Before beginning, please realize that there are black and white films for which this process will not work, including Kodak BW400CN. This is color process film, even though it produces black and white prints. Any film that states it requires C-41 process must be done by a lab that process color negative films.
The act of exposing film to light allows the silver halide crystals to chemically react in proportion to the amount of light received locally in a negative or a slide. Photons change the silver halide crystals so that they will not be rinsed away when introduced to chemistry. The more light, the more dense the area these converted silver halides. This is referred to as the latent image. The latent image can become an image when it is properly introduced to a specific sequence of chemistry. As black and white negative film processing is the simplest in procedure we will focus here on this process.
Different chemicals are used for specific durations of time and in a specific sequence to release the unexposed silver halides from the emulsion and to transpose the latent image into a negative image within the emulsion. Black and white film requires, first, an alkaline-based developer to convert the exposed silver halide crystals into black metallic silver that remains after processing to create the negative image densities. To halt the alkalinity of the developer we next introduce a strong acid commonly referred to as a stop bath. As the name indicates, this chemical’s purpose is to stop the effect of the developing agent on the film. After the short stopping bath we then place the film into a fixing agent. The purpose of the fixer is to rinse away any remaining undeveloped silver halides from the emulsion. Once the fixing agent has done its job we then must rinse all of the residual chemicals from the film by rinsing it in water. Then a drying agent may be added to speed up drying or the film may simply be hung up to dry naturally.
Before developing your own film you will need to get some supplies and also have a room that can be made completely lightproof, preferably one with running water, though this is not absolutely necessary. A list of gear that is required is located in Appendix A at the end of this article. The first thing to do, and most important, is to practice loading film onto a spool. Improper loading can lead to ruined negatives due to uneven processing. It is even possible to have portions of film completely undeveloped because one loop of film was resting against an inner loop of film thus preventing any chemicals to reach that surface of the film. So it is best to gain a certain mastery of loading film before attempting to do so in the dark. First try loading the film many times while watching what it is you are doing and then with your eyes closed or while looking away until you can consistently load the film correctly.
Loading film onto the developing spool must be done in a fashion that keeps the film away from ALL light. This is most easily accomplished in an open darkroom. However, with practice, you can do this in an open lit room with the film, the spool, all tools and your hands in a light-tight changing bag. Photography suppliers sell these and bigger is definitely better.
First you need to separate the film from its spool. 35mm film is in a canister. Take a common can opener and gently pry the flat end of the canister off and pull the film free. Unroll it in your hand being careful not to touch the flat surface of the emulsion more than absolutely necessary until you reach the inside edge of the film. With your scissors, cut the film from the spool squarely. With 120-roll film, unroll the paper backing until you feel the edge of the film with you fingertips. You should unroll about 10 inches of the paper before you feel the edge of the film underneath it. Then while unrolling the film you will need to separate the film from the paper backing, keeping the film in your hand, again careful not to excessively handle the flat faces of the film itself. When the film is completely unraveled you will find it is held to the backing with a piece of tape. First remove the tape from the paper backing and discard it. Then remove the tape from the film ever so gently as not to bend the film. If you are unsure about taking the tape from the film, it is not wide. It can be simply folded over the edge of the film.
Next hold the film between your thumb and index finger in one hand and take the developing spool in the other. Feed the edge of the film into the clip located in the center of the spool. Once secure and centered, start rolling the spool away from the film while applying slight pressure between the thumb and finger so as to bow the film slightly allowing for ease of loading. Be sure to check for slack in the loaded film every half of a turn or so. If you can slide the film back and forth about a quarter of an inch freely then it is loading properly and you may continue. If the film won’t budge and is tight then it has likely skipped a track in the spool and you need to unroll the film back to the point where it is loaded improperly and correct the problem. You may then continue. When you get to the end of the film make certain that the film edge is centered so that it does not rest against the inner loop. This will not create bad negatives on the inner loop but will prevent some of the silver from being washed away during fixing and require additional time for this phase and a re-rinsing of the film. Then you must gently place the spool(s) into the tank and seal the lid. If you are using a 500mL tank and only processing one roll of 35mm film, place the loaded spool in first and then an empty spool on top to hold the first spool in place on the bottom of the tank. At this point you may now turn the lights on and leave them on for the duration of the procedure.
