter speed to the ISO of your film. I usually use "Sunny 11" to make sure I get the shadow detail I want, and cut back 10%-15% on the published development time.

3) Unless you need large prints with minimized grain, I'd suggest sticking with Tri-X until you're comfortable with the process.

4) You'll need a timer.

You pretty much have a good idea where you are going and the above post offers some good advice. As for scanning and printing that gets a little tricky. A 35mm neg is tiny. Most of the home scanners made for film/neg scanning like the CanoScan 9000f or Epson v700 will scan ok for web use or small prints. If you want to make larger prints you'll have to look for a professional scanning service that uses a drum scanner. For obvious reasons the home scanners can get you better prints if you're shooting 120 film.

I just picked up some new55 monobath for developing. Its one chemical for b&w, its reusable and takes 5-6 mins. I haven't used it yet but supposedly it's super easy.

I would recommend HP5+ as first film to try. Very forgiving film. Delta is very specific and Kodak is expensive and has some specifics for developing, it also curling a lot.

If you have iPhone you could get free exposure meter application. It is very good for metering.

Scanning is easy option. Get any used Epson scanner for film, it comes with good enough software. Even Plustek 7200 if you could get it with software it was bundled with is good enough. I recently have one for ... 30 dollars.
Scan as TIFF, final edit in LR.

Printing is the true film photography. Local classifieds usually have entire darkroom sets for low cost.
I started with scanning, but regretted I didn't started with darkroom instead. Scan and print from scans is not the same as darkroom print, period. With scan and print from it you are faking it.

To develop film you'll need any developer, any fixer and wetting agent on chemicals side. All three are important.
I recommend Kodak Photo Flo 200 for wetting agent.
One 1L measure jar and one small measure cap in mlL. Tea spoon with long handle. Three 1 Gallon plastic containers for tap water, fixer and developer if both are from the powder. If from concentrate, one 1L container for fixer mix. One plastic bottle to keep Photo Flo mis.
Developing tank with reel. Stay away from metal reels. They are for masochists.

Thermometer... don't really need one for bw film and room temperature. To hang film - one dress hanger with clip on the bathroom light, one clip from the dress hanger on the end of the film.

Where are many video tutorials on youtube for how to load and develop and how to print.

If you have any questions to ask about film - rangefinder forum and APUG are good places.

Cheers, Ko.

kf095 wrote in post #17856548
...Developing tank with reel. Stay away from metal reels. They are for masochists.

It's not really that bad. Just takes a little practice, but I've never tried it in a changing bag, so maybe you have a point.

That's a recipe for lotsa' dust on the neg. A closet where the air doesn't circulate with the door opening & closing, the heat coming on & off, would be a better option.

Ditch 35mm, if you're gonna shoot film shoot medium format(or larger). The quality will blow you away. Get a meter, sunny 16 is not accurate at all. Or even use your digital camera as a meter.


Developing BW is stupid simple, just watch your temp and your times. Try different developers and see what you like best. I prefer Caffenol since I can buy everything at a grocery store and it doesn't smell like death.

Same with film, try them all and see what you like best. I've been shooting HP5+ lately because it's insanely cheap. $4 for a 120 roll. Tmax is my absolute favorite.

If you find expired b/w film shoot it. It virtually lasts forever. I've shot film that wasn't cold stored at all from the 70-80s and it came out great. Literally expired a decade before I was even born.


Scanning sucks, which again is why you go medium format. It's so much easier to scan and you can get a decent scanner cheap. Unlike 35, a decent 35mm will set you back some and then all it can scan is 35 which kinda blows.


If you want the film experience without the hassle shoot packfilm polaroids. There's millions of cameras that shoot it. Dirt cheap from $5 and up. Fuji makes phenomenal film and you get a print and a really large negative you can scan.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #17856555
That's a recipe for lotsa' dust on the neg. A closet where the air doesn't circulate with the door opening & closing, the heat coming on & off, would be a better option.

Well, I was drying film just in unfinished basement and later on in the basement bathroom. If Photo Flo is applied, film dries fast.
I could print, scan after one hour. And dust is never a problem for me.
I have dust removal turned of for scanning and printing is even more forgiving.
Our house isn't in the Alps, dust is present. So, I always use the Rocket Blower before scan and print.

I have used R3 monobath many times.
It is temperature critical. it must be at 80 degrees F.
For my tri-x and T-max I go 7 minutes - It is ok to go long, but never short.
With 35mm roll film you will see some sprocket hole drag marks like this...

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/uTGm​wo

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/AAaD​R3

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/yobP​DN

You can google the subject.

BW film development is very involved. I don't want to sound like I am scaring you but the development time has to match what sorts of tonal range you want to achieve with your film. And that depends on how you exposed the film to begin with. Did you meter the shadow and to place the exposure index at zone 3 (minus two stops)??? Was the highlight in the scene very contrasty? If so, you may have to use a normal or standard development time.

Go here to figure out your standard, normal development time, depending on the chemical and film you are using.. Normally, you want to increase your development time in order to increase your highlight. Certain developers would give you a different contrast curve. Some would make your highlight more intense while others would generally increase the exposure of your mid tone.

Go here http://www.digitaltrut​h.com/devchart.php Select the film and developer you are planning to use.

TooManyShots wrote in post #17874218
You can google the subject.

BW film development is very involved. I don't want to sound like I am scaring you but the development time has to match what sorts of tonal range you want to achieve with your film. And that depends on how you exposed the film to begin with. Did you meter the shadow and to place the exposure index at zone 3 (minus two stops)??? Was the highlight in the scene very contrasty? If so, you may have to use a normal or standard development time.

The rule was to expose for the shadows & develop for the highlights.