This video was an amazing help to me, please please please don’t let the views discourage you from making more videos. for those of us you helped, you have made a world of difference, seriously. i can’t thank you enough. i’m curious as to if you will be making the second part of the video, the scanning process. hope to hear back soon :)
@@melissamanzano7912 I really appreciate you comment! I plan on making a follow up but life is a bit crazy at the moment, bought a house, moving in, and wife is getting close to popping out our first kid! so stay tuned ill be back at it soon.
I've been processing my own film for about 7 or 8 years. Recently I've just not been happy with the results. It's like I've gotten too comfortable and forgotten some of the basics. Watching this video was so extremely helpful and I feel really excited to process some film using some of your tips. I sincerely thank you, Will.
I’m so glad I could help! It’s easy to get complacent! I just ruined 2 rolls the other day cuz I was working fast and wasn’t thinking. Happens to all of us!
Literally buying everything on your list and trying it myself. Genuinely tired of not having control over my film developing, taking matters into my own hands. THANK YOU for the genuinely incredible video.
Straight up, the most thorough and comprehensive tutorial I could find! You've genuinely got me not only feeling more excited to start developing my own film but also more confident going into it for the 1st time! :)
I refer back to this video every time I develop at home, just to be sure I don’t miss any steps and ruin a roll. It’s by far the best step by step on the internet, thanks!
A helpful tip. With 35mm film when you cut the film leader off before you're going to feed it into the Paterson reel, try not to cut it in the middle of the sprocket holes. You want to try to get as smooth an edge as you can on that leading edge without any partially cut little sprocket thingies sticking out on the edges. That helps minimizes the chances of the film getting hung up at some point while doing all that reel ratcheting.
I just found this vid yesterday and can I say firstly its one of the most in depth videos on this subject on youtube. But the one tip that got me to dive head first into attempting developing is the use of the film retriever to help get the film started in the spool before putting it into the bag. To me that is genius because that is the part that made me hesitate the most. Great vid!
I literally had a midnight thought trying to remember how to process film. I took a class in high school and just loved developing film and enlarging them on the machine to make our prints on the light sensitive paper. I would love to get into developing film again since I miss my high school days doing it❤
Only 863 views?! This is the best guide I've watched. I'm preparing for my first film development! Thank you very much for putting this all together! You're a hero :)
The film leader tool is genuinely the puzzle piece I was missing… I am not adept enough to do that with no visual aid so that tool is a real game changer 🙌🏻 thanks for the great video
@@film_friends thank you! Going to be shooting on a Nikon FG but I also have an old Foldex 20 I'm thinking about dusting off :D What do you typically shoot on?
Just developed my first 4 rolls of 120! Learned a lot. Watched your tutorial and took notes before and after developing. Completely forgot to rinse lid after development. Whoops. Learned TONS. Thanks for making this video. It’s the best.
As an alternative to the leader retriever, you can use already developed film. You have to lick the back of the film, stick it in the hole, twist the reel until it starts dragging your retriever in, and then pull quickly, and it should work. Saved me twice so far and I only started shooting film 2 weeks ago!
I find if I knock the sharp corners off the film you're going to feed into the reel makes it go more smoothly. Only a tiny 45 degree cut is all it takes.
This is the best masterclass I’ve found for developing film! Now I know what to buy exactly thanks to you 🙏🏻 It’s true that all other tutorials are pretty edited but not too much educational.
Fotoflo substitute is a couple of drops of dish detergent per pint of water. 220 B&W film is now available again from China, so keep an eye out for that. Prime tip for loading on to the reels - get the reel bone dry beforehand. Any moisture makes life difficult.
This was comprehensive. I leave the tape at the end of a 120 film roll and use it to connect (an aligned) another 120 on it. Then just roll it on like you were continuing to roll a longer film. I use Jobos that have a separator clip between the two 120s but I hate using it more than I hate the bearings that I rip of from any reels that have them.
yeah the tape trick is a good one I have used recently. the stupid bearings do cause problems. I try to clean them really well with a tooth brush to make sure they are loose.
@@film_friends Why not just remove them? When you put the film on, you have a thumb at the edge of film anyway. It keeps the fims stationary relative to half being rotated. In case of a more catastrophic jam, you can also pull the film back out and retry (or put it on another holder) when there are no bearings preventing a pull out. At least jobo has notches too and I've never had a film end come out over those.
How this doesn't have more views is beyond my understanding. I recently got into film photography after doing 6 years of digital, and this tutorial was super helpful! On my way to order every component and begin developing at home! Thank you for this.
Wow thank you very much for this ! I watched this video 2 months ago and it gave me the boost to develop my films by myself and I developed my first one today, it worked, i'm so happy and so excited about it, I can't thank you enough!
Thanks for the video. I bought a Lot (a box with a bunch of nearly useless crap in it) at an auction several years back that contained about 15 Kodak canisters of film. I got tired of looking at them and was ready to throw them out and thought, eh, I could just throw out the film and use the all yellow metal canisters for something. Then I thought, heck, I'll do a little research, maybe the film is worth something on ebay. After doing some research I realized that the film wasn't new, it was used and that these particular kinds of film (Plus-X PX 135) was discontinued in 1969. That was an eye opener. Heck, I could have previously unknown Woodstock photo's. Kaching. That's why I'm here researching how to develop my own. Can't really see entrusting previously unknown photos of the JFK assassination to some other film developer. Thanks.
I did GAF color slides in the 70s. I’m getting back into it. Looking forward to this. Sorry I have about everything. Nice scanner. Heater , mixer . Compression jugs.
the cost of developing + scanning film is the discouraging part of shooting film, unfortunately so a video like this is really amazing. liked and subscribed! edit: patreon page?
This is. Hands down. The best home developing tutorial ever. I used it to learn and gain confidence in developing my film and I still reference it from time to time.
Fantastic! Huge kudos for a very thorough and organized howto. I've been fairly successful at 120 B&W film development at home, but have shied away from color development because it just seemed too difficult and fussy. This completely tore down any apprehension I had. I'm in. AND, you get the extra gold star for the hugely helpful 5 Extra Tips. Thanks mate! J
If you want a suggestion for a lab that I have used- also for any Portland OR locals, is Citizens Photo. They do accept film that’s shipped to them which is great. While their turnaround for scans is longer & I home scan anyways, their dev is around 24-48 hours turnaround time Monday-Friday. They process 35mm, 120, 4x5, 5x7, & 8x10. Color is $5 for the first roll on your order & $4.50 for every roll after on the same order for development only for 35mm and 120. They do B&W, C41, and E6. They’ve been around since 1946 and are always pleasant when I bring film in to them. They do accept film shipped to them from anywhere which is awesome!
