milou said:
My film camera is due back soon from repair. Getting a 36 exposure roll of Ilford printed to 7 x 5 costs about a tenner. Is it plausible/possible to just get the film developed rather than printed and then scan it?
You'd have to ask your processor about this. The problem is that many processors these days use totally automatic processing machines, but there's no reason why they shouldn't oblige you, it's just a question of whether they'd want to. Your other option of course is to use reversal (slide) film, which you can still scan.
My Canon scanner is very old but Epson do a range with an incorporated film scanner. Would this work?
Certainly - I use a similar Epson set up myself.
And is it costly/more fun to develop a film myself? I imagine that a lot of the skill is in the printing, or am I wrong about that?
There will be an initial outlay in chemicals and equipment, but after that it may be cheaper, depending on how efficiently you store and re-use the chemicals. The skill is most certainly in the printing, you're quite right, but if you intend to scan your results then it's down purely to PSP to produce your prints. If you intend to tackle conventional printing, then don't forget you'd need a photographic enlarger, and also be able to set up a temporary darkroom, which is usually feasible in the kitchen or bathroom but a lot more hassle.
On the other hand once your reversal film is loaded in the developing tank then you can complete the development under normal room lighting, so it's far less hassle and you'd need much less kit..
35mm developing tank
Photographic thermometer
Two or three measuring beakers
Any good photographic shop should be able to sell you all the chemicals you need for E6 processing in a boxed kit. ( E6 processing is suitable for home developing)
Is it fun? I'd say so, and you'll get a definite sense of achievement from it.
Whether you go for negative or reversal film, your average commercial processor will do a good job with the film development. There's such a slight temperature variation permissable during the development that they have to get that bit right or get nada results. It's the printing stage where many of them are suspect and they can get away with partly exhausted and contaminated chemicals, huge fluctuations in temperature, all of which affect print quality and colour balance.... and still get a result - of sorts! :whistling