Step two: The next steps will vary based on the film and chemistry you're using, but fundamentally it's just a matter of pouring chemicals into the tank, shaking it very precisely, and then pouring them out. It was stressful but went fine on the first try! I used a dark bag (in my kitchen at night, to be safe) after practicing a few times with a roll of already-developed film. Either way, you've gotta do it totally blind. If you don't have a darkroom, you'll need a dark bag. This process, which has to be done in total darkness, is probably the toughest bit. Step one: You remove the undeveloped film from its canister and load it into a special plastic reel which you seal in a light-proof tank. Everything I used is included in CineStill's Jobo Duo kit (except the dark bag and scanner). But, roughly, the process goes like this. The process of developing your film is going to vary based on a whole bunch of factors, from the kind of film to the equipment you have, to the chemistry you are using, so refer to your equipment and chemistry's official documentation for instruction. This expensive but brilliant design requires no darkroom or changing bag and is, frankly, too easy and basically cheating. Yes, it's more difficult, but that's half the fun - and it will make you a more thoughtful photographer to boot. It's satisfying: You know what's even better than sharing a good photo you made? Sharing a good photo you made, developed, scanned and edited yourself. The only slightly risky parts are loading the tank and slicing up the negatives, but the risk is part of the fun. In the here and now, black and white development with a monobath is almost disturbingly easy - one liquid and a few minutes of agitation. at least that's what I'm lead to believe. It's really not that hard: Film chemistry has come a long way since the olden days. It's private: Digital cameras have us accustomed to taking photos without needing to expose them to an extra set of eyes, and developing your film at home lets you maintain that expectation whether the shots are saucy or just embarrassingly bad. Once you're kitted out to develop at home, you can shoot film through the apocalypse and beyond, so long as someone is still making film and chemistry. It's reliable: No lab in town, no problem! And no shipping-and-handling required. Take that money you would have spent on processing and splurge on better film, another camera or prints instead! It's cheap (in the long run): Chemistry and a scanner will cost you up front, but once you've made your investment, it reduces the cost of shooting a roll to almost just the roll itself (and a little bit of time). It's helped get much more comfortable and competent with my trusty Olympus XA2. Developing at home is more than just instant gratification, quick turnaround can be key in mastering your camera and perfecting techniques like metering and zone focusing in as few botched shots as possible. It's fast: Film means no guess-and-check shooting, and by the time you swing by the lab you might be hard-pressed to remember taking a given shot.
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