dylan barnes | blog

Category: Tutorial

  • Troubleshooting a Fuji GA645 Command Dial

    Troubleshooting a Fuji GA645 Command Dial

    Today, I am going to do a short and simple walkthrough to fix an iffy command dial on a Fuji GA645.  It’s a very simple task that could take you 10 minutes to potentially save you a few hundred bucks on one of these cameras if this is the issue that permits a huge discount.  It’s not guaranteed to fix the issue, but this issue is common and this fix (sort of) worked for me, so it may work for you.

    A couple weeks ago, I spotted an eBay auction for a Fuji GA645. It’s a camera that I have always wanted a chance to shoot and get my hands on, but never pulled the trigger on.  Ever since my friend Ryan got his GA645zi, I knew that I had to at least try one these for a while.  The camera in the listing wasn’t in pristine shape, the seller noted two main issues with the camera but the more concerning issue was the wonky command dial that would randomly choose an aperture as it was turned in

    Fast forward to the other day, just a few minutes before the end of the auction.  While jamming to the live sounds of Blacksmith, I noticed that the auction price was still below half the value of other listings that were in decent condition, so I took a gamble and got a deal.

    Prior to receiving the camera, I did a little bit of research on the web and came across a few helpful links, one being a Flickr discussion thread on the same topic and a Youtube video that showed how to disassemble the top part of the camera.

    When the camera finally arrived, I gave it a quick exterior cleaning, pulled up those two resources, I gathered a few materials to get to started on trying to curb the dial issue.

    All that was necessary was some lens cleaning tissues, lens cleaning solution, and a small screwdriver I borrowed from my iFixIt kit that I use for fixing my Macbook.

    Step 1, Removing the Top Cover

    To start off, you have to locate the the five screws holding down the top cover down.  There are four around the bottom part of the top plate around the camera. The last of the five screws is located underneath the flash.  You have to bit a bit careful not to lean up against the flash too heavy since the flashes and the wires that connect it also have a tendency to be rather fragile.

    After removing all of the screws, you have to do a little wiggling from front to back to get the top cover to budge and come up and off.  Be careful removing; don’t pull to hard or too far.  Remember that there are ribbon cables and other wires connected between the main body and the cover.  Just lift it enough to gain access to the dial sensor underneath.

    Step 2, Cleaning & Dust Removal from the Sensors

    Spray a bit of lens solution or rubbing alcohol to dampen a lens tissue.  Lens tissues are good because they’re not too abrasive and they’re thin enough to get it where we need them to.  I think it goes without saying but don’t saturate the lens tissue too much, just enough for it to grab whatever dust and dirt may be hanging out under there.  I folded my lens tissue in half, flattened and wiped between the plastic locking mechanism for the exterior dial and the PCB.

    Step 3, Reassemble and Test Command Dial:

    The reassembly is the same as when you took it off except for one small caveat.  When you replace the top cover, you might notice that it doesn’t line up properly on the right side.  Just turn the command dial a click or two and the cover will then lock in and seat itself properly.

    Before you put all the screws back in, turn the camera on and test the command dial.  If it doesn’t work still or seems to be improving but not jumping numbers as frequently, then maybe try a bit more cleaning.  If it works, then congrats, you probably saved yourself a bit of money on the camera and repair costs.

    Conclusion: This isn’t a guaranteed fix, but it seems that the issue is not as consistent after doing this little bit of cleaning.  But there is definitely an improvement for sure.

  • Scanning Medium Format Film with an Epson V700

    Scanning Medium Format Film with an Epson V700

    Today, I am going to share my workflow for scanning my medium format film as well as some things I have learned along the way.  As always indicated, I don’t necessarily have a very professional way of doing things, yet just a process that has worked for me after a whole lot of trial and error, especially when it comes to this specific process.  

    After just helping my buddy Ryan learn how to develop C41 film about a week ago, I decided that it would great time for me to not only show him a few things that I do during my scanning process, but to also share those things here as well.  So, here are a handful of tips and tricks from beginning to end of the scanning process.