Now it is time to prepare the chemicals. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for mixing processing chemicals and remember to do so in a well-ventilated area and to wear protective gear at all times. Ideally you might employ protective goggles, a rubber apron, rubber gloves and shoes with slip free soles. If working with stock solutions you will now be mixing an amount equal to the capacity of your developing tank. If you are using working solutions then all you need do is mix the solutions by inverting the containers a couple of times and then measuring out the required capacity of each for your use. Most chemicals may be reused and will either change consistency or color to indicate that their usefulness has expired. Again, refer to your manufacturer’s literature as to such indicators. Or you may choose to use your chemicals only one time which is commonly referred to as ‘One Shot’ processing. Once your chemicals are ready and the film is loaded it is time to get your gear ready for the actual processing.
A note on chemistry disposal. Ideally you should have a slop bucket into which you can discard spent chemistry. And it can be disposed of properly. However, it should be noted that harsher household chemicals are discarded down the drain. Regardless, do not dispose of chemistry into a septic system as this can harm the bacteria necessary for its proper operation.
Line your chemicals up in order of use: Developing Agent, Stop Bath, Fixing Agent, Wetting Agent. I always find it useful to have a list of chemicals in order of use and the duration of use handy in a largely printed list for easy reference. Get out your timer and set it to zero. Get your water running and give it a couple of minutes to be sure that the temperature is steady at the normal processing temperature (usually 68 degrees Fahrenheit/ 20 degrees Celsius) by using your thermometer. You might need to give an older dial type thermometer a minute or so to acclimatize to the temperature of the water. I find that the best thing to do is to fill the tank with your liquid, place the cap on the tank and THEN start the timer.
For example's sake we will use my personal processing system for Kodak TMax 100TMX 120 roll film. I use Kodak HC110 developer mixed to a working solution of ‘Dilution B’ (mixed 1:31 with 68 degree water), Kodak Indicator Stop Bath (mixed 1:63 with 68 degree water), Kodafix fixing agent (mixed 1:3 with 68 degree water) and Kodak Photo-Flo drying agent. The reason I always mix to 68F is that I always use my chemistry one-shot as I don't process a lot of film at one time and as my room temp is very near 68F I do not require a tempering bath to maintain chemistry temperature. Regarding temperature, the time and temp is extremely crucial for the developing agent, perhaps not quite so for the stop and the fix, but it never hurts to be sure. Extreme temperature changes can damage the film so maintaining a consistent operating temperature is the best policy.
A general note on processing of any kind. Have a solid, steady and repeatable sequence of your process. This is the key to consistent results. This way, if a problem creeps up, you can check your steps one at a time and more readily find the culprit.
The first stage that I use is optional. I use a water presoak to bring the film and tank and spool(s) closer to processing temperature. Other photographers think that a water presoak can prevent developer from getting into the film as quickly as it should, however I have never had a problem with under-developed negatives as a result of using the water presoak. I fill the tank (holding it close to the edge of the basin and at a slight angle so that if an air bubble forms in the fill hole I can readily rap it against the edge of the basin to dislodge it), place the cap and then start the timer. I agitate throughout the presoaking stage and leave the water in the tank for one minute. Agitating is the act of inverting and then reverting the tank to get fresh liquid across the entire surface of the film. Except during continuous agitation, two or three sharp raps of the tank on your counter or working surface should be done to dislodge any air bubbles that might be adhering to the surface of the film due to the agitation.
When the timer gets to one minute turn it off, take off the cap and pour out the water. It might appear to be grayish at this point but that is OK. It is the water having been stained by the film.
