[pathdoc]

I'm sure we've probably all made this one.

So there I was, happily loading my patterson tank in the darkbag. I've got one reel loaded and the other empty on the spindle to stop things from slapping around. So far I've been using agitation with the little stirring rod thing, without inversion (tends to spill chemistry) and doing well, and the last time I did it I filled the tank half full (per the guide on the base) and got a good result. Okay, all well so far, but then I bring it out into the light and pour the developer in and start agitating away, and things just don't feel right. The sound it makes as it sloshes back and forth isn't quite so sloshy as before, and the little stirring rod thing isn't plugging into the spindle properly. Yeah, whatever, I think - I'm still new to this, so maybe I'm just not used to variability in the way things are happening. I should also add that I had had a busy day.

So of course when I finally open the lid after the fixing phase to begin the rinse, what should I find but the film closest to the lid. ABOVE the chemistry. And of course completely fouled up.

I'd put the ****** spindle in upside down, which is why the stirring rod wasn't mating properly with it, and the narrow upper part was bearing on the base, which is why the sound was different.

If I had picked that at the beginning of the development phase, I might still have salvaged things - I am in a basement room that comes off a basement room, which in turn comes off yet ANOTHER basement room, and there was still the opportunity to close ALL the doors, turn off ALL the lights, open the thing up in the dark and flip the whole shebang so that the film was below the surface of the developer, and start again. I might have ended up with an ugly tidemark, but since the primary aim was to take a series of exposures at all shutter speeds and find out the hard way how things are lining up with the metering, that wouldn't have mattered too much.

Two things might have prevented this...

1) Filling the tank full of developer/fixer. DOWNSIDE: Uses twice as much chemistry for only one roll.

2) Not putting the second reel on the spindle until AFTER I had put it and the loaded reel into the tank in the darkbag. (I usually put the spindle into the centre of the reel before I start loading, so I'm not feeling around for it.)

I will be implementing #2 as part of my routine, even if it means the darkbag is a bit more cluttered.

So yeah, when things aren't sounding or feeling right... check. I am fortunate enough to have a relatively light-tight arrangement of basement rooms, and can rectify this if I ever do it again. The alternative would have been returning the whole deal to the darkbag and opening wet chemistry inside it, which would not have been a cool thing to do.

Anything else people can think of?

[MarkJerling]

Drat! Still - I bet you won't do that again!

[pathdoc]

Yep... Go DSLR

My trusty K-5 will be glad to hear that. Seriously, I love my DSLR, but I also love my film cameras... and waiting two weeks for a roll of film to come back is cheesing me off. So B&W is the first step, and once I've got that mastered I am seriously considering giving C41 a go.

[OldPentaxFan]

I haven't processed 35 mm film in ages (just sheet film for the last few years) but when I did I always used single roll tanks. I had this unsubstantiated opinion that I wouldn't need to worry about complete coverage if I didn't fill a double roll tank full enough.

[pathdoc]

I had considered that, but I was unable to find a single roll Patterson tank and as a newbie I preferred not to mess around with the steel reels.

[stevebrot]

Yep... Go DSLR

Enjoy the season... M

I poured developer into my K-3 and agitated by inversion, but all of the photos look sort of washed out. Any idea what I am doing wrong?


Steve

[Blacknight659]

I personally love Both digital and Film but for different reasons.

Film has some special steps and carful planning not found in Digital. Also, there is the thrill of the Grand Reveal.... You get to enjoy the results with very little power to modify (unless you scan them in).
Digital opens up a world of endless possibilities and often leaves me working hard on my images rather than enjoying them for what they are.

Both have very welcome places in my life, both get used quite frequently.

I LOVE BOTH!!!

[jcdoss]

I poured developer into my K-3 and agitated by inversion, but all of the photos look sort of washed out. Any idea what I am doing wrong?

You're only supposed to use the swizzle stick for K-3 developing. I thought everyone knew that?!

[Apet-Sure]

I poured developer into my K-3 and agitated by inversion, but all of the photos look sort of washed out. Any idea what I am doing wrong?


Steve

Reminds me of the two neewbie duck hunters who weren't having any luck. "Maybe we're not throwing the dog high enough" says one.

[ChrisPlatt]

I poured developer into my K-3 and agitated by inversion, but all of the photos look sort of washed out. Any idea what I am doing wrong?

Next time use Web developer.

Chris

[K-Three]

my preference was stainless steel tanks and reels,
I had (still have somewhere?) a single reel SS tank, If you go this way, get a tank with the soft plastic lid, the metal lids get dinged and don't seal up well after a while.
Uses very little chemistry that way, and you can do a good full inversion agitation.

You now have a practice roll of film to learn loading SS reels with. Once you learn it, it's easy.
To me the Patterson system was too fiddly, and hard to clean.

[ChrisPlatt]

AP Photo Industries (Spain) makes a nice single reel 35mm plastic developing tank.
It is also sold by Freestyle as part of their Arista Premium line:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/5042-Arista-Premium-Plastic-Single-35mm-reel-Film-Developing-Tank-with-one

I own both single and double reel styles and like them better than my Paterson tanks.

Chris

[jcdoss]

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/5042-Arista-Premium-Plastic-Single-35mm-reel-Film-Developing-Tank-with-one

I own both single and double reel styles and like them better than my Paterson tanks.

Could you elaborate a little? I've only used a double-reel Paterson tank.

[ChrisPlatt]

Could you elaborate a little? I've only used a double-reel Paterson tank.

The AP reels are a little easier to load (less jamming); covers and lids are less likely to leak.
Another benefit is that Freestyle also stocks some replacement parts.

Chris

[yucatanPentax]

my preference was stainless steel tanks and reels,
I had (still have somewhere?) a single reel SS tank, If you go this way, get a tank with the soft plastic lid, the metal lids get dinged and don't seal up well after a while.
Uses very little chemistry that way, and you can do a good full inversion agitation.

You now have a practice roll of film to learn loading SS reels with. Once you learn it, it's easy.
To me the Patterson system was too fiddly, and hard to clean.

I agree with that. Back when I used to develop my own B&W, I came to really like the SS reels and tanks. We had various types at school to try all of them, but for my home, I bought SS. Loading the film really wasn't difficult and I could verify by touch that it fit into the spiral correctly. I had a single reel so I could vary the processing for each roll, rather than have a large tank that I may or may not use "both" of.

A lot of the time I was producing proofs for newspaper publication so I couldn't wait to save up rolls to always fill a double tank. Most often, I had 3-4 good shots on a roll of 24 or 36 that had to get out ASAP.