I just did a darkroom course and the best hack was the tutor saying to put the center column in before you start. That way you're not fumbling around to find it in the darkroom or dark bag :) Thanks for this in-depth video - I'm going to give colour processing a go now too.
Nice work! It takes a lot of effort to make a video of this scale with this much detail. Way to go! I do have to say, with roughly 8,000+ hours in the darkroom, processing color prints was always a chore - and film, just as finicky to time and especially temp, even more so . . . but the "sous vide" approach to maintaining temp is a brilliant idea! Makes me want to return to processing my 4x5 and 8x10 color myself. Much props from a fellow film buff.
yess the sous vide is a great idea. I saw this one that was made for film developing and the upcharge was insane. Thats why I found this one for just $40. They make cheaper ones but less control over the exact temp. yes you should get back into color! I really appreciate your support!
Now I'm choosing the equipment I need to start developing film. The 2% rule and the information that two 120 films can be developed at the same time were very helpful as they were not mentioned in the Japanese Amazon reviews or RUclips. Thank you very much.
Have you ever tried the AP or adorama branded reels? Kind of life changing for the 120/220. They’re compatible with the Paterson tanks too. You can get them individually from adorama but might as well get the whole tank kit money wise.
Thanks for the information! I just developed my first film and I used your instructions and tips. I now can shoot film and develop and scan. Thank you for giving the tips. The 120 film was very fast on the reel! Do to your instructions!!
Thanks. and yes, while still in the light, before removing the film from canister, it is easier to cut off the tip of the film, place it on the reel ball bearings, and then start to load it onto the reel in the dark bag. Finally, you can cut the film end and take the canister out of the dark bag. :)
Very nice video, and very detailed. I used to develop BW 35 mm films. Now I have insipration for get back to that and also not to be afraid of color film😊
This is insanely in depth! I've only done B&W myself and only with the Labbox so no fiddling in the dark attaching leaders. Really impressed with this video dude, so useful for newbies.
definitely bookmarking this video for the future. I bought my first film camera and I know I will eventually develop and scan my films. Just not until I'm confident in my skills using the camera to eliminate variables like user error during taking the photos.
Hey! I’m here to say thank you for the awesome guide. The most comprehensive one I’ve seen. I followed all the steps and tips and BOOM! Today I mixed the chemicals and developed my first roll at home. Thanks again Sir
@@film_friends 🤟 today I developed my second roll. I did the developing part for an extra 30 seconds as I knew the photos i took were on the dark side. Do you think you could go into more depth with pushing and pulling film?
OMG!!! @ 23:30 😆I thought I was the only one that this happened to! I spent like the first few minutes trying to reel the backing! 🥴 This has been a great video! Thanks for making it easy for this "newb to film," to understand how to develop at home!
I have been developing BW film for 6 months now and have a few developed rolls under my belt. My next step is color film. Watching several different videos on the C41 process I am almost ready to give the process a try.
Since the reels of that tank are designed for 220 film, ie, twice as long as 120, you can load TWO rolls of 120 on the reel set to 120. But forget the Paterson reels unless you like endless frustration with the tiny ears that help you locate the loading slot while in the changing bag. Buy the tank alone and then buy a reel with a 3/4" square platform on either side of the reel making it easy to load 2 consecutive rolls in the changing bag. Using a small piece of 120 film pre loaded works as a guide on the first roll in the Patterson reel but good luck getting the second roll started with out it.
Superb video, i am doing bw myself to be in control of the process. But for color i give it to lab since it is a standerdised process. They send it to fuji and i pay 3 euro's for only developing. Great hack on loading two 120 on the peterson spool.
Excellent video. Great tips. Let me give one for you. After final rinse in photo flo or fixer, put the film,still on the reel, in a salad spinner. Put an empty reel in the spinner as well to balance the spinner. 50 to 100 spins, depending on how energetic you are and water is gone. Using this system, I never have water marks. Give it a try!
Huge ups for this exhaustive explanation. I probably won't do this process 100% the same as you but I'll def be referencing this and I appreciate the work you put into it!
Excellent advice on developing your own film. I did this for years with black and white 35 and 120 films but not confident for colour films. There are a lot of good tips here for storage and getting the most from the chemicals as well. And you used a roll of 120 film to show exactly how to load on to the Patterson reel. This can be tricky. I remember banging 35 mm canisters on the reel side to pop open to get to the film (destructive) like the Italians opening up spaghetti #5 wrapped in cellophane, very satisfying. A new subscriber getting back into film photography.
Hahahahahahah yeah popping the canisters was how I started and it was never good. Thanks so much for watching and I really appreciate this amazing comment!
This video is very educational for me. Although I did have one question, you said your chemicals lasted you about 32 rolls. How do you know when it time to get rid of the chemicals and make some fresh chemicals?
Thanks for such an in-depth and easy to follow video. Too many videos on C-41 over the years have verged on glossing over the process for some reason (probs because the YT algorithm means that eyes and subsequent engagement plummets once you're over 10 mins...). I've been developing BW for a few years now but I only tend to shoot it in the winter months. From March-Nov I'm shooting a minimum of 3 rolls of 135 colour a week, and as you mentioned, it can get eye-wateringly expensive when you're mailing off for bulk processing (even as dev-only, it's around £5/$7 per roll!) The thing which has put me off C-41 dev in the past is that, I guess like many people, I've heard horror stories about the chemicals used. BW dev is seen as relatively benign as long as you're wearing gloves, cleaning your space up, cracking a window to get some air circulating when you're using the fix, etc. Would you say that these were valid concerns when developing C-41, even if you're practicing the basic safety measures you outline (gloves, ventilation, and so on) which you should always be doing when handling photochemicals, or is it just a case of people being (for lack of a better term) overzealously cautious? I understand that breathing in the powdered chemicals is something to avoid (ofc!), but based on my location it seems like I'm only going to be able to buy the liquid Tetenal kits anyway, which makes that concern somewhat moot. Some folks (particularly older generations-perhaps related to the formaldehyde that was used in photochemicals in the past that I've heard about?) have made it seem like colour dev will destroy your health when carried out over the course of years (and I'm not planning on stopping shooting film any time soon...). In any case, thanks in advance - great work on this video, I'll be subbing to keep up to date!