Now empty the bottle containing the developer into the tank. Replace the cap and restart the timer. For developing TMax in HC110 Dil.-‘B’ the required developing time is six minutes. For the first thirty seconds constant agitation is required (roughly ten gentle agitations). When agitation is complete rap the tank twice and set it down. For the remainder of the developing stage agitate the tank twice after every thirty second interval. Agitate one last time just before reaching the end of the time allotted for the development stage. When the developing stage is complete turn the timer off, take off the cap and drain the developer from the tank.
A note on agitation during developing. Do not agitate too vigorously. Gently roll the tank. Vigorous agitation can cause streaks to appear in the film extending from the film sprocket holes that cannot be fixed. It can also cause an excessive amount of air bells which might not all get dislodged with a simple rap or two of the tank on your countertop.
Now take the bottle containing the stop bath and empty it into the tank, replace the cap and start the timer. Most black and white negative film processes call for a stop bath phase lasting only thirty seconds. So agitate the tank once, rap it and set it down. After the thirty seconds stop the timer, remove the cap and drain the stop bath from the tank.
Now take the bottle containing the fixing agent and empty it into the tank. Replace the cap and start the timer. Fixing is required for roughly twice the amount of time it takes the film to clear, meaning for all colored material to be rinsed from the film. If you were to inspect the film at this point, TMax has a magenta sheen when underdeveloped. After two and a half minutes this color has been removed by the action of the fixer. You can now remove the cap and inspect the film to see if it is clear, if so then double your time for the fixing stage. If there is still some blue residue on the film then more fixing is required to remove it. I have found that in my process that the film is clear between two and a half minutes and three minutes so I fix for five and a half minutes. Excessive fixing can bleach the film but if you keep the times relatively short then you should have nothing to worry about. Agitatation should mirror that used during development. You do not want to underagitate the film during the fix. It is better to over-agitate than to agitate to little at this stage of the process.
Now we need to rinse the fixer residue from the film by using a water rinse. I use Ilford's 5-10-20 method. To do so, I fill the tank with 68 degree water. Replace the lid. Invert the tank five times and drain the water. Now, refill the tank and invert the tank 10 times. Drain, refill and invert the tank twenty more times. Drain the tank. And...
You’re done. No further stages are required. I, however, use Photo-Flo to shorten the drying time. Take the whole cap off, fill the tank slowly pouring only a few drops of the wetting agent into it. It will suds up a little which is normal. Put the cap on, start the timer and let it sit for one minute. Then rinse the solution from the film.
Now remove the film from the reel. Holding the film up over the basin with one hand, take your index and middle finger on the other hand and run them down either side of the film to squeegee excess water from the film to speed along drying. Hang your film from the clip on your string or wire and place another clip on the bottom of the film to prevent it from curling up or swinging into another object or hanging roll of film. Do not forget to THOROUGHLY rinse your workstation and equipment to remove all chemicals and allow anything that is wet ample space and time to dry.
A note on drying. Drying time will be less with moving air. However, moving air must be IMMACULATELY filtered or embedded dust particles on your film will result and are nearly impossible to remove.
So as not to put your film to undue risk of being ruined I would like to advocate a practice run or two through your processing sequence. You don't need to use any film to do this. Just an empty tank and some water will suffice. The purpose of this is to get used to what's going on. My first roll had one loop of film touching another and thus prevented a small amount of the film from being processed. As simple and straightforward as this process is there is absolutely no reason why a photographer who has practiced and is sure of their procedure should achieve results other than perfection. No reason whatever.
BLACK AND WHITE FILM PROCESSING GEAR LIST AND DARKROOM NOTES
The following is a basic list of items needed to process black and white negative roll film. This list is based on my gear and you may find items that you do not need as well as find that you may have a need for items not listed herein. There are still some photographic stores that carry darkroom gear around but not many. You may find yourself needing to resort to the online camera houses for supplies. Some suggestions are located in my Links.
