Developing B&W Film

Will Agar, North Hennepin Community College instructor and professional photographer, shows students how to develop black and white film. Learn how to properly load exposed film onto reels in the darkroom, the developing process, and preparing the negatives. Follow these instructions and tips to get great results.

[@CigarManGarth]

Someone that actually shows you close up! Plain and simple,,,,,,,,, Thank you, Sir.

[@chrisjames1924]

I like this guy, very likable

[@Trangent]

+Chris James Thanks Chris!! Glad you like his videos :)

[@jonmnelson]

I love this setup - the containers of developer and dunking the film in tanks of stop, fix, and Photo Flo. Very appealing and so utilitarian.

[@TheNo85307]

Will looks like the greatest instructor/teacher on the planet :) Amazing videos, thank you so much for sharing them with us :)

[@Trangent]

Thank you No. 85307! On the planet!!! He does make learning fun (which helps a student try more creative things with photography). Thanks for your kind words!! :)

[@weisiong87]

I too really love these videos! Please bring more.. Its explained really well and showed practically which makes it easy to understand..

[@Trangent]

Thank you!!! We have more coming around June :)) Stay "tuned"!

[@user-ss6zt2mo1l]

I love your series...... especially the printing and mounting stuff. I am printing the last decade of my photography...

[@Trangent]

What fun!! Its good to do something wonderful with all that work you did and then put aside. I hope going through your photos and printing them brings back many awesome memories and inspires you to make more! Maybe you'll discover a theme you had going but didn't realize it at the time! Like this photographer on my other channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5aUdmCHoNmoqdU

[@amosk24]

I really love these film episodes. Keep our up!

[@Trangent]

Thank you!! We have more coming, as well as revisions of older ones, in the coming months! :))

[@chewittmusic]

what a great teacher!

[@Trangent]

Thanks +Chris Hewitt!! Glad you like Professor Agar's videos :)

[@user-ss6zt2mo1l]

I like the Steel Reels...Hewes. love them. great video !!

[@Trangent]

Thank you Gregory!! Glad you like our video! The steel reels have a great feel!!

[@TimHutchins]

Love this guy!!!

[@Trangent]

Thanks Tim!!! Glad you liked the video!! :) Hope you have a great Christmas and New Year!

[@Legendarische]

you are a hero, thank you so much.

[@Trangent]

+Wouter Arisz You're sweet, thank you!!

[@user-ss6zt2mo1l]

I love the Buckets.... that is a great idea...especially for the photoflow...

[@Trangent]

Thank you Gregory! Glad our videos inspire you :) Good luck to you!

[@VitorCrafter]

Love the video!

[@Trangent]

+VitorCrafter Glad you liked it!1 Thanks for watching :)

[@ThanetTaout]

I love Will Agar. Lol Amazing Teacher.

[@Trangent]

Thanet Taout :) Thanks for watching!!

[@cafecitocowboy]

VERY INFORMATIVE! I love it!!! thank you so much! also, I thought the hand that randomly grabs him at 16:36 was very funny haha

[@Trangent]

Ha ha!!! Good eye, Kevin! There are two versions of that video that are almost the same. Believe it or not, one is an improvement but both have the hand...! Oops! How did that get missed?? I wanted to zoom in on him cutting the film strips and was only using one camera.... Glad you got a laugh from the video! Thanks for watching :))

[@abbydees8612]

OMG -- this guy should have been my photography teacher back in the day (1980 and thereabouts). But I'm still enjoying the vids!

[@Trangent]

Thank you Abby!! We are so glad you enjoy his teaching style!! Did you see our latest video? It is our first "In the Classroom with Prof A" video-it is a fun assignment plus contest (with prizes) to enter! You have several months to perfect your assignment and entry! We hope you enter! Good luck!! -L

[@christianewert1461]

Thank you so much. There are so many who think or try to tell the people that developing film is a high sience and magic. And here you can see it is not! It is no magic or high sience. Thank you

[@Trangent]

Thank you Christian! You're right--developing film is not difficult to do and definitely not an exact science. It can be magical though... :)) Since it's not an exact science, experimenting can produce interesting photographs. It's amazing how much you can do in the developing or printing stages to alter the look of your prints and "develop" your own style. Thanks for watching!!