Hey! Thanks for being here and for the depth of your comment. I agree about glossy videos, while I do want to make nice and short and quality videos, I always want to make sure I have an in depth option for people who want to know more (like me) haha. Kinda why my scanning video isn’t done, cuz there is sooo much to say. As for the chemicals, I think the directions do say to be in a ventilated room, and there is deff a smell when combining the a and the b bags of the Blix, it’s a chemical combination process that takes about 5 min to subside. I would deff suggest being in an open area, crack a window, and maybe get a fan of your room is super small, but really just for mixing. When using it after mixing, the smell is minimal, and yeah doing in an open area or window would help. For dumping, some places you need to check your regulations about. With all theses films, there is metals that come out. Idk much about the environmental impact, though it’s obviously more than digital. Yeah I need to get more into b&w!
Hey Will - thanks for replying and putting some fears to rest! I'm gonna pick up a Tetenal kit and start working through my backlog (once I've found a sous vide)! Looking forward to seeing your scanning workflow, I need to upgrade from my ancient Canoscan 5600f (great scans but takes about 30 mins to scan six negs ;_;). I'll probably call the local environmental management department and figure out what they want me to do with the expired chemicals once I'm finished. There's actually an article that went up on Emulsive not too long ago about a project called the "Northern Sustainable Darkroom" here in the UK that delves quite deeply into the matter (although with some careful handling we can definitely minimise our harm). With regards to BW, I can wholeheartedly recommend HC-110 as a quick one shot dev which creates a really pleasing negative... lasts forever too in its syrupy form!
Hey, I really appreciate your candor and talking through all this. Lovely to chat. I will look for that article. Scanning is coming up very soon! Possibly this Sunday if not next Sunday! And I have heard good things about those chemicals!
Outstanding in-depth tutorial video on color film developing. Easily the best on RUclips. Thank you for your time and effort in putting this video together. Next up, in-depth tutorial video on E6 slide film developing. Yeah?
Just going to start shooting film and this is the best vid by far on developing from home...So excited to start shooting with my canon A-1, thx bro and good vibes all the way!
I loved this video, thanks for all the effort you put into making this! ❤ Just one question, how do you know when the film developing chemicals are about to expire? I mean both the developer and blix
you can cut a small piece of unused film and put it through the process to see if it changes and see the look of the negative. you get the hang of what the neggative should be
This is an awesome reference Will! I am taking the dive into it and ordered what I could from your list. I think it’ll be interesting but hopefully rewarding (and financially-wise). Thanks for the guidance!
A 40 minutes video that worth of watching without any skips cuz every second is so informative. hope to see more videos about film! you just proved to us that film is not dead. thank you so much for sharing your knowledge to us. also everything is in motion and high quality video. more subscribers to come sir!
Im really interested in developing my own film sometime just for price reasons (and extra hipster points) my local lab charges roughly 20 bucks for developing and scanning (thats just for getting digital copies) and an extra 23 for physical copies, unsure if they are proper darkroom prints or regular office printing machine prints from digital copies (hope they're darkroom prints) This video is def going into my how-to guide list!
Hey man! Just wanted to say thanks for such a helpful tutorial. Your kit, process, and directions were everything I needed to develop my 35mm film for the first time. I just developed for the second time and it turned out great as well! Really appreciate it.
30:00 - rinsing with sink water is okay but you really need to make sure its a similar temperature to your dev and blix because otherwise you can encounter reticulation patterns from shocking the film at a different temperature.
One of the most informative video that I came across on home film developing Great work, especially those tips and the breakdown of each every step requires that much dedication and love for this medium Big supporter from now on!!!!❤️
Excellent video! I've been studying it a lot in preparation of developing my own film. I finally got the supplies in and I'm seeing a difference that could use clarification. You set the water bath to 130° in the beginning but the kit says to have it at roughly 100°. Why did you set the mixing temperature higher? Just interested in knowing if there was a reason for the extra heat. Does it mix better?
Hey! Thanks so much for watching! So yes the extra heat helps mixing BUT also the 1st time you make chemicals, you are often making them to be used right then. so a trick to have your chemicals ready for you to use right away is start them hot like that when mixing, and as you do all the mixing and stuff, they should be close to 102 by the time you are ready to use them. if you start at 102, all your mixing is going to cool it down and then it wont be ready when you finish mixing, you will have to wait a few min for it to come back up. the temp doesn't hurt the chemicals, but it will hurt your film, so make sure you use 102 for your actual developing. Hope that helps!
Don't roll your 35 mm film all the way back into the canister. Then you won't need the fiddly film retrieval tool at all. Generally with manual rewind cameras you can feel when the film comes off the right hand take up spool, and see that spool stop turning. Also when that happens, winding the film advance knob or lever will not rotate the left hand film spool knob and you will know that the film has been released from the take-up spool. You can practice this in a dark room or dark bag with the camera inside if you're unsure on any particular camera. This is also a trick we used to use in order to expose partial rolls of film and then reuse them. Like say you have half a roll of color in your camera and you want to switch to black and white but not waste anything. Write down how many exposures you've taken and rewind the film but not all the way of course. Label the canister with a piece of tape. Once you want to reuse that film just load it back in the camera and advance it the same number of frames, maybe one extra to be sure.
I do plan on scanning myself, but developing is cheap enough with my go to lab to not make it a thing I do really wanna do every time. Still this just got something to it to have the complete process done by myself, so I will certainly get the gear and do it sometimes.
Now I know. I thought you're using digital camera and just edit it using vintage effects. lol! Watching from the Philippines! During my parents time, they still use that method but now, they don't do that anymore. And this is my first time seeing an actual procedure on how to develop pictures. HAHA
This video was so amazing. Thank you for walking through loading 120 film, I haven't gotten to that yet in my practice, but it's coming for sure! I found your channel because I'm trying to research scanners, would really love to see your film scanning workflow!
Needed this!! I didn't get a sous vide the first time I developed and ended up developing for 15 min and messed up my film. Thank you so much for your tips!! SO helpful.