Developer stock solution (needs to be mixed) or …Developer working solution (ready to be used)
Stop bath stock solution
Fixing agent stock solution
3- gallon jugs (for storage of working solutions of chemicals)
3 or more 8-ounce glass amber bottles (for storage of stock solutions of chemicals)
Film drying agent (for shortening drying time)
A practice roll of film (to practice loading film into the developing tank)
Lightproof developing tank (available in either stainless steel or plastic)
1-120 roll film developing spool
2-35mm roll film developing spools
(For large format you will need either a daylight tank like the Combiplan, some trays for chemistry or dip tanks and sheet hangers.)
A pair of scissors
Can opener (church key)
32-ounce graduated measuring cup
250 mL graduated cylindrical measure
2-graduated measure syringes
A plastic funnel
3-16- or 32-ounce containers (to hold chemicals for processing)
Instant dial thermometer (for regulating water temperature)
30 or 60-minute timer that measures in seconds and minutes
Wire or string (for hanging film to dry)
Stainless steel hanging clips or wooden clothespins (for hanging and holding film straight)
Negative archival storage sheets
If you decide to work with stock solutions in your chemicals then you won’t have need for the gallon jugs as you will probably be mixing the chemicals on an as needed basis. However if you are going to keep plenty of stock on hand , regardless of whether or not you are using a working solution, I would still suggest using the amber bottles for chemicals storage.
A darkroom has only one requirement. It must be light tight. Absolutely. You can have a dedicated darkroom that serves this function on a full time basis. You can convert a bathroom or kitchen to this purpose. You can even use a changing bag and a closet with a slop bucket. A darkroom should be able to fill your personal needs. I would like to point out that I think running water and proper air circulation with filtration to be a must when considering a darkroom. And if you are going to be doing processing as well as printing you should have enough room or at least a means to keep your wet (processing) and dry (film loading and enlarging) processes separated from each other so as to prevent chemistry from getting into unprocessed film and paper.
That's it. Get to it and have some fun.
The act of exposing film to light allows the silver halide crystals to chemically react in proportion to the amount of light received locally in a negative or a slide. Photons change the silver halide crystals so that they will not be rinsed away when introduced to chemistry. The more light, the more dense the area these converted silver halides. This is referred to as the latent image. The latent image can become an image when it is properly introduced to a specific sequence of chemistry. As black and white negative film processing is the simplest in procedure we will focus here on this process.
Different chemicals are used for specific durations of time and in a specific sequence to release the unexposed silver halides from the emulsion and to transpose the latent image into a negative image within the emulsion. Black and white film requires, first, an alkaline-based developer to convert the exposed silver halide crystals into black metallic silver that remains after processing to create the negative image densities. To halt the alkalinity of the developer we next introduce a strong acid commonly referred to as a stop bath. As the name indicates, this chemical’s purpose is to stop the effect of the developing agent on the film. After the short stopping bath we then place the film into a fixing agent. The purpose of the fixer is to rinse away any remaining undeveloped silver halides from the emulsion. Once the fixing agent has done its job we then must rinse all of the residual chemicals from the film by rinsing it in water. Then a drying agent may be added to speed up drying or the film may simply be hung up to dry naturally.
Before developing your own film you will need to get some supplies and also have a room that can be made completely lightproof, preferably one with running water, though this is not absolutely necessary. A list of gear that is required is located in Appendix A at the end of this article. The first thing to do, and most important, is to practice loading film onto a spool. Improper loading can lead to ruined negatives due to uneven processing. It is even possible to have portions of film completely undeveloped because one loop of film was resting against an inner loop of film thus preventing any chemicals to reach that surface of the film. So it is best to gain a certain mastery of loading film before attempting to do so in the dark. First try loading the film many times while watching what it is you are doing and then with your eyes closed or while looking away until you can consistently load the film correctly.
