In my own private darkroom, processing my own film...how often will I have to use new chemicals?(I know new developer is needed ever time. Stop bath, fixer, fixer remover, photo flo can be reused).
2006-10-10 15:11:13 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
lets say I use 35mm and 120mm
2006-10-10 15:12:15 · update #1
Hi, I tend to process between 3 to 5-6 films in 1 go and, maybe because I'm a tad obsessive (I hear many photographers are...), I have a tendency not to re-use fixer.
However, I believe that it's quite safe to use both stopper and fixer up to 8-10times... Not that I would feel good about doing it.
I hope this helps,
best,
f.
2006-10-10 15:48:58 · answer #1 · answered by josephlincolnlordstanley 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The stop bath has two purposes: stop development inmediately and prevent shorten fixer life.
For safety purposes you can use SB for up to 12 `120 rolls, or its equivalente area in other films.
For the fixer use hypochek; fixer remover up to 5 120 rolls; you (I guess) wash again after.
The photo-flo (brand name) one or two drops in the final wash.
By the way did you know that you can skip the SB with just plain water for a full minute with no agitation? this will get better shadow details.
2006-10-11 11:51:12 · answer #2 · answered by bigonegrande 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What brand of chemicals are you using: Ilford, Kodak, Fujifilm..? When you say you have a gallon of each chemical, are these chemicals concentrate, or mixed with water? On a general note sometimes you can't predict the amount of rolls you can develop because of cross contamination of chemicals, for example, developer into stop, stop into fix. That is why instead of trying to guess, go and yourself get yourself stop bath and fix bath indicator. It is chemical you can pour into your stop or fix to check to see if the chemical is exhausted.
2006-10-10 22:45:16 · answer #3 · answered by wackywallwalker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Always read your chemicals labels and instructions. How many rolls will depend on the size, type and brand of your rolls, concentration, brand and processing of your chemicals, etc.
Laboratories expend lots of money on research to get that directions as accurately as possible, so they know better.
Hope it helps
2006-10-11 00:52:09 · answer #4 · answered by blkgator 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you check the brand fix/ developer they normally include instructions on charting your chemistry, running test strips etc,
Good luck I think most were written in Japanese and translated with out fixing the sentences structure.
2006-10-10 23:19:18 · answer #5 · answered by Ben 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