How to Develop 35mm Film at Home ~ Enhance Photography Skill

If you have access to both hot and cold running water with adjustable temperature controls, you're on your way to developing 35mm film at home. A small bathroom can easily be turned into a home film processing lab with a few minor modifications to lighting and the shower area. While converted to a film developing area, the bathroom will no longer be usable for showering. If the home only has one bathroom, consider converting a laundry room or rough plumbed basement room into a film processing area.

Instructions

Exchange bathroom household bulbs with photo-safe red or blue bulbs. Purchase the specialized lighting at a photo retailer; novelty painted bulbs will ruin film during the developing process.

Cover all windows with black-out shades or curtains. Have a door snake ready to place at the base of the door to block out light from the adjoining room.

Prepare a film drying area in the shower stall by securing an adjustable shower curtain rod along the longest width of the shower. Hang plastic clothing hangers on the rod. Use one hanger for every two rolls of film.

Attach film drying clips to the hangers. Place one clip near each of the lower corners of the triangular hanger, so they are as far apart as possible.

Convert a vanity area into a film developing work space. Lay an old towel over the vanity to absorb spills. Place a plastic tray (at least 10 inches long) on the vanity. If there is no vanity, cover the top of the toilet seat with a piece of plywood to create a low table-top surface.

Mix all chemistry according to the directions on the package and store in light-tight storage jugs. Label each container and save the photo chemical packaging for film developing time and temperature information.

Enter the bathroom, turn on the photo-safe lights, pull the door shut, close the window shades and place the door snake at the base of the door to block out light. Lock the door.

Use the bottle opener to open each film cassette. In the dim light, place the opener at the edge of the flat end of the film cassette. Pry off the flat circle in the same manner as a metal bottle cap.

Unwind the film from the cassette. Use scissors to cut the end of the film from the plastic dowel.

Place the leader end of the film into the center of a film reel, hooking it on the clips. Wind the entire roll onto the reel. Repeat this step with as many rolls as you will be processing in the first batch.

Submerge the loaded film reels into the developing tank and place the cap on top. Open the push cap on the top, allowing warm tap water to flow into the tank and moisten the reels. Let the reels soak in the water for one minute. Pour out the water.

Place the tank in the plastic tray. Add the developer to the tank. Gently agitate the film with a smooth turning motion for the recommended amount of time (see Tips section). Pour the developer down the sink drain. Rinse the film reels with warm water or stop bath.

Pour fixer into the developing tank. Gently agitate the film with a smooth turning motion for the recommended amount of time. Pour the fixer down the sink drain. Rinse the film reels with warm water or stop bath.

Wash the film in warm water. Allow a steady flow of water to rinse over and around the film reels in the tank with the lid completely off. Dump the water and refill with clear water. Add wetting agent. Allow the reels to soak briefly, then dump the water, unroll the film and hang on the film clips in the shower stall. Place an additional film clip on the end of the film strip for weight, so it hangs straight. Let the film to dry up to eight hours.