So I've set up a very small/minimal darkroom for 8x10 tank development. This is my first attempt at 8x10 developing and developing at home with no "real" darkroom. (My darkroom is pretty much a sealed cardboard box - which does the job.)
I went out this weekend, shot six images and developed the negatives. Nothing turned out - I sort of expected this. The negatives had broad unevenly developed streaks, were over-all uneven in development, splotchy, under exposed and unrecognizable. I made the mistake of bringing my cell phone into the darkroom and it went off, so that can account for some of the uneven development, but not everything. My thoughts are that I didn't mix the developer properly and then didn't leave the negatives in long enough. So I was hoping some of you with more experience could help show me where I went wrong. Below is my current process.
Equipment:
- 3 8x10 custom made 5L developing tanks
- 6 8x10 film hangers
- Assorted Beakers
- Milliliter Syringe
- Thermometer
- 2 3 Gallon Amber Glass Bottles
- Amber Darkroom Light
Chemicals & Process:
- Film: Blue Sensitive X-Ray film
- Process: In total darkness, remove film from camera holders. Place into 8x10 film hangers.
- Developer: Adox Rodinal
- Dilution: 1:200
- Quantities: 25ml Rodinal : 5L Water
- Process: Measure and pour Rodinal into 5L container, then pour water at 68 degrees. Mix with custom made spatula. Wait 30 minutes. Use. The mixing is all done before the darkroom is darkened. Once the film is on the hangers, dunk film into 5L tank and wait 6 minutes. No agitation.
- Stop Bath: Water at 68 degrees.
- Process: Pour water into 5L tank. Leave it alone. Once the film is in the stop bath for 30 seconds, I flip on the amber light and prepare the Fixer. The film just sits in the stop bath. No agitation. After the fixer is mixed, I move the hangers over to the fixer. (roughly 3-5 minutes in stop bath)
- Fixer: Photographer's Formulary's TF-4 Archival Fix
- Dilution: 1:3
- Quantities: 1L TF-4 : 3L Water
- Process: Pour TF-4 int 5L tank and mix while film is in the stop bath. Dunk film into fixer and wait 30 seconds. Open darkroom, hello daylight. Final rinse.
Thank you, any expert advice is appreciated!
Bookmarks