I think it's great that people are finding the joy in doing this at home. If I had any comment at all it's that you're handling the negative a lot both when you're putting it on the reel and when removing it again, especially when it's wet. I always used the reels that you can oscillate back and forth so at least on 35mm you can do it essentially without touching the surface of the neg at any time. You can get rubber squeegees for removing water and even then you have to be super-careful about keeping them scrupulously clean.
Definitely a time saver! You will need a film leader retrieval tool for this. Be careful not to pull too much film out, the leader is only 5-7 inches before you reach your first frame.
I’ve been a film shooter for upwards of around 15 years. But I’ve always been intimidated, but intrigued, by developing on my own. I’m so glad to have stumbled on your video this morning! Very easy to understand! Simply laid out instructions…makes me feel like I really could do this on my own! Thank you for taking the time to make this video and share your knowledge!!!! ❤️
What you are saying about overagitating, is relevant to black & white film. All color film is designed for machines with continuous agitation during developing. This means it is practically impossible to overagitate C-41 film when developing manually. Only thing preventing from agitating continuously is that the temperature would drop too much if the tank is held for 3:15 in room temperature with no heating.
Awesome! This video should be watched by everyone considering shooting with film - really great tutorial. Hoping this creator takes the plunge and goes full analog with enlarger and darkroom!
I ruined my first roll of black and white film. I bought a used stainless steel reel and tank at a camera store. I rolled it too tight and the chemicals weren't able to get to all of the film. I had 3 or 4 full frames that came out ok. I had several half frames come out but most did not. I ordered a Patterson tank and reel and I think I successfully developed my first roll of b&w film today. I won't know for sure until I scan it. The Patterson reel takes a little getting used to getting it started but it's a lot easier to roll. It has a separator that keeps the film from touching. If you're a beginner I would suggest the plastic reels and tank. There's nothing wrong with the stainless steel but it's not going to be a easy.
Good overview of the C-41 process if DIY. Not so great for omission of many practical tips, but this will get your basics in line, and the rest will pick up later. I think her demo of loading a 120 steel reels is wrong as to where on the inner part you start the film. In fairness, her way is the way I did it for 30 years before I learned better. Her way makes it harder to get the film evenly loaded and clipped in. Comment: The Bellini kit is superior to the Cinestill because it separates the bleach and fixer into two steps as required in a real C-41 process, rather than combining the two in a "blix". When the chemicals as first used, there's not likely to be any difference, but as you reuse those chemicals on later rolls, particularly if you process more rolls than specified or delay reusing the chemicals until close to their expiration date, a blix is far more likely to give under-bleached or insufficient fixing, or both. The kits cost the same, and the greater risk of loss with blix isn't worth the loss of film and photo experience to get your pictures.
great tips, but another, if you used 'Patterson' tanks, with plastic reels, then loading is easier, and once IN, the emulsion is trapped, you can 'freewheel' the paper, and the neg. is ON the reel, and just take the tape off, as the reel gets to it, that way its delineated, one for the other, so NO mistakes, one other thing you could do, is to re-wrap the paper onto a spare roll, so no confusion, two rolls with paper, a dev. tank reel with film, ALL safe.
one tip, you don't mention it, but the temps are in F, not Celsius, if it where, the temp you would be using would be 42 C just warmer than room temp.{like what you have to shower with} as you cant have water at 107 Degrees, it would be steam!!! (it boils @ 100 after all). IMPORTANT, as we all don't live in the US, and UK, the rest of us live in; and use the metric system.
I think it's great that people are finding the joy in doing this at home. If I had any comment at all it's that you're handling the negative a lot both when you're putting it on the reel and when removing it again, especially when it's wet. I always used the reels that you can oscillate back and forth so at least on 35mm you can do it essentially without touching the surface of the neg at any time. You can get rubber squeegees for removing water and even then you have to be super-careful about keeping them scrupulously clean.
That’s so cool! I had no idea you could just do it at home that easy!
For 35mm I prefer to start the film on the spiral before I put it in the dark bag. Much easier that way.
