I’m kind of overwhelmed with the pletora of developers that are availiable right now. Good thing, I know, but still confusing. The mantra is to pick one, then master it. But which one is the true jack of all trades? Like both darkroom prints and scans, for low-speed film and pushing (for a bw low-volume home scenario).
Printed this last night from a 6x6 negative off my Rolleiflex.
Hi all, I just picked up a 105mm Componar lens from an ebay listing and now that I’m looking at it I’m a little confused. It almost looks like the lens has a retaining ring on it, so I can’t attach it to my lens boards. When I look up info on this lens in google images I don’t see an exact match for it.
After doing some cursory research I saw some ideas that maybe you need a different kind of lens board for this lens, but I’m still confused about this retaining ring. Hoping someone can provide some clarity. Thanks!
This paper was more like thin flexible plastic rather than paper. It developed the same as regular paper. Using an enlarger then developer, stop, fixer, wash. I can’t find it anywhere online. Mostly get photo printer papers. I might be misremembering the name but if I remember my teacher called it Orthographic paper but that doesn’t seem to help find it anywhere. If anyone knows what I’m talking about and can point me in the right direction I’d appreciate it
Hi I've just been challenged at my local refuse centre when I took a month and a half of clearly marked Rodinal. It was in 4 labelled large milk bottles totalling around 8 to 10 litres I guess. The guy said it was too much and even one bottle a week would be too much as the company has to pay to get them specially collected by a third party. Question is have I overegged the omelette by taking too much at once and also what do others do in the UK? He's basically saying that they're going to stop me if I carry on even at a bottle a week. It was operated by Suez btw.
Ive been doing RA-4 for about 5 years, always using the "all included" Arista or similar chemistry kits that include the components for the developer and blix with mixing/dilution instructions, etc.
I would really like to scale up to Kodak or Fuji because the small kits are becoming less available and inconsistent quality. But the components are seemingly sold seperately (developer part B replenisher, etc). Ive always used RA4 as a single shot process, so why would I replenish anything?
Can someone please list exactly what components I need? The needed amounts, dilutions, etc would be most appreciated. If you DM me, I will compensate you 50
I’ve got some weird film artifacts when getting my film back from a developer. I’ve had perfectly fine photos from them in the past so I’d love to know if this is from something I’m doing to the film that causes issues.
I’d imagine it may be heat, cold, or even x-ray that may be causing issues but if I could narrow it down with your help that’d be great!
I’ll be sure to be nicer to my film in the future (or buy nicer film in general) just looking for the source of this particular issue😅
Camera: Minolta Freedom Zoom Ex
Film: Fujicolor 200
So I’ve been experimenting with RA-4 reversal from Velvia recently. As others have found in the past I’m having trouble with the contrast. I’ve ordered supplies for a low contrast BW Developer that I saw in a silver grain classics article about this process but I’m wondering what else could be done to reign in the contrast here. I’m not currently doing any temp control on the chemistry. I’m using 1:14 Ilford Multigrade, Ilfostop, and Bellini RA-4. Any suggestions welcome!
After making several of these prints successfully with the last of my "old" RA-4 chemistry, I made a batch using the new concentrated chemistry - the developer now comes premixed, so all you ha e to do is dilute with water, rather than combining parts A, B, C + water. The blix is also just 1 concentrated bottle now.
I made 3 prints the exact same way with 3 different stocks: DPii matte & glossy and maxima matte. The maxima (right) has a yellow tint, while the DPii has a subtle red cast most evident in the black area. The other DPii was also red.
Any insights would be appreciated.
Hey folks! I am a longtime portrait photographer (also shoot weddings sometimes) of 10 years.
Lately, I have been interested in analog photography and learning to develop and print my own film.
I have a community darkroom that I could use with for a monthly fee, but do not have experience developing my film yet. Is it worth taking a course or workshop for $400 or just to learn as I go?
Printed on Fomaspeed Variant 311 Glossy 24x24cm, Enlarger: Omega/Jobo LPL 7451, Lens: Rodenstock Rodagon 5,6/150, Exposure time with F8 26 Sekonds, Paper Developer: ADOX NEUTOL liquid NE 1 Minute, Stop Bath: Adox acetic acid 20 Sekonds, Fixing Bath: ADOX ADOFIX Plus Rapid Fixer 2 Minutes, Subsequently soaked for 2 minutes
Took me a few tries to remember what I was doing, but I think this turned out pretty good! (dust spot stuck to the negative aside)
I have equipment and chemistry for film developing but have not developed my first roll yet – I am now worrying about the water. Is tap water ok, or should I use distilled? The water here is quite hard.
Portraits shot on hand-rolled Mikrat-200 film using a Praktica MTL 3 with a Helios 77M-4 50mm f/1.8.
This film came from a 300-meter factory bulk roll produced in 1979. It had spent decades stored in a basement, and the emulsion now shows heavy age, fogging, scratches, and even traces of fungus — but somehow that only adds more atmosphere and emotion to the images.
There’s something fascinating about giving expired film a second life and embracing all the imperfections that come with it. The results feel raw, fragile, and impossible to fully recreate digitally.
Shot at ISO 8 and developed in a homemade Metol-Hydroquinone developer.
The combination of extremely old Mikrat-200 film, decades of poor storage conditions, and low-speed exposure created unpredictable textures, fog, and organic imperfections that I honestly love. The traces of age, fungus, and damaged emulsion give the images a ghostly atmosphere that feels almost timeless.
I’m typically using Xtol or DDX for this film. I’m a bit confused by what they mean regarding the bold numbers. Should I be extending my development a bit to get “normal” contrast? For metering, 400 vs 500 doesn’t seem like much of a meaningful difference.
Am I missing something here?
Good morning.
Googling this is an impossible task but I’m confident this sub has been there, done that.
Id like to have a foldable table for my walk-in shower so I can print negatives. So, supporting an enlarger and 3 trays.
Does anyone have any advice? Thank you!
(and seriously guys googling “folding plastic table” results only in the standard 29” height variety and I already have back issues)
50:1 at 20°c for 17 mins, 2 inversions every minute. Water stop and ilford rapid fixer 1:4 for 5 mins. Scanned with epson v600. For all the hate rodinal gets, it was easy as hell to use, im happy with the results, and inly using 20ml developer for 2 rolls is pretty awesome.
Both photos are taken with an 55mm 2.8 lens ,same settings ,ISO 50 at 1/250
Film used Adox 50 ISO , developed in D96
It’s totally on me for keeping trying with CineStill DF96. I had a bag left and didn’t want it to go to waste, but I just developed the first roll and... yeah. Scanning it, I can clearly spot some exposure errors and bad scanning technique on my part, but there’s one issue in particular that’s bugging me.
There’s this specific area that looks like a slight patch with a much heavier grain texture. For context, this is respooled Agfa 200, so I’m using it for purely experimental stuff, but this roll is basically a window into all my mistakes lol.
Does anyone know what causes this specific type of grain? Where exactly in the process am I messing up? It’s super obvious in the positive, but you can also see it directly on the negative. All the attached photos are from this same roll. Thanks in advance!"