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Developing Kit and chemicals
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Mr Badger
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Thanks for posting that Andy, I got an Epson V600 last year (which I've been pleased with - I've not tried the 550 though so can't offer a comparison) and was thinking about upgrading the film holder. The one supplied seems to produce good scans but it just feels a bit flimsy and it sometimes takes me a couple of goes to insert the film strip and clip the top of the holder down without the film moving. I was wondering if it was worth upgrading the holder, but from what you've said I might be better saving my money instead.
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I use the Lomo Digitaliza 120 holder and much prefer it to the Epson version because it's a lot easier to load and handles curled film better. I haven't noticed a difference in sharpness, but to be fair, I've also never bothered checking!
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I might have to give it another go. I did check one against t'other but I think it might be worth doing a more exhaustive test just to make sure it wasn't the 'nut behind the button' that caused the difference.
ChrisR
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I thought calibration was mainly about colour, not sure focus is adjustable?
Isn't there an expensive Betterware alternative? (Similar name, anyway.)
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I don't know either. If you have different height holders for different purposes then it suggests there must be some involved. Unless the film holder makes sure the film is as flat against the glass as a bit of paper would be.
excalibur2
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That's what I found...and am guessing Epson had the sense to design a scanning lens (or whatever) that had a small DOF to cover the neg being not exactly flat, although with 120 with a severe buckle and it can't cope.
OP
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So just had a go at this!!
Blimey. How fiddly was it to load the 120 film!!
Lessons learned.
Get more familiar with the reel.
Have the clips on properly so you don't drop it after the hard work.
It's drying now.... Quickly inverted a pic on my phone
Blimey. How fiddly was it to load the 120 film!!
Lessons learned.
Get more familiar with the reel.
Have the clips on properly so you don't drop it after the hard work.
It's drying now.... Quickly inverted a pic on my phone
Asha
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Did you trim the leading edge corners of the film to an angle?......it helps the film feed onto the reel easier!
OP
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No!!! I took the paper off in the bag. And swore. A lot.
Asha
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Be assured it happens to us all at times.......Fortuanatly all goes straight forward for me most of the time but it is extremely frustrating when it doesn't
Anther bit of advice that I taught myself to do sometime ago after damaging more than one roll of film........If it's all getting messy in the bag and not going as planned, bob the film in the developing tank and come away from it,......return later with a more relaxed approach!
TheBigYin
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+1 on this - if, for nothing else, it gives you time to take your hands out of the bag and let them cool down / not be slightly sweaty, which always helps with handling the film - the slightest amount of moisture on my mits and I either stick to the film and can't get it to spool properly OR it spools properly, but there's fingerprints on the negs, with the oils from the prints slightly altering the way that the dev works and mucking up the neg.
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I can not stand the push in plastic reels.
Since the 60's I have used the professional stainless reels and tanks . The reels load from the centre out so never get stuck.
Since the 60's I have used the professional stainless reels and tanks . The reels load from the centre out so never get stuck.
Asha
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I never knew that!
Asha
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I've been thinking about this and I'm confused
It dunt take muchSo if you start feeding the film onto the center of the reel, that to me says that the flanges of the reel have to be fractionally wider than the film width in order for the film to fit between them.
If that is the case then how does the film sit itself on the spiral flanges ?
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I've been thinking about this and I'm confused
So if you start feeding the film onto the center of the reel, that to me says that the flanges of the reel have to be fractionally wider than the film width in order for the film to fit between them.
If that is the case then how does the film sit itself on the spiral flanges ?
there is a stainless clip at the centre of a metal reel. The end of the film is inserted into this The width of the film is held in the palm of the hand so that it takes on a curve.(and becomes narrower) the reel is then rotated and the film winds into the grooves, all the time the curve is controlled by the hand. It only take a few seconds per film. as the outside of the film and especially the edges are the only part of the film touched by the hand, no skin grease touches the emulsion, and causes no problem.
After a little practice with an old film, it all becomes second nature.
OP
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So..........first one - got a few scratches - dropped the film when hanging it -grrrrrr
Film was generously given to me by Lee, along with a lot of the kit
Lots of fun, a few lessons learnt but will shoot a lot more now in mono!!
My Biggest Fan by Sir._.SR, on Flickr
Film was generously given to me by Lee, along with a lot of the kit
Lots of fun, a few lessons learnt but will shoot a lot more now in mono!!
My Biggest Fan by Sir._.SR, on Flickr
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Shaheed...well done!.So..........first one - got a few scratches - dropped the film when hanging it -grrrrrr
Film was generously given to me by Lee, along with a lot of the kit
Lots of fun, a few lessons learnt but will shoot a lot more now in mono!!
I'm glad you got round to having a go at developing, and, you have done really well with that roll I gave you especially as it was the old make of Tri X 400 dated 2003.
The reels are fiddly to load yes. I never cut my corners off 120 film although I do with 35mm. And, as Asha says, if you get all hot and bothered(and it happens a lot), stick it in the tank and put the top on and come away from it.
Look forward to seeing more .
OP
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Thank you so much for all your advice and help getting started! It's strangely therapeutic doing the developing!
You've given me the bug!!
OP
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So glad you guys got me into developing. Shot another couple of rolls of mono today - although my nephew didn't really play ball and I forgot to take into account the stop of light I'd lose from the orange filter!
That said I'll have some fun later souping the film!!
That said I'll have some fun later souping the film!!
ChrisR
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One stop in black and white? Unless you're at real extremes of exposure, I'd guess you wouldn't even notice even if you process at box speed! (Although I normally set my meter to over-expose a little as you did, so any filters don't have quite the full effect. But I've never attempted to get a film pushed, filter or not, and have never seen a significant problem.)