Amazing stuff - Thanks! Just a queston about the 120 hack, since its more "surface" you need more developer (or more concentrated since it's the same volume), no?
Thanks for the video! Super helpful to refresh on development. Question, if I were to develop two rolls of 35mm in one tank, would this count as the chemicals used twice (two rolls)?
Thank you very much for putting together this very detailed tutorial. This is a great resource for everybody. We appreciate the effort and sacrifice of film 😀👍
For C41 development I find temperature control absolutely essential, however you don't need to spend 100+ on the cinestill TCS. You can buy a heat mat for homebrewing for a quarter of the price which will do the job just as well. Pour your chemicals into a glass jar, stick them on the heat mat and use the thermostat to keep them up to temp.
You should wash your hands before "derolling" and wipe the cases with a cleaning cloth. this way one could limit greases from hands and fringe contaminates. if you want gloves use cotton ones.
I noticed you didn't tap the tank on the table top when agitating. Tapping will dislodge any air bubbles on the film surface and ensure the chemicals hit the entire surface. When I developed black-and-white film, I would always start the timer after I poured in the chemicals rather before. I also swear by Photo-Flo. It avoids water marks on the film when it dries. It works by breaking the water's surface tension, so it won't bead on the film.
Re the issue of stabilizer. The Cinestill statement quoted, saying that film modifications precludes the need for a stabilizer, is both right and wrong. I guess that explains why Cinestill still includes stabilizer in its other C-41 kit. More accurately, C-41 process films changed the type of dyes used to "develop" color in the film around 2003. These dyes no longer require the chemical stabilization required by Non-C41 films (like E-6). So far, Cinestill is correct. But that's not the end of the story. Stabilizer serves two more functions: (1) it deposits chemical in the film emulsion which repels little bugs which are interested in eating some of those emulsion bits, and (2) a wetting agent (like Photoflo) which avoids water spots during film drying. Omitting stabilizer saves Cinestill about 20 cents and exposes your film to those other issues. Unicolor is a superior product.
Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to help anyone through the process!
This video was an amazing help to me, please please please don’t let the views discourage you from making more videos. for those of us you helped, you have made a world of difference, seriously. i can’t thank you enough. i’m curious as to if you will be making the second part of the video, the scanning process. hope to hear back soon :)
@@melissamanzano7912 I really appreciate you comment! I plan on making a follow up but life is a bit crazy at the moment, bought a house, moving in, and wife is getting close to popping out our first kid! so stay tuned ill be back at it soon.
Do you wash the film between developing and the blix bath? Or do you just pour out the developing after you’re done and put in the blix right after?
You can wash them. I don’t usually.
@@film_friends thanks a lot!!! Love this video
As a scientist i have a small tip. Label the cap and sides of bottles. not just the cap. If you have both caps off you can mix up your solutions!
Excellent Idea!
I've been processing my own film for about 7 or 8 years. Recently I've just not been happy with the results. It's like I've gotten too comfortable and forgotten some of the basics. Watching this video was so extremely helpful and I feel really excited to process some film using some of your tips. I sincerely thank you, Will.
I’m so glad I could help! It’s easy to get complacent! I just ruined 2 rolls the other day cuz I was working fast and wasn’t thinking. Happens to all of us!
Literally buying everything on your list and trying it myself. Genuinely tired of not having control over my film developing, taking matters into my own hands. THANK YOU for the genuinely incredible video.
So glad I could help! Get after it!
Hands down the best at home developing video I've seen. Thanks for making this!
That. Means. So. Much. To. Me! Thank you so so so much. I am glad people are discovering it and there is more to come! thank you again!
@@film_friends You the best.
@@film_friends new sub!
Naaaahhhh
Banjo, strat, analog photography.. better believe there's a mustache present. Love this guy and great information.
Hahahahaha thanks !! Gotta keep a banjo close by
Straight up, the most thorough and comprehensive tutorial I could find! You've genuinely got me not only feeling more excited to start developing my own film but also more confident going into it for the 1st time! :)
That means a lot to me for you to say that! Thank you so much and I’m so excited for your journey!
I refer back to this video every time I develop at home, just to be sure I don’t miss any steps and ruin a roll. It’s by far the best step by step on the internet, thanks!
Thats really great! I am glad I can help !
A helpful tip. With 35mm film when you cut the film leader off before you're going to feed it into the Paterson reel, try not to cut it in the middle of the sprocket holes. You want to try to get as smooth an edge as you can on that leading edge without any partially cut little sprocket thingies sticking out on the edges. That helps minimizes the chances of the film getting hung up at some point while doing all that reel ratcheting.
Thats a good tip, I cover that in the video! its one of my hacks!
Yankee original models don't jam as much as Paterson. Imo
I just found this vid yesterday and can I say firstly its one of the most in depth videos on this subject on youtube. But the one tip that got me to dive head first into attempting developing is the use of the film retriever to help get the film started in the spool before putting it into the bag. To me that is genius because that is the part that made me hesitate the most. Great vid!
Yeah it is so much of a game changer for sure! Thanks for watching!
This could be the absolute BEST RUclips video I have ever watched!!! My Gaawdd it is so GOOD! 😘😘😘
Oh thanks
I literally had a midnight thought trying to remember how to process film. I took a class in high school and just loved developing film and enlarging them on the machine to make our prints on the light sensitive paper. I would love to get into developing film again since I miss my high school days doing it❤
you should!!
Only 863 views?! This is the best guide I've watched. I'm preparing for my first film development! Thank you very much for putting this all together! You're a hero :)
Hey dude thank you so much! That means a lot! I am still such a small RUclips ya know? Gotta spread the word
Thank you so much for this, as a total newbie, the typical 5 minutes videos on RUclips didn’t cut it! This was a very informing!
Thank you soo much! That’s why I made it!
In high school, we used metal reels we loaded in the bag by hand for the entire length of the film. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Oh yeah it’s so cool to be doing this in 2021!
This is by far the best video on RUclips about developing film at home.
Thanks so much!
The film leader tool is genuinely the puzzle piece I was missing… I am not adept enough to do that with no visual aid so that tool is a real game changer 🙌🏻 thanks for the great video
Its such a great tool
I've never developed film, but after watching this, I'm confident I can make it happen. Thank you!!!!
You can totally do it! Ask any questions you need!!
What ya shooting on?