As someone that hasn’t started developing yet I really appreciate this tip. I feel like it’s going to save me a lot of headaches
Definitely a time saver! You will need a film leader retrieval tool for this. Be careful not to pull too much film out, the leader is only 5-7 inches before you reach your first frame.
Thanks! Great info!
Fantastic tutorial on film developing. I think I'm going to try it. Thanks so much Tilly!!!
I’ve been a film shooter for upwards of around 15 years. But I’ve always been intimidated, but intrigued, by developing on my own. I’m so glad to have stumbled on your video this morning! Very easy to understand! Simply laid out instructions…makes me feel like I really could do this on my own! Thank you for taking the time to make this video and share your knowledge!!!! ❤️
Good luck!
Great video! Reminded me that I have color film to develop!
you made it all look so easy. I've been developing BW film but I felt comfortable on giving color a try, thanks a lot for sharing :)
What you are saying about overagitating, is relevant to black & white film. All color film is designed for machines with continuous agitation during developing. This means it is practically impossible to overagitate C-41 film when developing manually. Only thing preventing from agitating continuously is that the temperature would drop too much if the tank is held for 3:15 in room temperature with no heating.
I like that U stick w/ tried & true steel reels.
I’m using the Anovo Nano. It appears similar to the CineStill TCS-1000.
Awesome! This video should be watched by everyone considering shooting with film - really great tutorial. Hoping this creator takes the plunge and goes full analog with enlarger and darkroom!
I’m only 3 years into photography and I started with film but never developed my own out of fear. Maybe I’ll start now.
I never understood the metal reels and tanks. So I stick with the Patterson system. Although i might be going to jobo.
Thanks for the headsup on not mixing metal and plastic setup.
I ruined my first roll of black and white film. I bought a used stainless steel reel and tank at a camera store. I rolled it too tight and the chemicals weren't able to get to all of the film. I had 3 or 4 full frames that came out ok. I had several half frames come out but most did not. I ordered a Patterson tank and reel and I think I successfully developed my first roll of b&w film today. I won't know for sure until I scan it. The Patterson reel takes a little getting used to getting it started but it's a lot easier to roll. It has a separator that keeps the film from touching. If you're a beginner I would suggest the plastic reels and tank. There's nothing wrong with the stainless steel but it's not going to be a easy.
fifteen years ago when I was doing 35mm and developing myself I found the Patterson type ratcheting reels by far the easiest to use.
Great tutorial! Just to clarify: Do you use fresh developer each time, or do you test the developer after each use?
Test the developer before each “session”. Cinestill C-41 should last for about 24 rolls of film.
@@tillyshull thanks for clarifying 🙂
Good overview of the C-41 process if DIY. Not so great for omission of many practical tips, but this will get your basics in line, and the rest will pick up later. I think her demo of loading a 120 steel reels is wrong as to where on the inner part you start the film. In fairness, her way is the way I did it for 30 years before I learned better. Her way makes it harder to get the film evenly loaded and clipped in. Comment: The Bellini kit is superior to the Cinestill because it separates the bleach and fixer into two steps as required in a real C-41 process, rather than combining the two in a "blix". When the chemicals as first used, there's not likely to be any difference, but as you reuse those chemicals on later rolls, particularly if you process more rolls than specified or delay reusing the chemicals until close to their expiration date, a blix is far more likely to give under-bleached or insufficient fixing, or both. The kits cost the same, and the greater risk of loss with blix isn't worth the loss of film and photo experience to get your pictures.
great tips, but another, if you used 'Patterson' tanks, with plastic reels, then loading is easier, and once IN, the emulsion is trapped, you can 'freewheel' the paper, and the neg. is ON the reel, and just take the tape off, as the reel gets to it, that way its delineated, one for the other, so NO mistakes, one other thing you could do, is to re-wrap the paper onto a spare roll, so no confusion, two rolls with paper, a dev. tank reel with film, ALL safe.
one tip, you don't mention it, but the temps are in F, not Celsius, if it where, the temp you would be using would be 42 C just warmer than room temp.{like what you have to shower with} as you cant have water at 107 Degrees, it would be steam!!! (it boils @ 100 after all). IMPORTANT, as we all don't live in the US, and UK, the rest of us live in; and use the metric system.