Recommendations for getting started developing film? 120 Specifically....

Valvebounce

CR Pro
Apr 3, 2013
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Isle of Wight
Hi Cayenne.
Cautionary note, if you go with the “traditional” temporary darkroom of a board over the bath tub and someone else might suddenly need the loo, lock the bloody door!
I burst in to my dads “darkroom” to use the loo, fortunately he had just put the print in the rinse tray so all was well!
Ah, happy memories!

Cheers, Graham.

assuming you can make a "darkroom" space yourself-just make sure it is totally dark.
 
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Cayenne, just my own feeling about this. I love photography too much to waste time with film that is going to be scanned and Photoshopped anyway. Time messing with chemicals could be spent taking pictures.

A good inkjet is all I need for beautiful prints.

Funny... this is pretty much how I feel about thousands of post on a forum.

FWIW... not sure why so many here are so anti-analog. If you have the motivation you can easily do both digital and analog. At the end of the day its all about taking pictures any way you personally see fit.
 
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But you would miss the fun of:

Having the film stick together on the developing reels, ruining several exposures;
Finding out that the developing tank had a light leak;
Finding out the camera had a light leak;
Accidentally opening the back of the camera before the film is rewound;
Finding out the film didn't catch on the take-up reel;
If using 120 film, finding out you forgot to advance the film to the next frame;
Pouring in the fixer first, thinking you were grabbing the developer;
Having your hand covered in warts from exposure to the photo chemicals -- yes this actually happened to me;
Forgetting to close the box of paper before switching on the light to check a print;
Having someone open the door while you are in the darkroom;
Ruining all your clothes by splashing chemicals on them.

Should I go on?

With many many years of analog and digital experience what you mention here is all a possibility but really not a problem analog shooters that have done it for more than a few weeks. Let's not forget digital has pitfalls too. It's kind of like the fun of;

Forgetting your batteries at home.
Forgetting your cards at home.
Having corrupt files.
Having your HD die.
Your card giving up the ghost
Your firmware update going sideways
Running out of memory
Bending a pin for your card on insert
Having your camera short in the rain...
Having you digi-camera die for some "unknown" reason

Should I go on?
 
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