How to Develop Old Photo Negatives
In today's world of digital photography, the art of developing film is lost to many people. However, there is always that odd chance of stumbling across a roll of film that has long been forgotten at the back of some drawer. Naturally, curiosity will kick in and you will wonder what memories of the past the film might hold. But how do you develop it in order to see the photos? The steps below outline the basics of developing old film. It might seem difficult at first, but comes easily with a little bit of practice.
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Things You'll Need
- Film reels and canisters for processing
- Scissors
- Developing chemicals
- Antifog tablets (optional)
- Bottle cap opener
- Timer
- Thermometer
- Film clips
- Negative sleeves (optional)
- Bulb aspirator (optional)
Instructions
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The first and most important thing to do is to find out what kind of film you have, because different films require different processing. Most film companies will have a website where you can look up processing directions for your film. If you don't see your film type on the website, try contacting the company to see if they know where you can find the instructions.
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In a completely dark room, use a bottle opener to break open the outside of your roll of film. Remove the film, cut off the end with the scissors, and load it into the film reel you will use for developing. If you have never done this before, you may want to practice loading film onto the film reel with exposed or ruined negatives before you try with the negatives you are developing. Try it several times with the lights on to get the feel of it, then see if you can do it in the dark.
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While still in the dark, load the film into the canister you will use for developing. Make sure that you have the film reel loaded properly and the canister completely sealed before you turn on the lights.
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Move to an area close to running water and take out your photo chemicals. You will need developer, stop bath and fixer. Follow the film manufacturer's recommendations for what brand of chemicals to use.
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Follow the directions given for developing your film. If you choose to use an antifog tablet to help make the old negatives clearer, follow the directions listed for that also. Use your timer and thermometer to ensure accuracy for processing times and temperatures.
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Once you have completed the developing process, remove your negatives from the film canister and let let them wash in a pool of running water for about 5 minutes. Do not have the water pressure too high, as this can damage the emulsion on your film.
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Take two film clips. Use one to hang the film in a safe, clean area. Attach the other to the bottom of the film so that it will act as a weight to keep the film from curling. Allow the film to dry completely.
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Once your film is dry, you may want to use the bulb aspirator to blow off any dust that might have landed on the film. In order to keep your negatives in good condition, cut them and place them in negative sleeves for safe storage and easier handling.
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Tips & Warnings
If you cannot identify your film type, use Diafine for processing, which can be used for most film types. Make sure you are working in a dry area until you have your film loaded in the canister. You may wish to wipe you negatives down with a sponge before hanging them to dry. This will help reduce the appearance of water spots on the negative. Clothes pins work well for film clips. If you are worried about ruining your film, take it to an experienced photo lab. Drugstores will not be able to process your film, but there are many professional labs who are experienced in developing old film.
Never remove film from the roll in a lit room before it is developed. If you have done this, then your film is already ruined and the images are lost. Even a small amount of light can ruin film. Photo chemicals are generally mild, but some people may be sensitive to them. Use caution when you develop your negatives, as you would with any chemical.