[@itstimetogo49]

Will is an incredible teacher. Thanks for sharing his talent! I know he also shoots 4x5....any chance he would make a video showing his process for sheet film?

[@Trangent]

Thank you Wayne! You know, I keep telling him about this. I'm thinking maybe one of these days? The 4x5 seems to be his favorite camera! It's fun to watch him shoot with the cloth over his head :) I'll keep after him about this one. We have some new ones in the works so be sure to check back!

[@ninatat8074]

Great videos!

[@Trangent]

+chunlam t Thank you!! Glad you like them :))

[@derya7603]

For those who are doing this at home, would it be ok to directly hang the film to dry after fixing and rinsing with water?

[@crash1989]

16:10 "..being mainly alcohol...but don't drink it" 😂😂😂

[@Trangent]

+Syed Alwi :) Please do heed his advice lol 😂

[@zippywalker6406]

Can you just use alcohol?

[@eugene2155]

thanks! nice tips! is that really so important to rotate for 10 sec every 50 sec etc, or enough just rotate couple times for all cycle?

[@Trangent]

+Roy Kin It's best to rotate it more frequently than just a couple of times. It might not always matter, but why take a chance on something you worked hard to capture? Good luck with your photographic endeavors!!

[@harrystevens3885]

You can cut the tail off and clip the corners before you even go near the dark, you can also partly thread the film after the first stage on to the spiral past the bearings then go in the dark and snip the can off when you have threaded the film fully on to the spiral. I have been doing the later since 1979. Good video though.

[@Trangent]

+Harry Stevens Thank you Harry!! There are many ways to do the same thing... Thanks for watching!!

[@user-ss6zt2mo1l]

That is a NICE sink. I built my own.. Plywood, fiberglass and sailboat waterproof bottom paint...

[@Trangent]

That's really great!! Your unique sink must make you proud! And photography even more fun :))

[@mrca2004]

Getting the film on the tank spool is a pain in the changing bag. I rewind the film til I feel it come off the take up spool leaving a tag end. I can then start the film onto the tank spool seeing what I am doing then putting it in the changing bag, spooling it on and dropping it in tank in the changing bag.

[@eminusipi]

To be serious for a moment, if you want to get good and consistent results, you will have to use your own chemistry. It's not that expensive and you have full control over the process. I use distilled water for the developer since municipal water chemistry can change over time. I also use distilled water for the PhotoFlo rinse since hard water will always leave residue.

[@Trangent]

Thanks eminusipi! Great idea to use distilled water! Professor Agar talks about different chemicals in later videos and demonstrates how to use them. He mentions that the chemicals last a long time and are economical for their longevity and how many uses you get from the purchase. Thanks for the tip and for watching!! :))

[@photoillusion8232]

Very didactic explanation, thank.

[@Trangent]

+Dpelicula Thanks for watching!!

[@oliverlison7642]

I like your teaching. But why am I getting streaks along the sprocket holes? I tried slow motion, with rotation of the container, more rapid motions ... but my dev remains inconsistent and screwed up too many times. Especially when using t-max. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

[@Trangent]

Professor Agar says, "As you have said your development is inconsistent. Return to the basics and get the development times, temperature, and agitation down to a reputable pattern. All film will develop fine if the basic craft is followed. My experience with students usually shows agitation that is too vigorous with too much air in the top of the tank that moves the developer around, moving through the sprocket holes and over-developing. Also, if your camera is old you may have light leaks with the gaskets-they dry out and need to be replaced every so often. The cost is about $50-$75 for a camera guy to do it." I hope this helps you!! Thanks for watching, Oliver! Best of luck to you :)

[@stevenvanhulle7242]

The second, empty reel in the tank is actually useful! It prevents that the reel with the film moves up during the agitation, and would rise partly above the developer. (You can fill the tank completely, of course, but that would be a waste of developer.)

