Is it messy!? Will it stain or ruin your sink!? also, are the chemicals dangerous!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Position:Home>Visual Arts> Developing Black and White Film?Question: Developing Black and White Film!? Is it messy!? Will it stain or ruin your sink!? also, are the chemicals dangerous!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: No, it won't stain your clothes or ruin the sink!. It's really not that messy at all!. The chemicals really aren't that dangerous either, except the fixer might irritate your skin a little if it gets on your hands!. I've gotten it on my fingers many times from a leaking developer tank or while developing pictures in a tray!. The most that happened was my fingers got a little bit red and dry!. also, people are exaggerating about the fumes!. The only thing that has a little bit of a strong smell is the fixer!. The developer has hardly any smell!. Developing black and white film is actually very easy!. You should give it a try! It just takes patience, and there are a few steps, but it's really not that difficult!. You don't really even have to have a darkroom!. You'll need a darkroom and an enlarger if you want to develop prints!. But for just developing film, all you need is a "changing bag!." It's a light-proof zippered bag that has holes for your arms!. You have to load the film on the developing reel and put it in the tank in complete darkness, so you do that part in the changing bag!. But once the film is in the tank, you can do the rest in normal light!. You just pour in the developer (I'd recommend Kodak D76, it's cheap and easy to use)!. You leave the developer in the tank for a certain amount of time, depending on what kind of film you're using!. also, you'll gently agitate the tank by inverting it about every minute or so!. That helps to develop the film evenly!. Then pour out the developer, and rinse the tank by running water through it!. Don't open the tank, just rinse it by running water through the light-proof spout!. Then you pour in the fixer!. The fixer chemically stabalizes the film so that the images are permanent and no longer light sensitive!. I usually leave the fixer in for 9 minutes!. Then, empty the tank and rinse it again!. The film is now developed and you can safely take the film out!. You'll be completely amazed the first time you see real images on film that you developed yourself! You should also rinse the film one last time in distilled water, and use a rinsing agent like Photo Flow!. I use this stuff called "Spot Free!." It helps to prevent water spots from forming on your negatives when they dry!. Just hang them up somewhere where there isn't too much dust!. I just hang mine up in the bathroom!. The negatives will take maybe about 90 minutes to dry completely!. Then to get the pictures, you can either make prints with an enlarger the traditional way, or you can scan your negatives with a film scanner!. I use an enlarger to make 8 X 10 prints and they turn out awesome!. I just have a homemade darkroom in the garage!. By the way, people are also exaggerating about how dangerous the chemicals are!. I actually talked with someone from the water department about the waste and they said that most municapal water systems can easily handle photo chemicals, especially in the small quantities hobbyists would use!. It's not like your a professional photo lab dumping a huge amount of it down the drain!. Most chemicals you use to clean toilets are actually a lot stronger and more acidic!. EDIT: I should say that although the chemicals generally aren't dangerous or messy, you do need be careful not to splash them into your eyes!. And if you do get developer or fixer on your hands, don't let it sit for too long!. Wash your hands as soon as possible!. It is an acid, and it could start to irritate your skin!. But really, unless you have extremely sensitive skin it really isn't going to be that big of a problem!. I've had nights where I was developing pictures and got fixer on my fingers and I was too lazy to go back in the house and wash my hands!. I just wanted to get the prints finished!. I literaly just wiped my hands off on my pants and kept working!. The only thing I noticed was that my fingers were a little bit red and felt dry!. But the next day, there was nothing wrong!. My hands were fine!. So the chemicals really aren't that dangerous!. Wash your hands well before you eat and don't rub your eyes!. Just use common sense and you'll be fine!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Photographers have been processing their own black and white film for years, first because there were no labs (late 1890's to 1900's) and then because they needed better control to produce perfect negatives!. They usually learn while taking a class in photography while attaining skills in correct exposure, development (including proper agitation, temperature control and fixing the film) and later when dry, printing the results !.!.!. it is in the printing process, mistakes are most noticeable and the hassle of printing incorrectly exposed or developed film, causes the student to pay more attention in the development phase!. Developer can stain you fingers as well as other things!. As long as you don't drink the chemicals, they are not dangerous, however you must dispose of them properly !.!.!. not down the drain !.!.!. they are dangerous to the environment!. There are a very few people who are allergic to some of the ingredients in the developer !.!.!. those should were gloves !.!.!. Nitrile are best because those allergic to the developer also seem to be allergic to latex (rubber) glovesWww@QuestionHome@Com The chemicals are pretty dangerous!. It won't stain, though!. It's more like using fingernail polish remover in a bathroom; it is dangerous because the fumes are harmful, but it probably won't kill you!. I don't make a mess when I develop film!. Go to freestylephoto!.biz, they have a PDF that explains it all!.Www@QuestionHome@Com chemicals are only dangerous in high unmixed forms they come in!. some of the chemicals will stain your clothing but not your sink!.!.!. just make sure to rinse and wash your hands as well as the sink afterwards!.!.!.!.!. developing can be pretty messy because there is a lot of shaking and mixing the chemicals and they splash up!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com it can be messy if ur tank leaks alot it wont stain or ruin your sink the chemicals are somewhat dangerous if u end up drinking a small amount or something!. iv seen a few kids in my class get small rashes on the hands because the tank leaked!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Get yourself a nice rubber lab apron and go for it!. If you need gloves, as some suggest, you can get several different types which will suit your needs!.Www@QuestionHome@Com They will not ruin your sink, but the developer is not good for your septic!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |