Best darkroom supplies according to Reddit
Reddit mentions of Paterson Universal tank and 2 reels-#115
Sentiment score: 4
Reddit mentions: 8
We found 8 Reddit mentions of Paterson Universal tank and 2 reels-#115. Here are the top ones.
- Exclusive Lifetime Replacement Guarantee
- Paterson Universal Tank takes two 35mm film, or a single 120/220 film
Features:
Specs:
| Color | black |
| Height | 6.4960629855 Inches |
| Length | 5.57086613605 Inches |
| Number of items | 1 |
| Release date | April 2020 |
| Size | Tank #115 |
| Weight | 0.000992080179 Pounds |
| Width | 5.57086613605 Inches |
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#1 of 37
I wouldn't recommend it, while i'm sure it could be done the results won't be that good. Save a bit of money and find a Paterson Universal tank and reel for $30 or probably less if you hunt on eBay, it will save you so much hassle and let you focus on getting the developing part right rather than worrying about having the equipment screw up your film.
As i always say with these things, when testing new equipment or techniques that could ruin your film DO NOT test them on film you have important or wanted shots on, shoot a test roll and develop that.
You can't go wrong with a Paterson Universal Tank, and you'll certainly be able to find them used on CL or ebay. Beyond the appropriate chemicals for whichever film you're using, you don't need much more than a film squeegee, some binder clips, and either a clothesline or some wire hangers. Sort of related, you should look into buying 35mm B&W film in bulk 100' rolls and then load your own canisters.
Printing photos takes a lot more gear, so most of the time I scan my negatives and then digital from then on.
Unfortunately, no. If you’re completely new to developing and haven’t yet done black and white, there’s a bit of an initial expense. I’m going to just list off everything I use for developing. It’s actually pretty compact, I’ve thrown it all in my car on impulse and developed C41 at friends’ houses a few times. I store it all in a small cooler which I also fill with water while developing. Since the developer needs to be 102°F with moderated precision for the duration of the developing time, it helps to have a larger body of water that won’t lose temperature as quickly. So first step for me is to fill this cooler slightly upwards of 102° to put the tank in while I’m not agitating. If you’ve got a cooler, great; if not:
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I think that’s about it! You can definitely go cheaper if you look around. The one thing I wouldn’t cheap out on though is the tank/reels. I started with a really cheap stainless steel setup. My reels came pretty bent up and took ages to load, like half an hour at times. I’d often have film stick to itself. I tried C41 with it one time and got blix everywhere, plus it was leaking in the cooler underwater. Everyone says Patterson is the way to go, and I haven’t tried much else but it’s served me well.
Since you didn't specify, I'm assuming color development. You'll need the following. I've linked some items to amazon for reference, but do your own shopping as these are likely not the best prices.
Welcome to film!
Probably the easiest/cheapest thing to do starting out is get some cheap Fuji or Kodak film from your local drugstore and get it developed there or at Costco/Walmart. These places will also scan your film but don't expect much from that service, a lot of people get bummed out when the scans aren't that great but that's because those places usually just auto scan the negs (you will have to do some post processing). If you like film a decent used scanner can be had for $20-40 these days.
Long term, black and white is cheaper, but you might have to invest about $10-$100 upfront for a developing tank and chemicals off Craigs list/ebay/amazon. But then you will be shooting for about $3-$5 a roll, and it's way more fun to develop your own stuff (you don't need a darkroom, a lot of people develop film in their washrooms and about 90% of it can be done it the light).
Come check out /r/analog, there is a weekly ask anything post (might be a little late this week) where you can get tons of information, as well as see what people are doing with film. There are still a lot of people using it and we're always looking for more people!
You're gonna need chemicals
Other materials:
I was able to obtain most of these except the developing tank, dark, bag, and chemicals cheaply. But the FPP does offer a full kit for sale through their store.
They also have a pretty helpful video, and there are a bunch of walkthroughs online. I'll list a couple.
The first guide has you warming your chemicals in a bath, I use a home depot bucket.
I shot film before digital. That's how they did it in my high school photo class 14 years ago. I think it was a good experience, because like you said, you can't cheat. It definitely makes you try harder and you don't know if you got the shot immediately, so you really have to set up the shot before you take it. Then you're just praying it comes out.
But there is something magical about it. The physicality of it. The fragility of your photos that could be lost in an accidental exposure to the light. The fact that you are paying so much for each shot means you value each of them so much more. This is ideal for improving your skill.
If you really intend to keep shooting film, you should try developing the film yourself. To get the full experience, as well as save money. You don't need a complicated set up if you aren't printing. And you can just scan the negatives. You'll need one of these. And some developer, stop, and fix solutions. Then you just need to make your bathroom light proof. Cover the cracks in the doors and such. You'll be walking around the house with that canister as you do other things, shaking it every few minutes. But you'll get to see those pictures come out the day you took them and you'll wonder why you paid so much for some else to do it for you.
And I'd get some black and white film. Maybe Tmax. The thing about B&W is that it makes you focus more on the basics. Texture and contrast matter that much more. When I have the time and money, I'd like to get a medium format camera and start shooting B&W film again. For me, it doesn't get much better than Nick Brandt's work with 120mm on a Pentax 67.
You don't even need a changing bag really, just a black sweatshirt or a jacket and a closet.. or just do it after the sun goes down. :)
https://www.flickr.com/groups/87245355@N00/discuss/72157625152041481/
And, I used to send my stuff out, but after paying 15 dollars each roll I realized that after like 5 rolls of film I could have just gotten all of the equipment I needed. So I hopped on craigslist and got it!
https://www.amazon.com/Paterson-Universal-tank-reels-115/dp/B0000BZMIH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483653601&sr=8-1&keywords=developing+tank
Dooo it. :D