[@northstar1950]

The argument for opening the cassette completely is to prevent the possibility of scratching the film on the cassettes foam light seal, other hand a complete roll of film now lose in your changing bag , assuming you are using one, in still vulnerable to scratches. When I develop films and I have being doing this on and off since the mid 70s , I don't open the cassette. Sometimes I have accidentally wound all the film right back into the cassette so then I have to crack it open but I try not to rewind all of the film back in by either watching the rewind button as some have a small dot indicating that the button in turning, when its stops turning stop winding, or you can usually feel when the film has come of the take up side as the rewind crank suddenly has less resistance and feels lighter. Getting the film onto the tank's spiral can be difficult for a first time try but just keep trying, I still have problems and I have loaded a few in my time and sometimes I have felt like slinging the whole lot in the bin! Once you have got the film where it should be and the tank closed and light tight the rest is plain sailing and there is nothing quite like eventually after a good wash, taking the film of the spiral and seeing those magic frames.....good luck all :)

[@Trangent]

Thank you for sharing that, Northstar1950! I hope you've had more successful times loading than times when you felt like slinging! More singing than slinging! :)) Thanks for watching! Good luck to you in everything!

[@stevenvanhulle7242]

I open the cartridge, for the reason you mention: scratches. As others have said, leaving the tip out of the cartridge allows you to cut it off (don't discard it, it's useful for testing your developer and fixer), and cut the corners so that it goes easier onto the reel. But one doen't have to exclude the other: I cut the tip and corners, and then pull it completely in the cartridge. BTW, like you said rewinding manually you can feel (or see on an indicator) when the tip is of the pickup spool, so you can leave it out of the cartridge. My old Minolta Dynax 800si electronic camera had an option for the automatic rewind: tip in or out.

[@MyJuancho2010]

what developer is good to get a low noise and Good Contrast ..I have a (Ilford Pan F Plus 120 -ISO-50) and (Ilford Delta-100 Professional 120 -ISO-100)...Thankyou...Jhon

[@Trangent]

jhon gris Film developer is “roughly” divided into three groups: standard, fine grain, and high energy/high contrast. With standard developers, you get good “normal” contrast and good “normal” grain. Fine grain developers have a softer appearance and less grain. High energy/high contrast developers are good for sports and low-light situations. Contrast is subjective-when you shoot on bright, sunny days, your negative will have lots of contrast. Lower light and overcast days give you negatives that are more flat with less contrast. When you use a slow film, like you have, in any of the standard developers, you will get a fine grain (or less “noise”). The best thing to do would be to start with a developer that is easy to obtain, such as Kodak, Ilford, or Sprint. Follow directions carefully on mixing and developing. Then shoot more rolls and use a different developer, again following directions carefully. You can compare the results to see which developer you prefer for your style of photography. Standard developers that Professor Agar recommends are Kodak D76, Ilford ID11, and Sprint (not sure of the product number). There is also Edwals and Ethol. Ilford, Sprint, and Edwals are more convenient: they come in bottles and are liquid. Kodak and Ethol come in jars and are in powder format. The liquids will cost more than the powders. There is other standard developer, Rodinal. It is an older developer from Germany that is like D76 and has many dilutions. Rodinal and Agfa Pan were a favorite of photographer Brett Weston, son of Edward Weston. Hope this helps, Jhon! Good luck to you!!

[@adrianalvarez9069]

Hi! I follow Prof. Agar's videos since November and I love it. Just this afternoon I developed my first roll: Kodak 400TX. I did it using Tetenal products (Ultrafin Liquid, stop bath, fixer and humectant, all of them Tetenal). I did the 1+20 disolution and the results are fantastic (the developing time for that dissolution is 20 minutes). I would like to ask you something: What does Prof. Agar use to clean the film after dried?? Is there any Kodak cleaner or Ilford or Tetenal?? Notice that I'm from Spain and our market of this kind of products is very limited. Waiting for your answer, and more videos ;) Cheers from Spain!