    Flatbed scanning is not only just one of the very few avenues to take when digitizing negatives, but it’s probably one of the more affordable and time-efficient routes as well.  Used commercial scanners made by Fuji or Noritsu are a bit out of most people’s budgets, and so are new dSLR bodies if they don’t already own one, and drum scanners are somewhat of an elusive mythical creature that only few have access to.  Personally, I have never tried the dSLR method, and have yet to have access to a drum scanner, so flatbed scanning has been my go-to since the start of scanning in my own film.

    About two years ago, I found a Epson V700 in a local Craigslist ad and ended up negotiating quite a deal on it with everything included: scanner, cables, and stock film holders.  I’ve thought about upgrading to some Better Scanning holders, but I have yet to lose my patience enough to do so.

    Apparently, the V700 is rather favorable compared to most of its predecessors since you can scan two strips of film side by side simultaneously.  Older Epson scanners only allow for a single negative strip at a time.  So, doubling your efficiency might be a selling point if you’re in the market to start scanning your own film. Since I’ve purchased my V700, I’ve figured out a few things from my experiences, online research, and other photographers on how to get the favorable results out of my flatbed scanner set up.

    Step 1: Letting your film dry and naturally flatten out

    Especially when I first started developing on my own film, I had such an urge and impatience to scan it as soon as I thought it was dry enough.  Of course, you could wet scan the film, but I find that the bow or curve in the film (especially with the stock film holders) is reason enough for me to just wait until the film is as dry and straight as possible.  When I hang my film, I simply attach a binder clip at each end of the film and hang from a push pin or something similar.  I usually wait a day or two for drying, cut it into adequately sized strips depending on camera format, and store until I am ready to scan.

    Step 2: Prepping the Scanner

    This step might be self explanatory for some, but I think it still needs to be said.  You should clean the scanner glass surface before each scanning session, if not between each load-in of negatives.  Properly prepping and cleaning the scanning surface is going to save you an enormous amount of time in the long run, especially in post-processing and removing potential dust and hair in Photoshop or Lightroom later on.

    For quite some time, I was wasting a lot of time removing dust and hair thanks to my two cats no matter how much lens cleaner or microfiber cloths I used.   I’m pretty sure it somehow made it worse at some points.  But now, I have learned and don’t have to do anything too invasive to clean my scanner glass.  After speaking with my friend Timothy of We Believe in Film and Analog Talk, I have found that a handheld Swiffer duster may be the single best investment one can make.  Just a light grazing across the surface takes care of 95% of the dust issue.  For anything a bit more stubborn, glass cleaner and microfiber cloth work best for me.  Anything that makes it past these two preemptive methods, is usually a rather quick fix in the post process.

    Step 3: Using Scanning Software to Get the Best out of Your Scans

    I have tried a few different options for scanning software, but I have found that the EpsonScan software works just as well as VueScan and SilverFast for what I need it to do.

    Typically, I run my settings at 3200 dpi, 48-bit color (says 24-bit in the screenshot, oops), and turn off any extraneous “features”.  I put features in quotes because I find them to be more of a hinderance than anything else; degrading sharpness, and elongating the actual scanning process.  My goal is to get the cleanest, flattest (both in terms of physical form and color) scan, to retain the most detail as possible in the most efficient manner so I can minimally edit things later on in Photoshop or Lightroom.  The best way to do that is to simply start with a clean scan bed and clean negative.

    Tip: After running a preview of the negatives, I utilize the “Normal” view of the interface so I can use the marque tool to make selection boxes around the photos.  When selecting the photos, I initially try a selection a bit larger than the photo.  However, this usually results in a discolored preview and scan.  I am still unsure as to why this is but I have figured out that the best way to combat this is to make your selection within the photo.  Yes, you’re sort of losing a bit of the image by doing this, but it saves a lot of time in color correcting later on.

    marque selection outside of the image results in poor color quality
    marque selection inside of the image usually prevents poor colors

    At this point, I have been pretty happy with how my initial scans come out without manually changing things or moving sliders, however I do sometimes find it necessary to make slight adjustments to the levels sliders (read more about this here) to adjust the clipping points.  A little adjustment here can sometimes make quite the difference in improving the quality of your raw scans.

