DionyschesPferd
Hi everyone,
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I’ve just managed, with some difficulty, to answer the anti-spam registration question.
I recently came across a thread on analogue photography in a 3D software forum and somehow fell in love with the pictures and the technique. Now I’d like to venture into the world of analogue photography myself. By chance, my uncle had an analogue SLR camera that he no longer needs. It’s a Minolta Dynax 7. He also gave me a Sigma Aspherical 28-300mm, a Sigma 14mm f/2.8, a Sigma Aspherical 28-135mm and a Sigma 50mm f/2.8 AF macro lens. I think that should be enough to get me started. The camera isn’t exactly new, but I hope it will give me a lot of enjoyment.
Now I have a few questions about developing photos. I’ll probably get a scanner as well, so I can digitise the images. Is developing black-and-white photos – though mainly colour ones – feasible for a novice like me? I’ve already done a bit of research into developing black-and-white photos; it seems to be less complex than colour photos. Do you have any tips for beginners? I’m keen to get to grips with the subject. I should have plenty of time for it.
Many thanks in advance
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Kind regards
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Fabian
bernhardmangelsgmxde
Tips... the best thing is just to get started. Here’s what I’d say: fit the 50mm lens onto the Dynax, perform an exposure on a standard 100 ISO black-and-white film, and perform the development in D76. That’s just one of a thousand possible recommendations, but I’d definitely steer clear of ‘miracle’ developers and specialised films. You can always try those after your 10th roll (or thereabouts). Use fresh film. If you’re planning to scan: it can make a huge difference which scanner you use, and what the software does with the data it provides. If you’re willing to delve into the subject and have the time, I’d recommend analogue enlargements. It doesn’t cost any more than a scanner (a reasonably decent scanner probably costs around €200), and you’ve got physical photos straight away (whereas with image files from a scanner, you’d first have to figure out what to do with them... if not just viewing them on screen). When done properly, the results are beyond reproach, and if you do need a digital file, you can digitise a print relatively easily using a simple office scanner. But of course: you do need to get to grips with it a bit; it doesn’t necessarily all work quickly or straight away.
Neutrino
Welcome to the wonderful world of analogue photography!
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It sounds like your uncle has already given you a really good basic kit! As you say, that should definitely be enough to get you started. =)
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On developing film:
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Developing a roll of film yourself is actually quite simple! You hardly need any space, the equipment and chemicals are really affordable, and you don’t need any specialist knowledge either. So, of course, it’s doable for a beginner! There’s actually far less mumbo jumbo involved than you might think at first. Sure, you can get really deep into film development, but I think that will come naturally with time.
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To start with, it’s enough to buy a small development tank that holds one or two reels. I use a Kaiser film tank, for example. I think it’s probably the same as the AP tank sold here at FOTOIMPEX. It holds two 35mm films or one medium-format film. You’ll also need a developer and a fixer. You can easily use a very cheap fixer. I’d recommend the ADOX Adofix Express Fixer 1l, but any other fixer will do. When it comes to the developer, you should choose one that’s easy to handle for a beginner. For example, Ilford DD-X. It’s relatively expensive, but really very good quality and I find it very suitable for a beginner. Tetenal Ultrafin T Plus is another option. You’ll also need one more small item to prevent limescale stains. Either buy a wetting agent or simply use demineralised water (often incorrectly labelled as distilled water) from a DIY store.
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Otherwise, you’ll also need:
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An absolutely(!) dark room where you can wind the film onto the reel. This could be the bathroom, the toilet or a storage cupboard, for example. It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that absolutely no light gets in anywhere. So, tape up the keyhole and place a blanket or something similar across the gap under the door. If you don’t have a room without windows, you’ll have to cover the windows with light-proof material, whether you like it or not. Black construction waste bags, for example, are cheap, very light-proof and easy to get hold of! Of course, you’ll also need something to hang the film on. Either buy some film clips or simply use some clothes pegs. You’ll also need a piece of string, cord or something similar to hang the film up with the clips. A thermometer wouldn’t go amiss either, of course. That’s basically it. You don’t need anything else. The whole lot probably won’t cost more than €70.
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Once you’ve got everything, you’re basically ready to go.
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Developing colour negatives is a bit more complex, true, but even that isn’t really difficult. The big difference from black-and-white development is that colour development is a standardised process, the so-called C-41 process. Whereas there is a wide variety of different developers for black-and-white films, each with very different properties and development times, as well as different development methods, etc., for colour negatives there is just this one. Actually, this makes it a bit more tedious, because you simply have far fewer options. The main difference in the processing is that development is normally carried out at higher temperatures, and these must be maintained quite precisely. So you need a water bath and a thermometer to bring the chemicals up to the required temperature and keep them there. In the standard process, the temperature of the chemicals is exactly 38 degrees. However, it is also possible to develop at lower temperatures. Tetenal offers a development kit designed for home use. The development times are specified for both 38 degrees and 30 degrees. At 30 degrees, development does take considerably longer, but it is also less prone to errors, as the development time and temperature no longer need to be adhered to quite so precisely. The Tetenal kit is actually a slightly simplified C-41 process, as the bleach bath and fixer are combined into one. So you don’t even have any more processing steps than with black-and-white film.