[@Trangent]

Adrián Álvarez ¡Hola Adrián! Congratulations on developing your first roll!! How exciting! It's awesome to hear you had such great results!! As far as film cleaner goes, any good one can be used. Professor Agar likes the Edwals brand, but that might not be available in your country. I had a hard time trying to find cleaner in Spain because Google wants me to shop in the US :) but I found a few. Hama film cleaner: www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-005968-Anti-static-Negative-Cleaner/dp/B00006JA38/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421987869&sr=1-3&keywords=anti+static+film+cleaner and Tetenal film cleaner: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B000LJFU5A/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all&sr=1-1&qid=1421988098. Both are on Amazon.co.uk. You don't really need film cleaner because after developing the film should already be clean. But film cleaner provides anti-static protection, which is especially good in winter months when the humidity is low (here in the US anyway). It may be a little while before we release another video, but we have some very good ones coming on advanced B&W photography techniques. Thanks for watching!!! :)

[@adrianalvarez9069]

Cool! I can't wait! ;) Cheers

[@Trangent]

Adrián Álvarez :)

[@JudoDogMD]

Amazing video. Love it. This convinced me to... stay with digital. Lol. Way too much work for me.

[@Trangent]

Thank you for your kind words, Greg!! Thanks also for watching-if you ever decide to stray... you know where to go :))

[@giannidigirolamo8868]

Great series of videos...but i think that open the film box before loading it into the reel is useless. You can pull out the first 10-15cm of the film (which is waste, so no problems if you expose it at the light), stuck it into the reel, then turn off the light and finish to load the film. Easier and safer...i suppose

[@Trangent]

+Gianni Di Girolamo Yes you can do that too-there are many ways to do the same thing :) Thanks for watching!!!

[@jannes1453]

ahaha this was amazing ! one of the best and most fun instructions ive come across ;) any chance there will ever be a tutorial on colour film?

[@Trangent]

Dank u wel! Professor Agar only has access to (and interest in) black and white developing/printing, at the college and in his own darkroom. So unfortunately, he won't be doing a tutorial on the colour process. However Jannes, you can apply some of what he teaches to developing colour film, and the supplies you will need are not too expensive or hard to get. There are several viewers of ours that have been developing and printing their own color negatives. Some of them have sent links and their work is beautiful!! I encourage you to try it :)

[@jannes1453]

Trangent Ahh I see. I will definitly try giving it a spin! I'll definitly first have to try black and white tho. Thanks for the kind and in depth reply!

[@Trangent]

Mijn plezier !! Good luck to you!!

[@jannes1453]

Trangent Dankje!

[@user-ss6zt2mo1l]

i would love to be in Photography School. I taught myself. It would have been fun...

[@Trangent]

Awesome!! It's good to be able to learn anything you want! And when we can do that ourselves, all the better! Never stop learning-keeps you young :) I get what you mean-you never know what you might have missed if you don't take the class... I've felt that way too. Thanks for watching!!

[@xxxXXXCH04XXXxxx]

Reuploaded video?

[@UdodaTube]

I need my roll develop but am intimidated messing them up, do you provide service and if so how much?

[@Trangent]

+UdodaTube Thank you for watching our videos :) We're sorry but we can't provide that kind of service. There are still some places that develop B&W film but it can be expensive. Maybe you can shoot up a roll that you can practice your developing technique on first? Practice on a few rolls to build your confidence before you develop the more important roll. You can do it--watch the video again before you begin. Let us know if you have any questions about the process. Good luck to you!!

[@stevenvanhulle7242]

The photographer around the corner from my place develops a medium format film for 5 euro, I guess it's the same price for 35mm film. That said, if you want to do your own development, don't be intimidated. Just make sure the pictures aren't dead important, like the wedding of your best friend or that once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Try with some random pictures which you can do again should you spoil the film in development. (Your first 10000 pictures are your worst, anyway, said Henri Cartier-Bresson :-))

[@AlejandroCornejo]

clean the film with isopropyl alcohol?

[@Trangent]

Professor Agar says, "Probably but keep it clean in the first place! Ounce of prevention..... I know one person who uses Windex." Good luck in your photography, Alejandro! Thanks for watching! :)

[@highaudiophidelity3198]

Will Agar is such an awsome guy... I learn much watching him and enjoy his videos... Thanks for that... But I got a problem developing my film... I use Ilford delta 400 and Tentanol Ultrafin to develop...21c° And the given times I only get a "kind of violet" pice of plastic instead of an Negative... I can't get my head around this problem and I'm nearly freaking out.... I guess it's a simple beginners mistake but if there is anyone who can help me that would be great... (the time stamps are readable and sometimes there are very little and slite like shadows of the images) I realy cant figure this out... Many thanks from germany. Leo.