Loading film onto the developing spool must be done in a fashion that keeps the film away from ALL light. This is most easily accomplished in an open darkroom. However, with practice, you can do this in an open lit room with the film, the spool, all tools and your hands in a light-tight changing bag. Photography suppliers sell these and bigger is definitely better.
First you need to separate the film from its spool. 35mm film is in a canister. Take a common can opener and gently pry the flat end of the canister off and pull the film free. Unroll it in your hand being careful not to touch the flat surface of the emulsion more than absolutely necessary until you reach the inside edge of the film. With your scissors, cut the film from the spool squarely. With 120-roll film, unroll the paper backing until you feel the edge of the film with you fingertips. You should unroll about 10 inches of the paper before you feel the edge of the film underneath it. Then while unrolling the film you will need to separate the film from the paper backing, keeping the film in your hand, again careful not to excessively handle the flat faces of the film itself. When the film is completely unraveled you will find it is held to the backing with a piece of tape. First remove the tape from the paper backing and discard it. Then remove the tape from the film ever so gently as not to bend the film. If you are unsure about taking the tape from the film, it is not wide. It can be simply folded over the edge of the film.
Next hold the film between your thumb and index finger in one hand and take the developing spool in the other. Feed the edge of the film into the clip located in the center of the spool. Once secure and centered, start rolling the spool away from the film while applying slight pressure between the thumb and finger so as to bow the film slightly allowing for ease of loading. Be sure to check for slack in the loaded film every half of a turn or so. If you can slide the film back and forth about a quarter of an inch freely then it is loading properly and you may continue. If the film won’t budge and is tight then it has likely skipped a track in the spool and you need to unroll the film back to the point where it is loaded improperly and correct the problem. You may then continue. When you get to the end of the film make certain that the film edge is centered so that it does not rest against the inner loop. This will not create bad negatives on the inner loop but will prevent some of the silver from being washed away during fixing and require additional time for this phase and a re-rinsing of the film. Then you must gently place the spool(s) into the tank and seal the lid. If you are using a 500mL tank and only processing one roll of 35mm film, place the loaded spool in first and then an empty spool on top to hold the first spool in place on the bottom of the tank. At this point you may now turn the lights on and leave them on for the duration of the procedure.
Now it is time to prepare the chemicals. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations for mixing processing chemicals and remember to do so in a well-ventilated area and to wear protective gear at all times. Ideally you might employ protective goggles, a rubber apron, rubber gloves and shoes with slip free soles. If working with stock solutions you will now be mixing an amount equal to the capacity of your developing tank. If you are using working solutions then all you need do is mix the solutions by inverting the containers a couple of times and then measuring out the required capacity of each for your use. Most chemicals may be reused and will either change consistency or color to indicate that their usefulness has expired. Again, refer to your manufacturer’s literature as to such indicators. Or you may choose to use your chemicals only one time which is commonly referred to as ‘One Shot’ processing. Once your chemicals are ready and the film is loaded it is time to get your gear ready for the actual processing.
A note on chemistry disposal. Ideally you should have a slop bucket into which you can discard spent chemistry. And it can be disposed of properly. However, it should be noted that harsher household chemicals are discarded down the drain. Regardless, do not dispose of chemistry into a septic system as this can harm the bacteria necessary for its proper operation.
Line your chemicals up in order of use: Developing Agent, Stop Bath, Fixing Agent, Wetting Agent. I always find it useful to have a list of chemicals in order of use and the duration of use handy in a largely printed list for easy reference. Get out your timer and set it to zero. Get your water running and give it a couple of minutes to be sure that the temperature is steady at the normal processing temperature (usually 68 degrees Fahrenheit/ 20 degrees Celsius) by using your thermometer. You might need to give an older dial type thermometer a minute or so to acclimatize to the temperature of the water. I find that the best thing to do is to fill the tank with your liquid, place the cap on the tank and THEN start the timer.