@@film_friends thank you! Going to be shooting on a Nikon FG but I also have an old Foldex 20 I'm thinking about dusting off :D What do you typically shoot on?
Oh that’s super fun! That FG is cool!
I shoot on a canon AE1 and a Mamiya 645 pro! Love themb
Thank you for sacrificing those film reels to demonstrate. It was a wonderful learning experience.
Thats so great!
Just developed my first 4 rolls of 120! Learned a lot. Watched your tutorial and took notes before and after developing. Completely forgot to rinse lid after development. Whoops. Learned TONS. Thanks for making this video. It’s the best.
SOOO glad I could help. Thanks so much for the support
As an alternative to the leader retriever, you can use already developed film. You have to lick the back of the film, stick it in the hole, twist the reel until it starts dragging your retriever in, and then pull quickly, and it should work. Saved me twice so far and I only started shooting film 2 weeks ago!
I have seen that trick! Thats a cool one!
I find if I knock the sharp corners off the film you're going to feed into the reel makes it go more smoothly. Only a tiny 45 degree cut is all it takes.
That helps for sure
This is the best masterclass I’ve found for developing film! Now I know what to buy exactly thanks to you 🙏🏻 It’s true that all other tutorials are pretty edited but not too much educational.
Glad I could help!
Fotoflo substitute is a couple of drops of dish detergent per pint of water.
220 B&W film is now available again from China, so keep an eye out for that.
Prime tip for loading on to the reels - get the reel bone dry beforehand. Any moisture makes life difficult.
Thanks for the info!will do! dry is very important.
This was comprehensive. I leave the tape at the end of a 120 film roll and use it to connect (an aligned) another 120 on it. Then just roll it on like you were continuing to roll a longer film.
I use Jobos that have a separator clip between the two 120s but I hate using it more than I hate the bearings that I rip of from any reels that have them.
yeah the tape trick is a good one I have used recently. the stupid bearings do cause problems. I try to clean them really well with a tooth brush to make sure they are loose.
@@film_friends Why not just remove them? When you put the film on, you have a thumb at the edge of film anyway. It keeps the fims stationary relative to half being rotated.
In case of a more catastrophic jam, you can also pull the film back out and retry (or put it on another holder) when there are no bearings preventing a pull out.
At least jobo has notches too and I've never had a film end come out over those.
Thorough and clear. This video will probably teach thousands. Genuinely, thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for commenting :) means a lot!
You're the best on youtube explaining this procedure.
Thank you so much!!
How this doesn't have more views is beyond my understanding. I recently got into film photography after doing 6 years of digital, and this tutorial was super helpful! On my way to order every component and begin developing at home! Thank you for this.
I’m super glad I could help! I wish it had more view too! Spread the word :) thanks for being here!
Wow thank you very much for this ! I watched this video 2 months ago and it gave me the boost to develop my films by myself and I developed my first one today, it worked, i'm so happy and so excited about it, I can't thank you enough!
That’s awesome! I am so glad I could help you!
Thanks for the video. I bought a Lot (a box with a bunch of nearly useless crap in it) at an auction several years back that contained about 15 Kodak canisters of film. I got tired of looking at them and was ready to throw them out and thought, eh, I could just throw out the film and use the all yellow metal canisters for something. Then I thought, heck, I'll do a little research, maybe the film is worth something on ebay. After doing some research I realized that the film wasn't new, it was used and that these particular kinds of film (Plus-X PX 135) was discontinued in 1969. That was an eye opener. Heck, I could have previously unknown Woodstock photo's. Kaching. That's why I'm here researching how to develop my own. Can't really see entrusting previously unknown photos of the JFK assassination to some other film developer. Thanks.
yeah! glad your getting into it
I did GAF color slides in the 70s. I’m getting back into it. Looking forward to this. Sorry I have about everything. Nice scanner. Heater , mixer . Compression jugs.
Thanks!
the cost of developing + scanning film is the discouraging part of shooting film, unfortunately so a video like this is really amazing.
liked and subscribed!
edit: patreon page?
I will be doing a patreon soon once i relaunch here. I will be putting out videos again soon! Thanks for your support!
This is. Hands down. The best home developing tutorial ever. I used it to learn and gain confidence in developing my film and I still reference it from time to time.
thank you so much that means a lot!
Fantastic! Huge kudos for a very thorough and organized howto.
I've been fairly successful at 120 B&W film development at home, but have shied away from color development because it just seemed too difficult and fussy. This completely tore down any apprehension I had. I'm in.
AND, you get the extra gold star for the hugely helpful 5 Extra Tips.
Thanks mate!
J
So glad I could help you! Get to it you can make great thingds!
If you want a suggestion for a lab that I have used- also for any Portland OR locals, is Citizens Photo. They do accept film that’s shipped to them which is great. While their turnaround for scans is longer & I home scan anyways, their dev is around 24-48 hours turnaround time Monday-Friday. They process 35mm, 120, 4x5, 5x7, & 8x10. Color is $5 for the first roll on your order & $4.50 for every roll after on the same order for development only for 35mm and 120. They do B&W, C41, and E6. They’ve been around since 1946 and are always pleasant when I bring film in to them. They do accept film shipped to them from anywhere which is awesome!
That is pretty affordable!
I just did a darkroom course and the best hack was the tutor saying to put the center column in before you start. That way you're not fumbling around to find it in the darkroom or dark bag :) Thanks for this in-depth video - I'm going to give colour processing a go now too.
Great tip! I like to have it out to make sure I remembered to put it in. If i put it in the tank i might not know its int there and get scared
have a photo professor that hasn't taught us how to develop yet and keeps delaying. thank you for this video
Anything I can do!
Nice work! It takes a lot of effort to make a video of this scale with this much detail. Way to go! I do have to say, with roughly 8,000+ hours in the darkroom, processing color prints was always a chore - and film, just as finicky to time and especially temp, even more so . . . but the "sous vide" approach to maintaining temp is a brilliant idea! Makes me want to return to processing my 4x5 and 8x10 color myself. Much props from a fellow film buff.
yess the sous vide is a great idea. I saw this one that was made for film developing and the upcharge was insane. Thats why I found this one for just $40. They make cheaper ones but less control over the exact temp. yes you should get back into color!
I really appreciate your support!
Man, this is the best film developing videoguide on the internet. It helps me so much. Tips are also awesome. Big thanks!