    When saving images, I typically save as TIFF  and then finish up in Photoshop or Lightroom.

    Step 4: Post Processing 

    After opening an image in Photoshop, the first thing I do is rotate and crop back to the correct ratio which may have been lost in selecting the photo with the marque tool in EpsonScan.

    After a crop, I usually go to town on any dust and hair with the spot healing brush tool.  Next, I open up the levels an move the shadows and highlights in to the ends of the histogram.  If this is done ahead of time in EpsonScan as mentioned earlier, you probably will not have to do this step at this point.  And sometimes, this is all it takes, as seen here:

     

    before crop & spot healing
    after crop & spot healing

    If there is any imbalance in the color, then I will open up the curves menu and take out or add color where needed. In this example, I took out a bit of green to even it out.

    decreased greens for better overall image color

    Lastly, if I am not satisfied after a levels adjustment, I may mess with the exposure slider a little bit.

    added +1 exposure to lighten up the image to my liking (started to lose detail in the sky)

    Of course, there are many things I could do better, but I like to keep things as simple as possible, so this is what gives me the best results for what I want.  I also don’t an extreme depth of knowledge in scanning, digital image files, and some areas of Photoshop, but I do have enough knowledge to be content with my results.  I’m still learning how to improve my scanning process and technique, so I am definitely open to advice.  Feel free to share in the comments or via email.

     

     

     

  • Home Developing Black and White Film

    Home Developing Black and White Film

    As the days go by and more and more people are getting interested in film.  However, it seems that the demand for film and film-related equipment and services are seeming to be way higher than the supply.  While places like The Darkroom maintain rather cheap prices here in the states, I have been reading that developing and scanning services are much, much cheaper overseas, and that we are paying quite a premium here in the US.

    With prices averaging somewhere along the lines of $15 a roll for developing and scanning (relying heavily on format and scan quality/resolution), plus postage — shooting film gets pretty expensive pretty fast.  With these expenses, it seems that people are looking for a more economical way to shoot film by developing it themselves.

    When I started my after school photography club about five or so years ago, there weren’t as many written resources available on the web in regards to developing your own film, which made the topic somewhat desirable to write about and document.  You can find plenty of Youtube videos (1, 2, 3) and beautifully written and documented processes as well (1, 2, 3).  So what I am doing here, is no way original, but for the sake of completing a goal and education in general, I will add my process to the pool of information.

    As a forewarning, before the internet yells at me, I would like to preface this process with the fact that it is my process.  It’s not perfect, but for me, it definitely works and I continue to be happy with the results, improving what I need to as time goes on.

    Note:  This tutorial skips the process of making chemical solutions.  Please make your solutions according to bottle instructions before moving forward.

    Anyway, on to the tutorial!

    Here are the materials I use:

    So, just a few justifications and explanations on the materials I use before we get started:

    Film Reels

    I tend to favor the plastic reels and development tanks simply because that’s what I started on.  Not only that, but I started developing my own film when I started my after-school film photography club.  I didn’t have a darkroom at that time (only a science lab), and the plastic reels are much easier to load in the daylight changing bags.  I’m sure you could load film on a steel reel in the bag, but I have found that borderline impossible.  Even after trying the stainless steel reels in a darkroom, I still couldn’t get the hang of it.  So, I have stayed with the plastic reels personally. It seems that once you choose between the stainless and the plastic tanks, your choice seems to stick with you as it will most likely be more comfortable with more time utilizing that method.

     

    Adorama/AP Reel
    Paterson Reel

    One more note on the plastic reels.  There are a few different versions of this type and my students have found one much easier to load than the other.  Currently, I use the Paterson tank, but with the Adorama reel inside.  At first, I was using the reel that came with the Paterson Tank, but I have found that the Adorama tanks have a better reel due to one small design change — a longer gateway to load the film.  This slight difference is a better entry way for the film to begin loading.

