How to Process 35 mm Film ~ Enhance Photography Skill

Photography has been a mainstay in life since its introduction in the mid-19th century. While many people now use digital cameras, some still prefer to take their photos with 35mm film. Developing your film at home is fairly easy and doesn't require a lot of expensive equipment. It can reduce the amount of time that you wait for your negatives to be developed and save you money in the long term. Processing your own film may seem difficult at first, but it becomes easier with repetition.

Instructions

Rinse the developing tank, reels and all other parts thoroughly with hot water to remove any trace of chemicals. Old chemical residue can damage the prints on your film. Completely dry the tank and the parts.

Take the roll of film, tank, lid, center column and reel into the transfer room. This is a room that needs to be completely dark while the film is being transferred from the roll to the developing reel and placed into the tank. Choose an interior room with no windows and block the bottom of the door with a towel. If light is seeping in through the edges of the door, cover those areas with electrical tape. Any exposure to light at this stage will damage the film.

Put the center canister into the tank, then turn out the lights. Check the room (especially around the door) one more time for light leaks.

Open the film roll with a bottle opener. Take the film out of the roll.

Unwind the end of the film, handling it by the edges at all times. Cut the lead off the end so the end is straight.

Slide the end of the film into the tabs on the reel. Slide the first few centimeters of the film into the reel, then twist the reel back and forth to load the film until you reach the end of the reel. Cut the spindle off the film, then finish loading the film onto the reel.

Load the reel into the tank by sliding it over the center column. Put the lid on the tank, making sure that the lid is on tight and straight. It's now safe to turn the lights back on.

Place the tank in the sink and presoak the film by pouring water into the tank until it's overflowing. Let the film soak for five minutes.

Pour the water out of the tank. The water may be slightly discolored, which is normal.

Prepare the developer. Read the instructions on the packaging for information about how it needs to be diluted. For instance, if the label says 1+9, you'll use one part developer to nine parts water; if it's 1+7, it will be one part developer to seven parts water, and so on.

Pour the developer into the tank, adding enough to completely submerge the film. Start the timer and place the cap on the tank. Read the instructions on the packaging for the amount of time to keep the developer in the tank (usually between 7 and 12 minutes).

Agitate the tank by flipping it over for 10 seconds every minute.

Take the cap off the tank and pour the developer out when the time has expired.

Pour the stop bath into the tank and shake it. This chemical stops the developer from continuing to act on the film. Pour the stop bath out of the tank after one minute.

Dilute the fixer. This chemical affixes the images to the film and stops it from being light sensitive. The ratio is usually one part fixer to four parts water, but read the instructions to make sure.

Pour the fixer into the tank, completely submerging the film. Agitate the fixer for 10 seconds every minute. Follow the instructions regarding the amount of time the film needs to be in the fixer, but it's usually between 5 and 10 minutes.

Pour the fixer out of the tank. Fill the canister with water and agitate it, then dump out the water. Repeat this step twice. The film can now safely be exposed to light.

Open the tank and remove the reel. Hold the reel up to the light. If the film has a slight purple tint, it's done. If the film is dark purple, place it back in the fixer for another two or three minutes, then rinse it again.

Fill the tank halfway with water and place the reel into it. Put the lid back on the tank, shake it for 30 seconds and pour the water out. Repeat this for 10 minutes.

Pour a few ounces of wetting agent into the tank and slowly fill it with water until the reel is submerged. If the wetting agent foams, tap the side of the canister to prevent any bubbles from sticking to your film. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then pour the wetting agent out of the canister and remove the reel. Do not wash the film.

Twist the reel and pull it apart. Grab the end of the film and lift it off the reel. Touch only the edges of the film, and don't let it come into contact with the floor or any other objects.

Hang the film to dry in a dust-free location. Hang one end of the film on a clothes hanger with a clothespin, and attach a clothespin to the other end of the film to keep it straight as it dries. Do not put the clothespins on the images. Leave the film dry for six to eight hours.

Take the film down after it has dried, and cut it into manageable strips. Cut the film on the lines between the exposures.