For example's sake we will use my personal processing system for Kodak TMax 100TMX 120 roll film. I use Kodak HC110 developer mixed to a working solution of ‘Dilution B’ (mixed 1:31 with 68 degree water), Kodak Indicator Stop Bath (mixed 1:63 with 68 degree water), Kodafix fixing agent (mixed 1:3 with 68 degree water) and Kodak Photo-Flo drying agent. The reason I always mix to 68F is that I always use my chemistry one-shot as I don't process a lot of film at one time and as my room temp is very near 68F I do not require a tempering bath to maintain chemistry temperature. Regarding temperature, the time and temp is extremely crucial for the developing agent, perhaps not quite so for the stop and the fix, but it never hurts to be sure. Extreme temperature changes can damage the film so maintaining a consistent operating temperature is the best policy.
A general note on processing of any kind. Have a solid, steady and repeatable sequence of your process. This is the key to consistent results. This way, if a problem creeps up, you can check your steps one at a time and more readily find the culprit.
The first stage that I use is optional. I use a water presoak to bring the film and tank and spool(s) closer to processing temperature. Other photographers think that a water presoak can prevent developer from getting into the film as quickly as it should, however I have never had a problem with under-developed negatives as a result of using the water presoak. I fill the tank (holding it close to the edge of the basin and at a slight angle so that if an air bubble forms in the fill hole I can readily rap it against the edge of the basin to dislodge it), place the cap and then start the timer. I agitate throughout the presoaking stage and leave the water in the tank for one minute. Agitating is the act of inverting and then reverting the tank to get fresh liquid across the entire surface of the film. Except during continuous agitation, two or three sharp raps of the tank on your counter or working surface should be done to dislodge any air bubbles that might be adhering to the surface of the film due to the agitation.
When the timer gets to one minute turn it off, take off the cap and pour out the water. It might appear to be grayish at this point but that is OK. It is the water having been stained by the film.
Now empty the bottle containing the developer into the tank. Replace the cap and restart the timer. For developing TMax in HC110 Dil.-‘B’ the required developing time is six minutes. For the first thirty seconds constant agitation is required (roughly ten gentle agitations). When agitation is complete rap the tank twice and set it down. For the remainder of the developing stage agitate the tank twice after every thirty second interval. Agitate one last time just before reaching the end of the time allotted for the development stage. When the developing stage is complete turn the timer off, take off the cap and drain the developer from the tank.
A note on agitation during developing. Do not agitate too vigorously. Gently roll the tank. Vigorous agitation can cause streaks to appear in the film extending from the film sprocket holes that cannot be fixed. It can also cause an excessive amount of air bells which might not all get dislodged with a simple rap or two of the tank on your countertop.
Now take the bottle containing the stop bath and empty it into the tank, replace the cap and start the timer. Most black and white negative film processes call for a stop bath phase lasting only thirty seconds. So agitate the tank once, rap it and set it down. After the thirty seconds stop the timer, remove the cap and drain the stop bath from the tank.
Now take the bottle containing the fixing agent and empty it into the tank. Replace the cap and start the timer. Fixing is required for roughly twice the amount of time it takes the film to clear, meaning for all colored material to be rinsed from the film. If you were to inspect the film at this point, TMax has a magenta sheen when underdeveloped. After two and a half minutes this color has been removed by the action of the fixer. You can now remove the cap and inspect the film to see if it is clear, if so then double your time for the fixing stage. If there is still some blue residue on the film then more fixing is required to remove it. I have found that in my process that the film is clear between two and a half minutes and three minutes so I fix for five and a half minutes. Excessive fixing can bleach the film but if you keep the times relatively short then you should have nothing to worry about. Agitatation should mirror that used during development. You do not want to underagitate the film during the fix. It is better to over-agitate than to agitate to little at this stage of the process.