    The Adorama reel is much better for developing 120 film (I’ll provide a sample from my first encounter with 120 film on the Paterson reel), and my students always find it much easier to load 35mm.  So much so, that the more experienced students frequently give the new students these reels so they don’t have so much trouble on their first developments.

    Chemicals

    When I first started developing on my own, I needed as much volume as possible for as cheap as possible.  For that reason, I had always used the Arista Premium liquid developer from Freestyle Photo.  Not only was it cost effective, but it was much easier to make a solution.  As time has passed, I have sort of developed a liking to Kodak D-76 Developer and Ilford Rapid Fixer.  Just personal preference at this point, I guess.

    Step 1: Understanding Black and White Film Development and Time & Temperature Relationship 

    Now before you start to develop black and white film on your own, you must know that the nature of the film and the process is quite different than the standardized process of E6 and C41.  Some black and white films are C41 process, too, so just be aware of that.  When developing C41 and E6, all film types are developed for the same amount of time under the same constant temperature.  When it comes to black and white, depending on the film stock and developer used, as well as the temperature of the developer, your development times will be different.  So please be aware of this moving forward.  There are a few resources available to help you with these variables.

    The resource that I prefer now is an iOS application (pretty sure it’s available on Android as well) entitled Massive Dev Chart Timer.  While the name of the app isn’t exactly catchy, it’s definitely robust and gets the job done.  You can select virtually any type of black and white film and developer and it will automatically calculate the development time for you.  Makes things really convenient.  You can always add custom times to your liking and preferences as well.

     

    The nice thing about this app is that it doesn’t interrupt or pause your music or podcast while using it like some other apps I have used to develop (looking at you, Develop!).  But, if you don’t want to shell out the $9 for the app above, there are others out there that can be obtained for free.  You could also utilize the development table on the Freestyle Photo website as well and just use your phone’s built-in timer.  It served me well before I decided to take the plunge and buy Mass Dev Chart.

    Okay, so now with all of your materials in hand, chemicals mixed, and film loaded on the reel, you should be ready to get started.

    Step 2: Preparing the Chemicals

    Depending on where you store your chemicals, room temperature may be fine, but be careful if your chemicals are more than 7-ish degrees warmer or colder than the ideal 70-72°F.  That’s not a real rule, but I have read that these drastic time or temperature changes can have a negative effect on the film itself.  Personally, I have had previous success with quite a bit of latitude (more than 10°F difference) with time & temperature changes, especially with Ilford HP5 since that’s what I shoot most.

    Warm your chemicals up a bit if they are a bit too cold or let them chill a bit if too warm to get them in that 72°F neighborhood.

    Step 3: Checking & Verifying Development Times

    Again, depending on the film stock, developer, and temperature of the developer, you’re time to develop your film will vary.  Check the Massive Dev application or check the Freestyle Photo chart.  Of course, your personal tastes and preferences may change your development times in the future as well.

    Step 4: Preparing the Film

    When you have the chemicals, mixed, and ready at a desired temperature, you’re ready to move your film from canister to development tank.  You simply throw all necessary materials in the light proof bag: scissors, film, can opener, and developing tank pieces.  This process is not easy for beginners, but trust me, if my middle school students can do it, then so can you.  It just takes practice.  Simply use an exposed roll to practice reeling the film outside of the bag. Like I said, if you want an easier, more pleasurable experience, especially for 120 development, go with the AP/Adorama reel design.  The Adorama reel has a better guide to get the film past the ball bearing and started on the reel.  Again, I prefer to use these reels with the Paterson tanks because the Paterson tanks are easier to move liquid to and from.

    But like anything else in this process, it comes down to user preference.  Use what you feel most comfortable with.  Both reels will accept 36-exposure rolls of 35mm film.  However, you need to buy the taller tank if you want to develop a single roll of 120.  These taller ones allow you to develop two reels of 35mm.  Plenty of multiple-reel tank options are available.  Just be careful because once you get to a certain size, the reels aren’t included.