Thank you so so much!!
Now I'm choosing the equipment I need to start developing film.
The 2% rule and the information that two 120 films can be developed at the same time were very helpful as they were not mentioned in the Japanese Amazon reviews or RUclips.
Thank you very much.
Of course! I hope this video can help you!
okay dude how do you not have more subscribers???? this is amazing! tysm for this I can't wait to try developing my own film :)
You can do it! Good luck and hit me up if you need help!
More subs will come one day I suppose! Tell people about it!
Best video about film development so far!!!
thanks!
This is amazing, I was just talking the other day about getting film for a camera I plan on buying, glad I found this on my recommended
Glad I could help!!!
The best video on how to develop film at home, no doubt ! Just thank you for this it has been so useful !
You are so welcome! Hit me up if you have any questions!
Have you ever tried the AP or adorama branded reels? Kind of life changing for the 120/220. They’re compatible with the Paterson tanks too. You can get them individually from adorama but might as well get the whole tank kit money wise.
That sounds awesome ! No I havnt I need too
Thanks for the information! I just developed my first film and I used your instructions and tips. I now can shoot film and develop and scan. Thank you for giving the tips. The 120 film was very fast on the reel! Do to your instructions!!
Congrats dude!!! I’m so glad I could help!
Dude, this is the most helpful video I’ve seen on developing film. It’s very insightful. Thanks man!👍🏽
Glad to hear it!
Thank you for sacrificing that 120 roll .
all in a days work haha
it hurt to watch, but yes, thank you haha. would have been impossible to adequately explain otherwise.
Thanks. and yes, while still in the light, before removing the film from canister, it is easier to cut off the tip of the film, place it on the reel ball bearings, and then start to load it onto the reel in the dark bag. Finally, you can cut the film end and take the canister out of the dark bag. :)
Yes!
IDK how this video doesn't have more views! so much valuable information... Thank you... You deserve more!
Hey I super appreciate it! Spread the word ! Also reach out on IG if you need any dev or scanning help!
@@film_friends I follow you already! Here's mine IG @nestorpool see you there mate!
@@nestorpool Awesome!! For sure!
I just started getting into film photography and development and this is EXACTLY what I wanted. Thank you for this!
So glad I could help!
Very nice video, and very detailed. I used to develop BW 35 mm films. Now I have insipration for get back to that and also not to be afraid of color film😊
You got this
Thank you for talking about chemical disposal, especially the Blix. 👍🏽
Absolutely 🤙🏼
This is insanely in depth! I've only done B&W myself and only with the Labbox so no fiddling in the dark attaching leaders.
Really impressed with this video dude, so useful for newbies.
Thanks dude. You are the man. I have looked through your zines so many times!
@@film_friends Anytime mate :) Glad you've enjoyed them.
This was such an awesome video Will, thanks so much!
Thank you for watching!
definitely bookmarking this video for the future. I bought my first film camera and I know I will eventually develop and scan my films. Just not until I'm confident in my skills using the camera to eliminate variables like user error during taking the photos.
You can do it! I’m here to help! Let me know if you need anything
I respect the sweat and toil that went into making all those neat tracking shots!
Thank you!
Attempted to develop my film this week with your video as a guide! And it actually worked! Thank you so much
WOoooooOOOO! I am so happy it worked well! it is not too hard but the details help and are important! you got this! THanks for watching!
I’m trying to get into Analog Photography. This is the one of the video that I’ll save to my playlist once I have everything that I need
Yess you can do it! Message me if you need help!
This tutorial is a real confidence booster! Thank you for giving your valuable time to sharing this so clearly with us!
Absolutely! So glad I could help!
Hey! I’m here to say thank you for the awesome guide. The most comprehensive one I’ve seen. I followed all the steps and tips and BOOM! Today I mixed the chemicals and developed my first roll at home. Thanks again Sir
Yesssss absolutely that’s literally why I created this! I wanted to be comprehensive!
@@film_friends 🤟 today I developed my second roll. I did the developing part for an extra 30 seconds as I knew the photos i took were on the dark side. Do you think you could go into more depth with pushing and pulling film?
I’m not the best with that but I can do that soon!
OMG!!! @ 23:30 😆I thought I was the only one that this happened to! I spent like the first few minutes trying to reel the backing! 🥴 This has been a great video! Thanks for making it easy for this "newb to film," to understand how to develop at home!
Glad I could help
I have been developing BW film for 6 months now and have a few developed rolls under my belt. My next step is color film. Watching several different videos on the C41 process I am almost ready to give the process a try.
You can do it!!!!
@@film_friends At this point I have developed 5 rolls of color film. One of those was a roll of Ektar 100 pushed 1 stop in development.
Since the reels of that tank are designed for 220 film, ie, twice as long as 120, you can load TWO rolls of 120 on the reel set to 120. But forget the Paterson reels unless you like endless frustration with the tiny ears that help you locate the loading slot while in the changing bag. Buy the tank alone and then buy a reel with a 3/4" square platform on either side of the reel making it easy to load 2 consecutive rolls in the changing bag. Using a small piece of 120 film pre loaded works as a guide on the first roll in the Patterson reel but good luck getting the second roll started with out it.
yes you can fit 2!
Superb video, i am doing bw myself to be in control of the process. But for color i give it to lab since it is a standerdised process. They send it to fuji and i pay 3 euro's for only developing. Great hack on loading two 120 on the peterson spool.
3 Euros is such a great deal! I wish it was that cheap out here! Thanks so much! Glad I could help!
Excellent video. Great tips. Let me give one for you. After final rinse in photo flo or fixer, put the film,still on the reel, in a salad spinner. Put an empty reel in the spinner as well to balance the spinner. 50 to 100 spins, depending on how energetic you are and water is gone. Using this system, I never have water marks. Give it a try!
Salad spinner!!! Yesss that’s an amazing tip!!
I've watched a ton of videos about this, and this one is, for sure, the best and most informative! Great job! Thanks!
That means so much to me! That is EXACTLY why i made it. Thansk for being here
Huge ups for this exhaustive explanation. I probably won't do this process 100% the same as you but I'll def be referencing this and I appreciate the work you put into it!