[@Trangent]

Thanks for watching, Leo!! I'm sorry you're having problems developing your film! I'll have to look into this and get back to you....

[@highaudiophidelity3198]

Thanks... Yesterday I developed my first film succesfull (It was an Ilford Hp5+) I dont get why it didnt work with the Delta400... But however Love the Videos keep up the good work.

[@Trangent]

I'm glad you had success Leo!! I found something about developing times with Tetenal that may be of help to you: www.tetenal.de/imaging_shop/images/00001804.pdf

[@gabriel1chan]

Save the trouble, get a film leader extracted, insert the leader into the wheel in light before getting into your dark bag, Rachet the film in before you cut the film from the canister.

[@Trangent]

Good point! Thank you Gabriel! :))

[@khaipit3055]

marathon is a developer brand ?

[@Trangent]

Yes, but it is probably only available in bulk (it is one that they use at the college). I found an article that discusses developers at length that may be of some help to you: lavidaleica.com/content/choosing-bw-film-developer. Good luck to you!!

[@samiranphukan8441]

Is that fine grain development?

[@Trangent]

Professor Agar says, "Certain developers are 'fine grain,' giving softer contrast and 'mushy' grain, which appears to the eye as smoothness. There are many film developers on the market. Check out Freestyle Photography in LA. Rather than list all, here is a B&H website that goes into detail: www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/buying-guide/top-12-black-and-white-film-developers-to-try. This web site mentions Kodak and Ilford developers." Although late in reply, hope this helps you or anyone else with this question! :)

[@Trangent]

The professor uses both Kodak D-76 and Kodak HC-110. Neither can be described as “fine grain” compared to other types of developers but he uses sheet film so the developers work "fine" for him.

[@stevenvanhulle7242]

I rinse the film with water before the developer goes in. Agitate as with the developer, and tap the tank a couple of times. Better chance to have all air bubbles on the film gone. If there's still an air bubble on the film during development, even after it's dislodges after a couple of seconds, it will leave a nice circular mark on the film.

[@khaipit3055]

what is the developer he using

[@Trangent]

He uses both Marathon and D-76. Professor Agar says he finds no apparent difference between the two, but since Marathon comes in a liquid, it is easy to mix and to use different dilutions. Thanks for watching!

[@khaipit3055]

D-76 is from kodak but marathon is from ?

[@Trangent]

Marathon is manufactured by Photo Systems, according to [Marathon reseller] Freestyle Photographic Supplies' MSDS for Marathon: www.freestylephoto.biz/pdf/msds/marathon/Marathon_Film_Developer.pdf

[@Trangent]

Prof. Agar adds "Marathon is made in Michigan and only sold in large amounts. It is distributed through Freestyle Photography." www.freestylephoto.biz

[@profipix]

"it being alcohol.. Don't drink it!" lol. Ok, now I decided that I will most definitely not develop my film.. So much work but looks sooooo interesting!

[@Trangent]

+fz07er Film you already shot? You should develop it!! You may find you enjoy it very much! Haven't yet shot on film? Some of the things he demonstrates apply to digital photography as well. Take a look at: Fun Things To Do with Photography, kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYeyoot7q811pdU; Aperture and Shutter Settings, kzbin.info/www/bejne/eILccnqhodukgNk; and How to Mat Your Photos, kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZCqoIywfbmWqJY. Have fun!!

[@profipix]

I will take my words back. I man-ned up and developed my first 2 rolls of b&w film. Turned out great. I have a question: developed my 3rd roll and did all the steps as I did the first two times. Now, the issue is that I barely see anything on the developed roll, meaning it's underexposed. I realized that the issue is most likely with me not shaking up the developer that's in my storage container and I just poured out into the mix of water. I do 1+20 (285ml H2O + 15ml D76) and it usually turns out great. This guy was my inspiration to actually develop the film.

[@Trangent]

+fz07er I couldn't find your question ;)) I'm glad you developed your film!! See, that wasn't so bad...! Sorry about the one that didn't turn out. I wish you much success with your future rolls!

