Items you'll need:
4 gallon jugs 4x2.75 $11.00 USD
2 half gallon jugs 2x2.25 $4.50 USD
Darkroom Thermometer $4.95
Kodak D-76 Developer $8.97 USD
Kodak Indicator Stop Bath $6.29 USD
Kodak Fixer for Film and Paper $5.50 USD
Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent $3.39 USD
Kodak Photo-Flo $7.95 USD
Developing Tank and Reels $24.95 USD
Funnel
Stopwatch
Dark Room
Hot and cold running tap water
1.
Mix the developer using a 1 gallon jug - follow closely the directions and temperatures on the package. Do this at least 12 hours before use. A small amount of un-disolved particles is not abnormal. This is STOCK solution and should be diluted with water 1:1. to make WORKING solution. The solutions will keep for months and depleted or degraded developer will turn brown and dark.
2.
Mix the stop bath using the 1/2 gallon jug. Use 1 part liquid concentrate to 63 parts water. Stop bath turns violet/purple when exhausted.
3.
Mix the fixer using a 1 gallon jug. Follow the directions on the package containing the powder. Dilute before use.
4.
Mix the Hypo Clearing Agent. Follow instructions on package.
5.
Mix the Photo-Flo using a 1/2 gallon or 1 liter jug - Photoflo is optional but it helps the film dry nicely. Follow the mixing instructions on the Photo-Flo bottle.
6.
In a dark room or film bag feed the film out of the 35mm film canister and onto the reel. This is tricky. Don't rewind the film all of the way into the canister so you'll have a short piece to grab hold of. If you wind the film into the canister you'll have to pry it open with a can opener or pliers. Practice with an old strip of film in the light until you are confident that you can spool the film from the 35mm film canister onto the developing reel in the dark. Once the reel is in the developing tank with the cap on it's safe to turn on the lights.
7. Using D76 working solution, develop the film following the details set forth here:
(I pour the developer into the tank in the light and it works fine. Kodak says dip the reel into the solution in the dark but I've never seen it done and it sounds like a hassle). Use the chart for developing times.
Pour the developer back in the working solution gallon jug.
8.
Pour the dilute stop bath solution into the developing tank. 30 seconds with agitation is all that's needed for the acidic stop bath to neutralize the developer solution left clinging to the film in the tank.
Pour the stop bath back into the half gallon storage jug.
9.
Pour the fixer working solution into the developing tank. Agitate for the time indicated on chart here:
Pour the fixer back into the working solution storage jug.
10.
Rinse 30 seconds with running water.
11.
Pour the hypo clearing agent into the developing tank. 1-2 minutes with agitation.
Pour the clearing agent back into the storage jug.
12. Rinse for 5 minutes with running water.
13. Pour the Photoflo solution into and back out of the developing tank. Processing is now complete. Remove the film from the reel and hang the strip to dry.
14. Scan to computer or even better, print the film to paper.
Paper Developing Instructions HERE