    So with all that being said, throw all the materials in the bag.  Use the can opener to pry the bottom of the film cartridge off.  Slide the film out of the cartridge.  While holding the edges of the film only, unravel it off the inner core.  When you get to the end, find the scissors and snip the end of the film off the core.  Take that same end that you cut, insert it into the reel entry and ratchet the film on.  Granted, this sounds so easy, but it can be just as annoying when things don’t go your way and your hands are sweating with frustration in that hot, humid bag.  It happened to me with the first 120 roll I attempted.

    After the film is on the reel, insert the tank core through the reel, place it in the tank, insert the saucer, lock in the agitator, and place the lid on top.

    Step 5: Chemicals!

    To start off, some people prefer to do a pre-rinse, but I don’t bother.  I’m not so sure as to whether there is any real benefit to this, but I haven’t researched this at any length (if there is, please let me know).  I was told you didn’t have to, and I like to keep things as short and simple as possible.  So I’m going to skip right to the next step, which is my first step, the developer.

    5.1: Developer

    Again depending on your film, developer, and temperature, your times will vary.  However, the agitation process is always the same.  Some people prefer to invert the tank (like me) while other like to twist the actual agitator in the tank, and others like to do stand-developing.

    Pour the developer in the tank, enough to come up to the indentation ring inside the saucer that keeps the tank light tight.  Put the lid on.

    Start the timer and begin inverting the tank upside down and back to right side up in a sort of figure 8 fashion, feeling the developer move from one end to the other.  Continue to do this for the duration of the first minute.

    When the first minute comes to an end, tap the bottom once or twice to release any air bubbles or pockets that may be on the film and let the tank rest on the countertop.

    Let it rest for one minute, then pick it back up and invert and revert for 10 seconds.  Repeat this rest-one-minute and invert-revert-10-seconds process until the developing time comes to its end.

    When time comes to an end, dump the developer down the drain.

    5.2: Stop Bath 

    Pour the stop bath in the tank.  Close the lid.  Agitate by inverting and reverting for one full minute.  Some people might think a minute is overkill, but remember that the stop bath stops the action of the developer on the film, so it doesn’t hurt to be safe.

    Unlid the tank.  Pour the stop bath back in its container as it can be reused for quite a few rolls of film and developing sessions.

    5.3: Fixer

    Again, pour the fixer into the tank.  Shut the lid tight.  I like to fix for a total of 4 minutes.  Follow the same agitation pattern as the developer: invert/revert for the first full minute, rest for one minute, invert/revert for 10 seconds.  Then repeat the rest-one-minute and invert/revert-ten-seconds part for the remainder of time.

    Like the stop bath, you can reuse the fixer, so feel free to pour it back into your container.

    5.4: Take a Peek!

    This is the moment of truth!  You’re not quite done yet, but once the fixer is finished, feel free to disassemble your tank and see if there are images on the end of your roll without taking the film off the reel.  If so, then congrats and move on to the next steps!

    5.5: PhotoFlo / Hypoclear

    I have had trouble with squeegee streaks in the past, so a recently added step is this one.  I highly recommend it for even, streak-free drying

    PhotoFlo is a wetting agent used to minimize water marks or streaks during film development/drying.  It also has a crazy ratio, so make sure you have already made a solution before pouring this in.

    Tip: Some people simply use a few drops of Dawn dish soap with some water instead of PhotoFlo. It has the same effect on your film and it might be easier for you to obtain.

    Pour in the PhotoFlo and simply let it sit for 1 or 2 minutes.  No lid needed. Pour it down the drain.

    5.6: Final Rinse

    If you have patience, then you can simply run some water into the tank and let it overflow out for about 10 or so minutes.  I pout the saucer back in so the water flows out the sides and allows the water to sort of cycle through the tank and out.

    If you don’t have patience, then fill the tank with water and dump  somewhere between ten to twenty times.

    I have seen that some people rinse and then PhotoFlo, to get the best quality of life for their stored negatives.