Now we need to rinse the fixer residue from the film by using a water rinse. I use Ilford's 5-10-20 method. To do so, I fill the tank with 68 degree water. Replace the lid. Invert the tank five times and drain the water. Now, refill the tank and invert the tank 10 times. Drain, refill and invert the tank twenty more times. Drain the tank. And...
You’re done. No further stages are required. I, however, use Photo-Flo to shorten the drying time. Take the whole cap off, fill the tank slowly pouring only a few drops of the wetting agent into it. It will suds up a little which is normal. Put the cap on, start the timer and let it sit for one minute. Then rinse the solution from the film.
Now remove the film from the reel. Holding the film up over the basin with one hand, take your index and middle finger on the other hand and run them down either side of the film to squeegee excess water from the film to speed along drying. Hang your film from the clip on your string or wire and place another clip on the bottom of the film to prevent it from curling up or swinging into another object or hanging roll of film. Do not forget to THOROUGHLY rinse your workstation and equipment to remove all chemicals and allow anything that is wet ample space and time to dry.
A note on drying. Drying time will be less with moving air. However, moving air must be IMMACULATELY filtered or embedded dust particles on your film will result and are nearly impossible to remove.
So as not to put your film to undue risk of being ruined I would like to advocate a practice run or two through your processing sequence. You don't need to use any film to do this. Just an empty tank and some water will suffice. The purpose of this is to get used to what's going on. My first roll had one loop of film touching another and thus prevented a small amount of the film from being processed. As simple and straightforward as this process is there is absolutely no reason why a photographer who has practiced and is sure of their procedure should achieve results other than perfection. No reason whatever.
BLACK AND WHITE FILM PROCESSING GEAR LIST AND DARKROOM NOTES
The following is a basic list of items needed to process black and white negative roll film. This list is based on my gear and you may find items that you do not need as well as find that you may have a need for items not listed herein. There are still some photographic stores that carry darkroom gear around but not many. You may find yourself needing to resort to the online camera houses for supplies. Some suggestions are located in my Links.
Developer stock solution (needs to be mixed) or …Developer working solution (ready to be used)
Stop bath stock solution
Fixing agent stock solution
3- gallon jugs (for storage of working solutions of chemicals)
3 or more 8-ounce glass amber bottles (for storage of stock solutions of chemicals)
Film drying agent (for shortening drying time)
A practice roll of film (to practice loading film into the developing tank)
Lightproof developing tank (available in either stainless steel or plastic)
1-120 roll film developing spool
2-35mm roll film developing spools
(For large format you will need either a daylight tank like the Combiplan, some trays for chemistry or dip tanks and sheet hangers.)
A pair of scissors
Can opener (church key)
32-ounce graduated measuring cup
250 mL graduated cylindrical measure
2-graduated measure syringes
A plastic funnel
3-16- or 32-ounce containers (to hold chemicals for processing)
Instant dial thermometer (for regulating water temperature)
30 or 60-minute timer that measures in seconds and minutes
Wire or string (for hanging film to dry)
Stainless steel hanging clips or wooden clothespins (for hanging and holding film straight)
Negative archival storage sheets
If you decide to work with stock solutions in your chemicals then you won’t have need for the gallon jugs as you will probably be mixing the chemicals on an as needed basis. However if you are going to keep plenty of stock on hand , regardless of whether or not you are using a working solution, I would still suggest using the amber bottles for chemicals storage.
A darkroom has only one requirement. It must be light tight. Absolutely. You can have a dedicated darkroom that serves this function on a full time basis. You can convert a bathroom or kitchen to this purpose. You can even use a changing bag and a closet with a slop bucket. A darkroom should be able to fill your personal needs. I would like to point out that I think running water and proper air circulation with filtration to be a must when considering a darkroom. And if you are going to be doing processing as well as printing you should have enough room or at least a means to keep your wet (processing) and dry (film loading and enlarging) processes separated from each other so as to prevent chemistry from getting into unprocessed film and paper.
That's it. Get to it and have some fun.
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