Film: Fuji Neopan Acros 100
Developer: Xtol
Developing time: 5 min
Again, be prepared by setting up all your equipment in designated areas so finding them in the dark isn't difficult.
1. Replenish developer.
2. Check temperature. Water jacket should be at 68 C
3. Check that timer is on your preference. Sound on/off, Set up for the appropriate time for developing. Also, take notes of where all the buttons are on the timer so if anything happens you know where to turn the timer off. The sound surprised me as I was developing and I panicked between the stop bath and fixer.
4. Make sure all surface are dry
5. Memorize where you set up everything.
Holders facing to exp.1 -5 on my right
Hangers on my left inside the box all pushed farther away from me so I can easily download from
front to back
Empty negative box for unexposed download
6. Turn off the lights. Close your eyes, count to 5, open and check to make sure no light is leaking anywhere in the room
7. Begin downloading each negative beginning with inserting the first negative on the hanger and placing the second one as an unexposed film inside the empty box
8. Try your best to not place fingerprints on your negative by doing this in the dark. I felt around the corners with the corner of my finger tip and had it slide down from the holder
Be careful not to clip your fingers when you lock the metal hanger
9. After all negatives have been placed in the hanger or unexposed box, bring the hanger box towards your developing chemicals
10. DONT FORGET TO Close the unexposed box.
Developing process (this is still done in the dark, so make sure you know where each chemical is at. Stop bath [which is just water in my lab] is cooler than the developer and fixer)
11. Developing tank for 5 min for my Acros 100 negative
12. Agitate for the first 30 sec (tilting left to right = one cycle), then one cycle every 30 sec after
13. Stop bath, dip, agitate for three cycles, leave in for 1.5 min and agitate before placing in fixer
14. Fixer agitate first 30 sec, then one cycle every 30 sec after for 6 min
15. BEFORE YOU TURN ON THE LIGHT, go through your checklist:
Did you close the "unexposed box"?
Did you agitate with patience? You'll know what I'm talking about.
16. Turn on the light. Breathe. You can see your negative finally! You did everything correctly =)
17. If your negative is still slightly pink, I would leave it in the fixer for another 30 sec - 1 min to assure all the sulfites been processed.
18. Water tank for 20 min
19. I used this 20 min to clean the mess I made in the dark room
20. Photoflo for 3 cycles of agitation
21. Dry for 20 min if you have appropriate drying machine
22. Place in negative holders!
The hardest time for me was feeling around with the chemicals while I was carrying the loaded hangers with both hands, but patience is key and just stay focus!
I didn't listen to any music during this time because it was my first time so I wanted to make sure I heard everything I was doing to familiarize myself. I DID IT! I developed my first 4x5 without killing myself or my negative.
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