    Step 6: Drying

    Take the film off the reel.  Attach a binder clip at each end of the film.  Hang on a push pin for a couple hours until completely dry.  I know it’s hard to fight temptation, but the wait is worth it!  I have tried scanning wet film, and it doesn’t work, especially through automated scanners like a Pakon 135.

    Here’s a couple sample images from the rolls I developed using this process:

    If there is anything you feel I got terribly wrong, missed, or would like me to add, feel free to get in touch and send me an email.

  • Home Developing c41 Film

    Home Developing c41 Film

    The whole idea behind my Instagram account as well as this blog is to showcase the images that I have hand-developed myself.  Since I have picked up a bit of a following since starting both platforms, I have fielded several inquires regarding my “bath-tub” centered C41 process I proclaim to use in my Now.Developing Instagram account.  Fortunately, for this tutorial I had a lot more space than my bathtub.  Unfortunately, it’s not as authentic as my Instagram bio.  Instead, I’ll be using a drop sink and counterspace at my job, where I instruct my students to develop film.  However, I think we will be just fine moving forward.

    My process is haphazard, but it is my process.  It’s definitely unique and I like to think there’s some beauty in that.  I enjoy the results I get and they are good enough for me regardless of the (most likely unnecessary) issues I encounter by not putting in the correct safeguards (a constant water temperature would definitely be one of them).

    The point of this post is to show you that this is not as hard as it seems and that you can do this on your own at home if you really wanted to give it a shot.

    Also, my process is in no way original and is mostly based off of the very well documented and self explanatory tutorial that was published by Lomography (Part 1 & Part 2)

    I’m going to try to be as succinct as possible, but I will also add some notes, caveats, and justifications to my process.  I will also be skipping over the chemical set up process.  It’s easy, just read and follow the directions that come in the box or check that Lomography article I linked to above. Anyway, let’s get started.

    My materials list is as follows:

    Updated addition(s) as of 9/4/2017

    I tried to link as many materials to the Film Photography Project Store.  Please, please, please buy as much as you can from Michael Raso and his team.  They are absolutely amazing people and have supported me and my students in our film endeavors over the years.  They also have a wonderful podcast that you should be listening to if you are not already!

    Step 1: Preparing the Chemicals

    I start running the faucet on hot for a few minutes to let the water warm up.  The water from the faucet in the photos runs pretty hot, easily over the necessary 102° Fahrenheit/38.8° Celsius needed to develop.  Since the sink is a bit of a tight space, I place the bottles of developer, blix, and stabilizer in a bin on the floor nearby.  I transfer the hot water from the faucet to the bin nearby using a beaker.  I fill the bin until the water covers most of the length of the bottles.  I let the bottles sit in the hot water until the chemicals in the bottles heat up above the necessary 102° Fahrenheit/38.8° Celsius.  I periodically check the temperatures of the chemicals inside the bottles.  You don’t necessarily have to heat up the stabilizer, but I just do it because “YOLO”.  Once the chemicals are a few degrees over the target temperature, I remove the bottles and set them on the counter.  I have read that you have a little bit of leniency with temperature, up to 2-5° Fahrenheit in either direction and still get solid results.  But obviously, if you work quickly and you will stay closer to your target temperature through the process.

    Update as of 9/4/2017:

    I now use a sous vide to keep a constant water temperature, which has also been added to the materials list above.  It is an amazing tool to keep constant water temperature and doesn’t require me to take the temperature of the water/chemicals numerous times when prepping everything.  Just set it and go do other things as the water heats up to temperature!

    Step 2: Preparing the Film

    While the water is heating up the chemicals in the bin, you should be getting your film ready.  You simply throw all necessary materials in the light proof bag: scissors, film, can opener, and developing tank pieces.  This process is not easy for beginners, but trust me, if my middle school students can do it, then so can you.  It just takes practice.  Simply use an exposed roll to practice reeling the film outside of the bag.  Or if you want to be in on a little secret or an easier reel to use, buy the Adorama tank and reel.  The Adorama reel has a better guide to get the film past the ball bearing and started on the reel.  Although I find pouring the chemicals in and out of the Adorama tank to be more of a mess and hassle, it is easier to reel the film especially when it comes to 120 film. At the end of the day, it’s really user preference here.  Use what you feel most comfortable with.  Both reels will accept 36-exposure rolls of 35mm film.