[@mecon92]

"I like that... what is it?

[@Trangent]

So glad you like that!!! lol Thank you for watching mecon!! Good luck to you in your photography! :)

[@lonniepaulson7031]

Will Agar: Just want to say Hi to you. I see you are in Minneapolis too. I am thinking about going back to shooting film again. Your video caught my interest when I saw you were from Hennepin Community College.. I have been in photography since 1969. I prefer the stainless steel tanks, that's what I am used to. If interested visit my website. www.lonniepaulsonphoto.com. I will watch your other videos. I would like to meet you some day. Keep teaching and doing these videos.

[@Trangent]

+Lonnie Paulson Thanks for watching our videos!! I'll pass this information on to Prof. Agar. Since you are in Minneapolis, you should visit the college (North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park). Every few months NHCC's Joseph Gazzuolo Fine Arts Gallery has an opening and Mr. Agar is almost always there for that. There's a beautiful show hanging now--a former teacher's unique paintings. Every February the college has one of their biggest events, the Northwestern High Schools Art Exhibit. You can find more details about this and other upcoming events at www.nhcc.edu/student-life/performing-visual-arts-events/art-exhibitions. Cheers!!

[@35mmlove_eric]

wow, never seen anybody stick his hands into fixer like that.

[@Trangent]

It's recommended to wear gloves, especially for those who may have an allergic reaction. Professor Agar sometimes wears gloves... It is very important that hands are clean before touching anything that has to do with your photography. Thanks for watching :)

[@SMGJohn]

No wonder we switched to digital

[@Trangent]

***** Yes--digital is a much simpler process!! Traditional photography requires much more time and patience.... Tak for at se !! :)

[@asklysdahl8767]

Trangent Digital is also much more boring. Shooting film is awesome.

[@SMGJohn]

Martin Lysdahl What? You just press the shutter button and that is it, what is the difference?

[@Trangent]

Martin Lysdahl Hej Martin! I like both methods of photography--digital is my go-to method because it's immediate and fairly hassle-free. It seems boring because it doesn't always require a lot of thought, or even a decent camera (my cell phone gets a lot of use these days...). You'e right--shooting film is awesome! I don't do it often, but when I do, it is ALWAYS a great adventure!!! Tak for at se!!

[@Trangent]

***** Hej John--sometimes it is only that, but it is also much more than that! There are many creative things you can do with traditional photography! Sure, it takes time, but the process is rewarding!! Check out our newest video, Fun Things to do with Photography, for different ways people have altered their traditional prints: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYeyoot7q811pdU. Enjoy!!!

[@haimtoeg]

35mm is easy, 120 film is annoying.

[@Trangent]

Stick with what works best for you! Thanks for watching, Haimtoeg! Good luck to you!! :)

[@randallstewart175]

He's the instructor, so he doesn't have to clean up dried chemicals splashed all over. Watch out using that film cleaner; it's toxic and can make a mess of your film. Better: After wash, use a one minute bath of distilled water and Photoflo, and you'll never have streaks on your film in the first place.

[@Trangent]

Good tips Randall. I remember him mentioning in at least one of our videos about Photoflo and how to best handle the film strip and negatives. We don't work from a script and just do these on the fly so he might have barely mentioned it. Thank you for the reminder! He cleans, but its also a task for students in the work-study program. Thanks for watching! Good luck to you!

[@eletj1]

Hum... pretty sloppy and dirty practice :)

[@Trangent]

+eletj1 It can be :) Thanks for watching!!

[@eminusipi]

Yep. I didn't see the caution wet floor warnings or the slip and fall lawsuits that followed :)

[@hresto1]

Why not use the agitator knob to prevents dripping of chemicals all over the place. This eliminates the need to mop up the floor. Fixer is also volatile and prone to contamination. It will evaporate and contaminate walls and desktop as a white powder. It is best to use an agitator knob over a sink with running water. Still, excellent video of how to develop B&W film. Thanks for making it.

[@nickfanzo]

Or go digital lol

[@Trangent]

Could do that too :)

[@brunoclaren1110]

Will and safetyprocedures.... ; not a good match