10 Tips & Tricks for Developing Film at Home

In this video, I'm sharing some tips, tricks, and specific tools for anyone who's interested in developing their own film at home. It's one of those things that can be a bit intimidating at first, but with the right equipment, some practice, you'll be comfortable in no time. These are some things I've learned and also wish that I knew when I was first starting out.

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►FILM PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR (*these are affiliate links):

[SatanSupimpa]

I don't even shoot film, I just like how analog photography channels are more photography than gear related.

[stratocactus]

Tips for loading films on reels : if you do it in a darkroom and you have fluorescent lights (those neon tubes you know), wait 1 min after you've turned off the light before exposing your film. Those lights don't turn off 100% immediately, and they can fog your negs.

[kenneth]

If you has a more manual camera like mine OM-4. You can feel the film release from spool when you crank it back, always leaving a bit out the cassette to cut and trim the corners before spooling in the dark. I never opened a cassette, its easier to control the film for me anyway.

[tangenziale_audio]

I home-developed my first few rolls recently after a long break. I had left them hanging to dry in the bathroom but my dog walked in there and somehow knocked the door shut. She then started scratching frantically to get out and put big scratches on the end of the drying rolls. Lesson learned!!

[mattk]

You can actually load 2x120 films on one reel. The reel is designed to accommodate 220 film. I've seen people taping 2 rolls together, but i have done this many times without taping together.

[hectoracevedo]

All good points. If I may I would suggest using the agitator rod that is supplied with Patterson tanks and similar AP tanks to carry out the agitation INSTEAD of inverting the tank (turning it upside down and back). Two reasons I recommend this.1) to save time from removing and replacing the lid to dump out developer and add stop bath and again to dump the stop bath and pour in the fixer. You must take care to attach the lid properly to avoid leaks when inverting. 2) using the agitator rod avoids having to tap to dislodge air bubbles that may form on the film surface as a result of the inversion action.
Note that inversion was taught as the method of agitation because before plastic tanks were available there was no other way to agitate. Stainless steel tanks ( which many photographers still use) offered no other method of agitation besides inversion. Use of the agitator rod supplied with platics tanks makes changing chemicals much easier and is a perfect way to dislodge air bubbles.
The instructions suppied with plastic tanks give a good illustration of proper use of the agitator rod.

[messsucher]

I load my film onto the patterson reels in my bathroom, but I'd imagine they're similar. I would always insert the film tips onto the reel even before turning off the lights, because the first few inches are most definitely exposed when loading them in the camera. and with the tips inserted, you wouldn't have to find the right spot in the dark. When you turn off the lights, you can just grab it and start turn the reel. slightly easier. but only for the 35mm i guess.

[chaseharmon]

Lots of great tips in this video! Here's some of my own: 1: Measure by weight instead of volume 1g = 1ml (for the most part...it's the ratio that's key anyways), a coffee scale with timer is a great investment. 2: Room temp (in my house anyways) is ~20C, no messing with thermometers. 3: On the off chance I do use a thermometer, an instant read digital thermometer is great. 4: Distilled water + photo flo has solved all of my drying/dust/water spot issues. 5: If still having water spot issues, try a salad spinner. 6: Binder clips on a standard clothes hanger are great (and cheap) for hanging film to dry. 7: Xtol 1+1 used one shot or (even better if you have the volume) used replenished is extremely good and cheap. 8: Replenish your stop bath and fixer to save chemicals and money. 9: If replenishing, use wine bladder bags for maximum shelf life (I like the Astra pouches found on amazon). 10: NO NEED to use a squeegee if you use distilled water and photo flo.

[thatdeafguyuk]

That's taken me straight back to 1990, oh the great memories of studying photography :)

[pleewis]

If you want to save your developed film for the long run then I suggest you always use nitrile gloves when handling negatives and positives. Our hands even when washed have acids on them and they will be inprinted in the film. After a couple of years you can see some very nice finger prints on them. I see it all the time as a digitaliser in a city archive.

[FutureZek]

For 35mm, if you leave the leader out of the cassette when you rewind you can trim it an start it on the reel before you put it in the changing bag. Easier than fumbling around in the bag to try and get it started.

[zackpowell]

I tried the steam trick on a roll yesterday - BAM! no dust stuck to the film! Thank you for the great tip! 😎👍🏻

[kodithebear]

Best tip I’ve got is forget stop bath chemistry- just rinse tank with water a few times! It does exactly the same job and you save some $$$$ I’d also get a dedicated water bath and heater- game changer.

[telepoiss]

I've had pretty good success with the Rollei Wetting Agent to prevent water spots. After the clear cold water wash, i drop the bottles cap ful to the tank, slightly slush it around and lift the film holder back and forth in it. And then unspool the film and kinda squegee most of the water off gently between two fingers. Dries pretty quickly, havent scrathed a film ever and no spots :)

[shaniluipanitashani]

I got a good tip for 120 shooters. You know how 120 has a piece of tape at the end of the roll well intead of taking that tape off leave it and use it to take a second 120 roll and attach it to the first one. So now its like your developing a 220 roll since its two 120 rolls. I use this all the time. Helps me speed up developing. Obviously you cant mix and match different films because with different developers you get different times for each. But if you shoot a lot of the same type of roll like. This really comes in handy. Make sure your reels are dry and you shouldn’t have a problem

[jasonlamarking]

Here in Texas I actually have to cool the water to 20 degrees for B+W so I just use a gallon of distilled water left in the refrigerator a while. I know you can develop with chems at a higher temp but I find the best results come from sticking with the manufacturers recommendations.

[ScottGamble]

Great video! I’m just getting back into film after a 30 (gulp) year absence, and love seeing your workflow. Of course my darkroom is long gone, but I’m excited to start processing at home, so thanks for your tips.

[Steve_Wardley_GJEF]

This is a great help video, I'm just about to get back into home developing after a long break and will be following you advice. Cheers.

[CornishMotorcycleDiaries]

Hi Kyle, even as someone who has been doing this for some years on and off, I still found your tips helpful. One thing you didn't touch one was that if you are careful and don't rewind 35mm film completely into the cassette, you can trim it AND insert the leader far enough into the processing reel so that the rest of the process is just a simple wind on inside a changing bag/tent. Takes some of the fiddly stuff away.

[TheBigNegative-PhotoChannel]

So Ilford released the forbidden squeeze yoghurt. 😆 Thanks for the tips. I think they will be really helpful I the future.