    So, throw all the materials in the bag.  Use the can opener to pry the bottom of the film cartridge off.  Slide the film out of the cartridge.  While holding the edges of the film only, unravel it off the inner core.  When you get to the end, find the scissors and snip the end of the film off the core.  Take that same end that you cut, insert it into the reel entry and ratchet the film on.  When I started, I used this video.  I still show this to my students on their first development day and think it’s an amazing resource.  Prof. Agar does an amazing job breaking the process down.  Granted, this sounds so easy, but it can be just as annoying when things don’t go your way and your hands are sweating with frustration in that hot, humid bag.

    After the film is on the reel, insert the tank core through the reel, place it in the tank, insert the saucer, then the agitator, and place the lid on top.

    Step 3: Chemicals!

    Before you start fiddling with your phone’s default stopwatch, please download  a development app.  I use Develop! for iOS.  Here is a screenshot of my settings for my C41 process:

    IMG_0291.PNG

    Again, make sure your chemicals are as close to the target temperature as possible.  You could use an aquarium heater, but I tried it, and found them more troublesome than helpful.  It’s also hard to get one that gets warm enough for film development.

    3.1: Wash

    Take the lid off.  Using the hot water in the bin, dunk the tank in the water until it fills/the liquid is above saucer level.  Continuously agitate (spin the agitator back and forth) for 1 minute.  Pour the water down the drain.

    3.2: Developer

    The UniColor kit says to develop for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, but I set my timer for 4 minutes after getting some underexposed rolls in the past.  I could just have a old or bad batch of chemicals, but you can adapt as needed.

    Pour the developer in the tank.  Agitate by twisting the agitator for the first 15 seconds.  After 15 seconds, put the lid back on.  Let it sit for 30 seconds, when the timer dings, you will agitate by tumbling/inverting the tank back and forth four times.  Continue the tumble/inversion agitation every 30 seconds for the remainder of the time.  When time is over; unlid the tank, pour the developer back into the bottle, this can be reused for up to 30 rolls or so before you need to make new chemistry.

    3.3: Blix

    Pour the Blix in the tank. This stuff stinks and stings if you have open cuts.  As an anxiety-ridden, chronic nail-biter, I would know.  Follow same steps for developer but for 6 minutes.  Unlid, return blix to bottle, as this can also be reused.

    3.4: Rinse

    Again, using the water in the bin, fill up the tank.  No need to put the lid on.  Agitate with the agitator for 15 seconds.  Let the tank sit for 3 minutes.  Pour the water out down the drain.

    3.5: Stabilizer

    Fill the tank with stabilizer.  No need to put the lid on.  Agitate with the agitator for 15 seconds and let it sit the remaining 45 seconds.  Pour stabilizer back to its bottle as it can be reused.

    3.6: PhotoFlo

    I have had trouble with squeegee streaks in the past, so a recently added step is this one.  I highly recommend it for even, streak-free drying.

    Fill the tank with PhotoFlo.  Let it sit for two minutes.  Some say pour it down the drain, I keep the PhotoFlo for a few development sessions.  Haven’t seen an issue.

    3.7: Rinse

    Rinse it for a bit, maybe 5-10 minutes to get rid of all of the residue.

    Step 4: Drying

    Take the film off the reel.  Attach a binder clip at each end of the film.  Hang on a push pin for a couple hours until completely dry.  I know it’s hard to fight temptation, but the wait is worth it!  I have tried scanning wet film, and it doesn’t work.  Don’t be me, don’t be an impatient child, haha.

    Here’s a couple sample images from the rolls I developed in this process:

    Eventually I will follow up with Black and White developing, but it pretty much follows the same structure, but with different chemicals and times.  I guess that makes a substantial difference, though.  Anyhow, if you found this helpful or have any suggestions for me, I would love to hear from you, feel free to get in touch.

