I’ve been a photographer (digital) for many years now and wanted to try out film for the first time. I got myself a Kodak Brownie from ~1910 and developed three rolls. The results are attached (film shown on top of wood table). You can make out individual frames, but they are just stripes basically.  I used a digital camera along with this one to lock in my settings for the first few frames. I also followed this development tutorial step by step. Do you think the camera itself has issues? Thank you ..read more

Hi everyone! I'm super new to B&W development, so thanks in advance for your understanding should I make any terminology-/concept-related mistakes in writing this forum post. I borrowed an SLR that was pre-loaded with, what we thought was, ISO 400 film. I shot the whole roll with that speed setting, only to wind it back at the end and take out the ILFORD PANF 50. Woof. I'm willing to take the risk and try to develop this roll knowing that pushing three stops is likely to lead to nothing. I'm expecting disastrous results, haha. My film class teacher is saying I could use HC110 to try to get ..read more

Question, is the temperature of the fixer critical? I live and develop B/W negatives in an unconditioned space. I can bring the developer down to temp with a little effort using an ice cube in the water prior to diluting. But, I’m wonder if the stop bath and fixer need to be at or near the same temp as the developer also. Thanks ..read more

Good afternoon, all. I recently acquired the above enlarger head, and it seems to work fine. There are two cables coming out of the top of it. One goes to the timer but I'm lost as to what the other one is for. It's much shorter. The negative density is not radically different from side to side but the image falls on one side and requires a significant burn in to even it out. The head appears evenly lit, and the enlarger carriage is level. I've been using it without plugging that second cord. Any ideas what that other plug is for or if what the fall off on one side is related to that plug not ..read more

I was wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of mixing your own developer from the base chemicals. I was reading about the two bath development method where you have to mix your own chemicals but I was also considering formulating my own D-76 because the price has increased quite a lot in recent years where I live. I know I'll have to buy some accurate scales but that isn't a big expense ..read more

Good evening. I'm about to start a project printing Ilford FB either 11x14 or 9.5x12 (haven't decided yet). Does anyone have thoughts on the results using either of these two developers? Preference? How many prints can safely be developed in Dektol mixed at 1+2 or Multigrade mixed 1+9? Thank you! Tom-san ..read more

I am very happy with 12 min for HP5+ @ 200 under above regime. Looking for suggested starting time adjustment for Tmax 400 @ 200 under same. Agit standard 10sec/min. Thank you ..read more

Good afternoon, all. I'm running into some issues and would like some opinions. Attached is an image I shot at Fort Fisher in Wilmington, NC on  bright sunny day. The camera is a Toyo 45CF, 210 MM lens. I developed the negative in a Yankee Tank loaded with 7 sheets. I used Ilfotec DDX for 7 minutes. Several of the sheets showed this same problem, though of varying degrees. This one was the worst. The camera has a new bellows and no apparent light leaks. It looks like uneven development but I'm not sure. That particular tank cannot be inverted so agitation is a side to side sloshing action ..read more

For me light clouds and dark skies really make a good landscape great. As AA used to say: "The blue dome is boring." My scanned negatives demonstrate that I'm getting  this nice cloud to sky contrast but when I make the prints the clouds and sky wash out. With my condenser enlarger I use the individual Ilford color filter cards (0 through five in half steps). I'm fairly new at using these. Which direction should I go with them to get the above effect without unduly sacrificing gray tone contrast?  I usually start with a two and go down for less contrast and up for more but the cloud ..read more

I have another unknown roll of bulk b&w film. I developed a test strip - any ideas about what it could be? I can read something like "B 364" on the right side.  Thanks ..read more