Thank you so much! Means a lot that you watched 🤙🏼
Excellent advice on developing your own film. I did this for years with black and white 35 and 120 films but not confident for colour films. There are a lot of good tips here for storage and getting the most from the chemicals as well. And you used a roll of 120 film to show exactly how to load on to the Patterson reel. This can be tricky. I remember banging 35 mm canisters on the reel side to pop open to get to the film (destructive) like the Italians opening up spaghetti #5 wrapped in cellophane, very satisfying. A new subscriber getting back into film photography.
Hahahahahahah yeah popping the canisters was how I started and it was never good. Thanks so much for watching and I really appreciate this amazing comment!
This video is very educational for me. Although I did have one question, you said your chemicals lasted you about 32 rolls. How do you know when it time to get rid of the chemicals and make some fresh chemicals?
i would prob recommend changing at 15ish. 30 is a push
Best video on the topic I've come across so far. Thanks a million!
Absolutely!! Glad I could help!!
Such a high-quality video wow! Underrated
I super appreciate that! Spread the word :) i am down on posting in a sec, but I’ll be back soon
@@film_friends I'll for sure refer u! I'm going to use your video when I get my first c51 kit :D
Thanks for such an in-depth and easy to follow video. Too many videos on C-41 over the years have verged on glossing over the process for some reason (probs because the YT algorithm means that eyes and subsequent engagement plummets once you're over 10 mins...). I've been developing BW for a few years now but I only tend to shoot it in the winter months. From March-Nov I'm shooting a minimum of 3 rolls of 135 colour a week, and as you mentioned, it can get eye-wateringly expensive when you're mailing off for bulk processing (even as dev-only, it's around £5/$7 per roll!)
The thing which has put me off C-41 dev in the past is that, I guess like many people, I've heard horror stories about the chemicals used. BW dev is seen as relatively benign as long as you're wearing gloves, cleaning your space up, cracking a window to get some air circulating when you're using the fix, etc. Would you say that these were valid concerns when developing C-41, even if you're practicing the basic safety measures you outline (gloves, ventilation, and so on) which you should always be doing when handling photochemicals, or is it just a case of people being (for lack of a better term) overzealously cautious? I understand that breathing in the powdered chemicals is something to avoid (ofc!), but based on my location it seems like I'm only going to be able to buy the liquid Tetenal kits anyway, which makes that concern somewhat moot.
Some folks (particularly older generations-perhaps related to the formaldehyde that was used in photochemicals in the past that I've heard about?) have made it seem like colour dev will destroy your health when carried out over the course of years (and I'm not planning on stopping shooting film any time soon...).
In any case, thanks in advance - great work on this video, I'll be subbing to keep up to date!
Hey! Thanks for being here and for the depth of your comment. I agree about glossy videos, while I do want to make nice and short and quality videos, I always want to make sure I have an in depth option for people who want to know more (like me) haha. Kinda why my scanning video isn’t done, cuz there is sooo much to say.
As for the chemicals, I think the directions do say to be in a ventilated room, and there is deff a smell when combining the a and the b bags of the Blix, it’s a chemical combination process that takes about 5 min to subside. I would deff suggest being in an open area, crack a window, and maybe get a fan of your room is super small, but really just for mixing. When using it after mixing, the smell is minimal, and yeah doing in an open area or window would help.
For dumping, some places you need to check your regulations about. With all theses films, there is metals that come out. Idk much about the environmental impact, though it’s obviously more than digital.
Yeah I need to get more into b&w!
Hey Will - thanks for replying and putting some fears to rest! I'm gonna pick up a Tetenal kit and start working through my backlog (once I've found a sous vide)! Looking forward to seeing your scanning workflow, I need to upgrade from my ancient Canoscan 5600f (great scans but takes about 30 mins to scan six negs ;_;).
I'll probably call the local environmental management department and figure out what they want me to do with the expired chemicals once I'm finished. There's actually an article that went up on Emulsive not too long ago about a project called the "Northern Sustainable Darkroom" here in the UK that delves quite deeply into the matter (although with some careful handling we can definitely minimise our harm).
With regards to BW, I can wholeheartedly recommend HC-110 as a quick one shot dev which creates a really pleasing negative... lasts forever too in its syrupy form!
Hey, I really appreciate your candor and talking through all this. Lovely to chat. I will look for that article.
Scanning is coming up very soon! Possibly this Sunday if not next Sunday!
And I have heard good things about those chemicals!
Outstanding in-depth tutorial video on color film developing. Easily the best on RUclips. Thank you for your time and effort in putting this video together. Next up, in-depth tutorial video on E6 slide film developing. Yeah?
Thank you so much!!!!
I want to do that one soon life is a little crazy though!
Just going to start shooting film and this is the best vid by far on developing from home...So excited to start shooting with my canon A-1, thx bro and good vibes all the way!
Yeaahhh! Congrats dude! Welcome to the club, get it!
I loved this video, thanks for all the effort you put into making this! ❤
Just one question, how do you know when the film developing chemicals are about to expire? I mean both the developer and blix
you can cut a small piece of unused film and put it through the process to see if it changes and see the look of the negative. you get the hang of what the neggative should be
This is an awesome reference Will! I am taking the dive into it and ordered what I could from your list. I think it’ll be interesting but hopefully rewarding (and financially-wise). Thanks for the guidance!
You’ll have it payed for it 15-20 rolls!! You got this. Hit me up anytime on IG for help!
Watched so many videos that missed information I needed to know! This one covered everything and now I'm ready to develop!! Thanks a lot!
Thats what I am here for!
A 40 minutes video that worth of watching without any skips cuz every second is so informative. hope to see more videos about film! you just proved to us that film is not dead. thank you so much for sharing your knowledge to us. also everything is in motion and high quality video. more subscribers to come sir!
Of course! Can’t wait to make more! I have like 5 separate videos I’m editing at the moment!
Im really interested in developing my own film sometime just for price reasons (and extra hipster points)
my local lab charges roughly 20 bucks for developing and scanning (thats just for getting digital copies) and an extra 23 for physical copies, unsure if they are proper darkroom prints or regular office printing machine prints from digital copies (hope they're darkroom prints)
This video is def going into my how-to guide list!
Great!
Yeah our labs charge 20ish
once you have the gear, you can dev for around $1-2 yourself
@@film_friends Def gonna invest in it in the future!
Hey man! Just wanted to say thanks for such a helpful tutorial. Your kit, process, and directions were everything I needed to develop my 35mm film for the first time. I just developed for the second time and it turned out great as well! Really appreciate it.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad I could help!
