Photography: Film HOW TOs (Class demo as well)

How to load and unload film

How to roll film

How to develop film

handout

There are five stages to the process and the first four have to take place in the dark.

For roll film such as 35mm and the 120 medium format size, a developing tank is used. It consists of a light-tight drum or container, usually stainless steel or plastic, and a "spiral" normally made of the same material. Here's the way it works:

1. In complete darkness or by using a lightproof changing bag, load the film onto the spiral and pop it in the tank. The darkness has to be complete. Incomplete darkness is just the same as "a little light" and light will fog the unprocessed film and quite probably ruin it. Mastering the knack of loading the film usually takes a few dummy runs in daylight with a used film.

First of all, trim off the tongue of the film with a pair of scissors, push the film into the start marks on the spiral and then twist the spiral two and fro to "walk" the film onto it. Then put it in the tank and close the lid.

2. The next stage involves development.

Start with the right amount of developer according to the instructions and aim, through carefully adding warm water or cold as needed to get it to the desired temperature.

That's usually 68F or 20C but check the instructions. Get your clock or watch ready and pour the developer into the tank starting the timing when you're sure the developer has covered all the film.

Tap the bottom of the tank a few times on a solid surface (gently) to dislodge any air bubbles sticking to the film and invert the tank continuously for ten seconds - usually about four or five inversions. Invert the tank once or twice every minute. About ten seconds before the allotted time for development is up, either pour the developer down the drain if its a one-shot type or into a storage bottle if you want to re-use it. Try to keep the room temperature at about the same level as the developer or sit the tank in a bath of water at the same temperature throughout development to avoid a drop-off that could lead to the film emerging underdeveloped.

3. Next is stop bath, which brings all development to a complete end. It has to be within a degree or two of the developer to prevent sudden temperature changes from stressing the film's delicate light-sensitive emulsion. As soon as developer has drained from the tank, pour in the stop bath and invert a few times. You can relax a little at this point as development has now ended and the film will sit quite happily for a little while in the stop bath.

4. Next comes the fixer which, in the manner of the stop bath, should have been prepared in advance and kept at the same 20C in readiness. Once the stop bath has been drained, pour in the fixer and invert for 30 seconds then twice on the min. After the correct time is up (normally around a couple of minutes - it'll say on the fixer container) pour the liquid back into a storage bottle for future use.

5. The final stage is washing the film.

There are several good ways of effectively washing a film. The more profligate among us will remove the lid from the developing tank and run a hose from the tap (water about the same temperature as the rest of the chemicals) straight down the centre of the spiral and leave it there for ten minutes.

6. Once washed, the film is hung up to dry in a dust free place where the air won't be disturbed.

Contact Sheets:

Darkroom Tutorial