  • Retr0brite the Pakon

    Retr0brite the Pakon

    Have you ever noticed that some of those white/light plastics products you own have yellowed over time?  Or perhaps, like me, you recently bought a used device from yesteryear, like a Kodak Pakon F-135 scanner.  Most of these products are made of ABS plastic (known for its properties in resistance and toughness), and luckily the color of the plastic is in fact salvageable.  A coworker of mine informed me about this process and his experiences with Retr0brite-ing older Mac computers.  I was intrigued, curious, and figured that I had nothing to lose so as long as the scanner still functioned properly after I was done.

    Admittedly, I didn’t follow all of the rules or completely follow one of the many tutorials on Youtube.  We decided that we would sort of take the shortest, most efficient, but maybe not the most comprehensive route, so if you’re into a quick fix, this tutorial is for you.  Besides, the discoloration, wasn’t that bad compared to some before/after shots I have seen from others.  If you are all about doing things the right way, you may want to leave now before you cringe to death or want to tell me how terrible my process was.  Trust me, I already know.

    **Disclaimer, photos are a tad grainy.  Time for a new batch of chemicals to be made.**

    To start, this is what the Pakon looked like prior to the process with all of my materials besides the screwdrivers.  The bottle of peroxide provides a good distinction of colors:

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    Voigtländer Bessa R3A // Portra 160, Materials for Retr0brite

    As for materials to conduct the process, all you need is the following:

    • Screwdriver set (Phillips & Torx)
    • 40 Volume Peroxide 
    • Direct sunlight
    • A surface to work on
    • Some sort of liner to protect the surface (i.e. a garbage bag)
    • Gloves
    • About 2 hours of your time

    To get started, you have to flip the Pakon over and remove the top case by removing a handful of screws, I think there were 6 or 8.  The nice thing about taking the Pakon apart is that it was designed to be easily fixed by the photolabs that owned them.  No disconnecting wires, no fragile parts directly in your way, nothing.  I have had to take my Pakon apart quite a few times because of inconsistent Polling errors in the TLX software due to dust on the tiny film sensors.  It’s a pain to do this every time it happens, but I’m looking into purchasing a dust cover in the near future.  Anyhow, here is what the unit looks like after the top is off:

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    Voitländer Bessa R3A // Portra 160

    Again, super easy.  Time to take all the materials outside.  Be sure to keep the screws in safekeeping in the meantime.

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    Voigtländer Bessa R3A // Portra 160

    Once we got outside and all situated, the rest of the process was just as easy with a bit more periodic involvement.  Basically all we did was pour a generous amount of peroxide on the case every 15-20 minutes or so.  After pouring it on, we lathered it around for about 2-3 minutes, making sure to apply it evenly throughout the piece and turned it 90 degrees on the table each time.  We let it sit for the remainder of the 15 minute increment.  This was done not only produce a balanced color in the end, but to also prevent color scarring (see top image) since the peroxide was so highly concentrated.  We did get a little bit of scarring in the final product, so we may try this process again with a less concentrated solution, perhaps 20 volume or so.  I think I’m okay with the improvements I got from this single process.  Minor note, I also tried to be careful around the film entries, but I didn’t bother covering them.

    29917664264_7d6f4c7179_b

    30512333676_f1f28eed0a_b

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    After an hour or so of doing this (we may have did an hour and a half), we cleaned up, rinsed off the top case in the sink with tap water and let it dry.  We screwed it back on top of the base, and I couldn’t really complain about the result:

    It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely an improvement.  I get a little sense of pride every time I see the scanner on the shelf when I walk in the room.  The change is slightly better seen in person, or maybe I am just color-biased every time I look at it.

    Again, my process is in no way the “right way” of doing things, but if you get a result that you are happy with, I guess it doesn’t matter much.  This blog was created with the goal of focusing on the process and not the result anyway.

    If you have done something similar, I would love to hear about your experience.  If you try out this process, I would also like to see how well yours turned out.