30:00 - rinsing with sink water is okay but you really need to make sure its a similar temperature to your dev and blix because otherwise you can encounter reticulation patterns from shocking the film at a different temperature.
That’s a good tip
One of the most informative video that I came across on home film developing
Great work, especially those tips and the breakdown of each every step requires that much dedication and love for this medium
Big supporter from now on!!!!❤️
Thank you so so much! Glad I could make this for you!
Excellent video! I've been studying it a lot in preparation of developing my own film. I finally got the supplies in and I'm seeing a difference that could use clarification. You set the water bath to 130° in the beginning but the kit says to have it at roughly 100°. Why did you set the mixing temperature higher? Just interested in knowing if there was a reason for the extra heat. Does it mix better?
Hey! Thanks so much for watching!
So yes the extra heat helps mixing BUT also the 1st time you make chemicals, you are often making them to be used right then. so a trick to have your chemicals ready for you to use right away is start them hot like that when mixing, and as you do all the mixing and stuff, they should be close to 102 by the time you are ready to use them. if you start at 102, all your mixing is going to cool it down and then it wont be ready when you finish mixing, you will have to wait a few min for it to come back up. the temp doesn't hurt the chemicals, but it will hurt your film, so make sure you use 102 for your actual developing.
Hope that helps!
Don't roll your 35 mm film all the way back into the canister. Then you won't need the fiddly film retrieval tool at all. Generally with manual rewind cameras you can feel when the film comes off the right hand take up spool, and see that spool stop turning. Also when that happens, winding the film advance knob or lever will not rotate the left hand film spool knob and you will know that the film has been released from the take-up spool. You can practice this in a dark room or dark bag with the camera inside if you're unsure on any particular camera. This is also a trick we used to use in order to expose partial rolls of film and then reuse them. Like say you have half a roll of color in your camera and you want to switch to black and white but not waste anything. Write down how many exposures you've taken and rewind the film but not all the way of course. Label the canister with a piece of tape. Once you want to reuse that film just load it back in the camera and advance it the same number of frames, maybe one extra to be sure.
Thats a good trick for sure! I just crank it all the way to make sure its in haha.
I do plan on scanning myself, but developing is cheap enough with my go to lab to not make it a thing I do really wanna do every time. Still this just got something to it to have the complete process done by myself, so I will certainly get the gear and do it sometimes.
Yeah sometimes developing is cheap! I know a friend who gets developed for cheap!
Now I know. I thought you're using digital camera and just edit it using vintage effects. lol! Watching from the Philippines!
During my parents time, they still use that method but now, they don't do that anymore. And this is my first time seeing an actual procedure on how to develop pictures. HAHA
Haha nah! That’s why I tag and say what camera and film stock in all the posts 🤙🏼
This video was so amazing. Thank you for walking through loading 120 film, I haven't gotten to that yet in my practice, but it's coming for sure! I found your channel because I'm trying to research scanners, would really love to see your film scanning workflow!
I knooowww I’m dying to make a scanning workflow. We are moving and remodeling a house at the moment. That’s in the list to work out for sure
Needed this!! I didn't get a sous vide the first time I developed and ended up developing for 15 min and messed up my film. Thank you so much for your tips!! SO helpful.
So glad I could help!!
What a thorough video. It has been years since I've developed. Thank you so much for covering 120 film too!
Of course!!
Amazing stuff - Thanks! Just a queston about the 120 hack, since its more "surface" you need more developer (or more concentrated since it's the same volume), no?
Not in this case. it is designed for that much film
Thanks for the video! Super helpful to refresh on development. Question, if I were to develop two rolls of 35mm in one tank, would this count as the chemicals used twice (two rolls)?
yeah each roll degrades the chemicals
Thank you very much for putting together this very detailed tutorial. This is a great resource for everybody. We appreciate the effort and sacrifice of film 😀👍
Super glad I could help!
Very good explaining! thnx for going in so much detail, that other videos skip over
So glad I could help!
Wow...what an incredible video. Thank you so much for this!
Absolutely! I am here to help!
For C41 development I find temperature control absolutely essential, however you don't need to spend 100+ on the cinestill TCS. You can buy a heat mat for homebrewing for a quarter of the price which will do the job just as well. Pour your chemicals into a glass jar, stick them on the heat mat and use the thermostat to keep them up to temp.
yeah the cinestill thing is a ton. I got my sousvid for $40
@@film_friends hey that's a really good idea. The cinestill is basically exactly the same thing but at 2 or 3 times the price. Thanks!
Yes exactly
You should wash your hands before "derolling" and wipe the cases with a cleaning cloth. this way one could limit greases from hands and fringe contaminates. if you want gloves use cotton ones.
Great tip! Always good to keep clean. I have the most greasy fingers. haha smudge smudge.
I noticed you didn't tap the tank on the table top when agitating. Tapping will dislodge any air bubbles on the film surface and ensure the chemicals hit the entire surface.
When I developed black-and-white film, I would always start the timer after I poured in the chemicals rather before.
I also swear by Photo-Flo. It avoids water marks on the film when it dries. It works by breaking the water's surface tension, so it won't bead on the film.
Yeah thats a good tip! i never really have that prob but yearh!
Photoflo for life
Super helpful as I am prepping to get my first color film developed!
Thats so great! I am glad I could Help!
Re the issue of stabilizer. The Cinestill statement quoted, saying that film modifications precludes the need for a stabilizer, is both right and wrong. I guess that explains why Cinestill still includes stabilizer in its other C-41 kit. More accurately, C-41 process films changed the type of dyes used to "develop" color in the film around 2003. These dyes no longer require the chemical stabilization required by Non-C41 films (like E-6). So far, Cinestill is correct. But that's not the end of the story. Stabilizer serves two more functions: (1) it deposits chemical in the film emulsion which repels little bugs which are interested in eating some of those emulsion bits, and (2) a wetting agent (like Photoflo) which avoids water spots during film drying. Omitting stabilizer saves Cinestill about 20 cents and exposes your film to those other issues. Unicolor is a superior product.
thats super interesting! I would love to talk to Cinestill and hear all about their thought process behind it.
@@film_friends Good luicki. ask 'em why they omit stabilizer in one kit buit include it in the opther.