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To start with, however, I would definitely recommend beginning with the processing of black-and-white film.
pittyman
Hi Fabian,
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I’d take colour films to DM or Rossmann; it’s not worth the effort for the price – unless you’re into film development.
For black and white, my recommendation: fresh materials, ONE film with a classic grain and ONE developer, ideally a simple standard developer.
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For film, use Kodak Tri-X or Ilford HP5, both ISO 400. If necessary, simply reduce the speed by placing a yellow/orange filter in front of the lens.
For the developer, use Kodak D76. Thousands before you have started with this combination and found such a simple introduction to the world of analogue black-and-white photography. And very importantly: stick to ONE film/developer combination for now! That way, you’ll quickly get to know your equipment.
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Avoid: older equipment and ‘specialist developers and films’ that promise miracles.
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Go out and take photos rather than worrying about density curves and zone systems. Adjust the exposure and perform development according to the instructions; that’s fine for a start.
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Good luck
Dirk
AchimBauer
Hello,
Most of it’s been said, but I’d just like to add that if you can get hold of a second-hand Gepedose, go for it – it’s practically foolproof to use. If you can’t find one, it’s no big deal; just use any old one for now, and get hold of a few expired films – it doesn’t matter if they’re black and white, colour or slides, as they aren’t meant for taking photos, but for practising loading film into the developing spiral. You can start in daylight and reuse the films several times; once you’ve got the hang of it, you can develop your first self-exposing film yourself.
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Best regards, Achim
DionyschesPferd
Hello everyone,
First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to help me. I suppose I’ll have to go and buy a few things. My uncle also owns a chemist’s, so I don’t think I’ll have much trouble getting hold of the ingredients, and then there’s always the internet. Then I’ll just get started. As they say, practice makes perfect. By the way, I’ve discovered some ancient medium-format cameras at my uncle’s place. I reckon he’s got quite a few treasures in his basement. But I think I’ll stick with the more beginner-friendly Dynax 7 for now.
Kind regards,
Fabian
Neutrino
Of course, I don’t know what sort of products your uncle stocks in his chemist’s, but these days you’re likely to struggle to find the essentials for developing film in a chemist’s. Unless, of course, you want to develop using coffee (yes, it really works!), but for a beginner, I think that would be a bit too specialised. You’d still be missing a fixer, too. Photochemical supplies can be found, if at all, in specialist photography shops. I think that these days you’re only likely to find them in big cities. Here in Vienna, there are still shops like that. If I need something quickly, it’s very handy to be able to just pop into the shop. Normally, though, I order my supplies online, as it’s simply cheaper and there’s a wider selection.
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A few more words on the subject of scanning:
When it comes to scanners, it all depends on how much you want to spend and how good the quality needs to be. Cheap 35mm film scanners – which don’t really deserve the name, as they don’t actually scan the image but photograph it – are available for around €50. If you just want to quickly show something online and quality isn’t the main priority, such a scanner will suffice. As for proper film scanners, prices start at around €200. At the top end, the prices are practically unlimited. You could even buy a Hasselblad scanner costing over €10,000.
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AchimBauer
Hi Fabian,
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For the minimum of 200 you’d spend on a scanner, you can definitely get a complete darkroom for enlargements on eBay – with a bit of luck, even cheaper. If you’re going analogue (I hate that word), why not try out the whole workflow? If it doesn’t work out, you should get more or less the same money back when you resell it – that’s enough for a deposit on a scanner.
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Regards, Achim
ultra8
As I’ve already mentioned here, I’d start off very simply. Get yourself a starter kit from FOTOIMPEX (
www.fotoimpex.de/shop/analog-startsets) and some TriX or HP5 film. A small darkroom for the bathroom won’t cost the earth.
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When it comes to colour, however, things get a bit trickier. It’s best to find a lab you trust, or have a look here:
www.meinfilmlab.de
moma
Hi Horse
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Save your money for a scanner.
In my experience (and it’s my job): standard-grade scanners have too low a resolution. Plus, there’s a lot of dirt and dust. That means you’ll need to do some post-processing.
Instead, use an 8-megapixel (or higher) digital camera and take photos of them. Good resolution up to A3 size, no dust or dirt, and good results in terms of colour.
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Have fun and don’t drive yourself crazy.
If the lighting’s right, it usually works out fine.
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:-)
Wolf_XL
...Purely analogue colour photography – that is, from C41 development right through to the RA-4 positive – isn’t worth it in my opinion – at least not for a beginner... You’re bound to get frustrated by the time you get to filtering the negative, if not before... It’s better to focus on the black-and-white process first and continue to do colour photography either digitally or by having it done at a professional lab...
