Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Develop Old Camera Film

If untreated film is exposed to light, all of your photos will be erased.


Knowing develop film is an effective skill for anyone from professional to amateur photographers. Digital photography is becoming increasingly popular, but it is still important to know develop film. Developing film takes time, patience and attention to detail. Developing your own film saves money and increases productivity. Using various tools and chemicals, film can be properly developed.


Instructions








1. Prepare the film development tank. Completely disassemble the tank. Pop off the top red cap and unscrew the main chamber. Thoroughly rinse each piece in hot water for about 10 minutes. Once complete, dry the tank's components.


2. Locate a room that is completely void of light. Even the slightest exposure to ligt can damage film. Once you're in a darkroom, use the bottle opener to pop the cap off the film container. Remove the film from the container. Feed one end of the film into the film reel until about 5 inches are secured around the film reel. Twist the film reel counter clockwise to wrap the film around it.








3. Remove the red cap from the film development tank. Fill the tank with water. Place the film into the tank and soak the film for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, pour the water out.


4. Pour the developer solution into the film development tank until the film reel is fully submerged. Place the red cap back onto the tank. Allow the film reel to stay submerged for about 15 minutes. Turn the film tank upside down at one-minute intervals to keep air bubbles from forming. After 10 minutes, open the tank and completely pour out the developer solution.


5. Rinse the tank. Fill the tank with water and shake. Pour out the water.


6. Pour the fixer solution into the film development tank until the film reel is fully submerged. Place the red cap back onto the tank. Agitate the tank by turning it upside down once each minute for 5 minutes. Open the tank and pour out the fixer.


7. Unscrew the main portion of the tank and remove the film reel. Place the film reel under running water for 5 minutes to remove any traces of chemicals that may be present on the film. After 5 minutes, twist the film reel clockwise to release the film.


8. Cut the film into strips that are six pictures long. Allow the film to dry for 2 hours.

Tags: film reel, development tank, film development, film development tank, After minutes