How to Develop Kodak Black and White Film

Black and white film canister

Developing Kodak black-and-white film on your own can be a tricky process, but with the required knowledge, skill and some practice, anyone can process their own film to create stunning black-and-white photographs.

Things You'll Need

• Pitch-black darkroom
• Kodak black and white film
• Can opener
• Film reel
• Developing tank with lid
• Developer (chemical)
• Fixer (chemical)
• Hypo eliminator (chemical)
• Water
• Clips or clothespins
• Scissors
• Clear negative pages
• Timer

Instructions

Developing Black and White Film

1. Inside your pitch-black darkroom, use the can opener to pry open the lid of your Kodak film canister. Holding the film by the edges, carefully unwind the entire roll of film.

2. Load the film onto the reel, careful to not let the film surface touch your fingers, another part of the film or your clothes. This is usually the most difficult step, as successfully protecting the surface of the entire film in the dark takes practice.

3. Place the loaded film reel into the film tank and close the lid tightly to ensure that no light can reach the film. You may now turn on the light for the remaining steps.

4. Pour developer into the pour spout of the film tank until nearly full, then cover the spout. Agitate the film tank once every minute by flipping the tank upside down and then right side back up, tapping the tank a few times to make sure air bubbles don't rest on the film. Continue this process for six minutes, or the specific time noted on the film packaging. Six minutes is the suggested time for 400 ISO film. Please check the instructions on the film's packaging for different developing times.

5. Pour out the developer, and then run water through the tank spout for one full minute. This will halt the film developer's effects.

6. Empty the water from the tank and fill it with fixer. Repeat the same agitation process as with the developer, flipping the tank around and tapping it to remove bubbles once every minute. Continue this process for five to 10 minutes, depending on the instructions for your brand of fixer.

7. Empty the fixer from the tank. Your film will no longer be sensitive to light, so you may remove the tank lid and fill the entire tank with cold water to rinse lingering chemicals. Run water over the exposed film for five minutes.

8. Empty water from the tank, and then pour in hypo eliminator chemical, replace the lid, repeating the agitation process for two minutes. This will ensure that your film will not contain white traces from the fixer chemical.

9. For a final wash, remove the tank lid and run water over the exposed film for five full minutes.

10. Empty the water out of the tank and remove the film reel. Unroll the film from the reel, careful to only touch the edges of the film. Place clips or clothespins on the edges and hang in a safe and dry place for one to two hours.

11. Cut the dry, processed film into strips. A common length to use is six negatives long for placement in clear plastic negative pages.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, make sure that chemicals and water are between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Practice loading test film onto the reel before you use film that contains important photos.

• Plastic film reels are easier for first-time film developers than metal reels.

• Check the film packaging for suggested developing time length.

• Do not let even the tiniest amount of light into the darkroom during developing.

• Never touch the surface of the film, as this can leave permanent fingerprints on your images.

• Always check the film packaging for special developing instructions. Some Kodak black and white film requires color processing techniques and should not be processed using these steps.

References

• Black & White World: Black & White Film Processing: The Twelve-Step Program

Resources

• Chromogenic.net: How to Develop Your Own Film