Darkroom Film
Darkroom Film
![]() |
Film Tanks & Reels
Learn about the working of photographic equipment such as film reels and film processing tanks.
Sifting through our favorite photo albums is like traveling back in time by going down memory lane and reliving those precious moments spent with our loved ones. But what keeps our memories from fading away? Of course the camera--one of the best human inventions of all times.
Quiet a lot of work is involved before we finally get to see our everlasting fond memories on paper.
Film Reel
Once the film roll is complete and ready to be developed, it is loaded/ spooled onto a film reel in a darkroom. This step involves extra carefulness as portions of the film might not get developed if it has been improperly loaded. A film reel actually looks like a picture on a reel that would rotate and the photographs would show up, one after the other, on a cinema screen like the way cinemas showed movies long time back or like the Hollywood old film reel pictures as depicted in today’s movies.
Basically film reels are used for holding the roll film firmly so that it can be properly developed once inside the film processing tank. The roll takes the form of a spiral so that the film surfaces do not touch and it is uniformly spaced to let the chemical flow freely and touch every part of the film. The reel should be dry as any sign of dampness makes loading difficult.
Film reels are available in either plastic or steel and also in varied sizes to accommodate different films. Steel reels are more durable while the plastic ones are easier to handle by amateur photographers.
Film Reel Brands
Companies such as Peterson, Kindermann etc manufacture film tanks and reels for developing films.
Paterson positions itself as a user-friendly brand by offering the auto-load reel with a smooth finish and a twin ball ratchet system that make film loading very simple.
The 35mm stainless steel reels manufactured by Kindermann are marketed as chemical resistant, easy to clean and unbreakable as they are made from strong chrome nickel steel. It also guarantees to prevent damage as the reel is designed in such a way that there is negligible contact between the film edge and the reel.
Film Processing Tanks
Once the film has been loaded onto the film reel, it is developed using a light tight container called a film processing tank. The photographic film has the tendency to get damaged if exposed to daylight while developing, but with a film processing tank it can be developed in a daylight setting hence these are also referred to as ‘daylight tanks’. The various chemicals required for developing the photographs can be poured inside through the opening in the tank’s lid.
Similar to film reels, the film processing tank comes with different tank varieties and reel sizes to cater to both 35mm and 120mm film. The varieties include stainless steel and plastic tanks. For beginners it is advisable to use plastic tanks as they are cheap and user-friendly. However when processing temperature needs to be controlled, only stainless tanks can be used. Moreover a steel tank can be used either wet or dry unlike plastic tank where the film sticks and gets ruined if the tank is wet.
The core steps for developing photographs are summarized in the following steps:
- Prepare all the necessary equipment (tools, chemicals etc);
- Spool the film onto the film reel in the dark;
- Transfer the reel to the film processing tank sealed by a cap (once safely packed inside, film can be easily developed in daylight without getting ruined);
- Pour the developer in the tank and start the agitation process till required;
- After agitation is complete, wash the film;
- Hang to dry in a dust-free area;
- Cut the dry film into strips for printing.
In order to search for film tanks and film reels on sale, photography magazines or websites maybe consulted.
About the Author
freelancer
|
|
The Darkroom Cookbook $39.95 The art of darkroom developing and printing will never go out of style. Master darkroom specialist Steve Anchell is back to prove it in this long-awaited third edition of his enormously successful Darkroom Cookbook. Packed with over 200 "recipes," some common and others rare gems, you'll discover something new every time you open this guide, whether you're new to the darkroom or have been making your own prints for years. In addition to the formulas, you'll find tons of useful information on developers, push-processing, where to get darkroom equipment, how to set up your own darkroom, how to work and play in your darkroom safely, and much more. This handy guide will become a constant companion for every darkroom enthusiast creating prints at home or in the studio. In addition to complete updates throughout to reflect changes in the availability of chemicals and equipment, this third edition contains all new information on: *Reversal processing *Enlarged negatives *Pyro formulas *Plus expanded sections on printing, pyro, and toning prints Also included for the first time are special technique contributions as well as stunning black and white imagery by Bruce Barnbaum, Rod Dresser, Jay Dusard, Patrick Gainer, Richard Garrod, Henry Gilpin, Gordon Hutchings, Sandy King, Les McLean, Sa?d Nuseibeh, France Scully Osterman, Mark Osterman, Tim Rudman, Ryuijie, John Sexton, and John Wimberly. Be sure to visit www.darkroomcookbook.com to find useful links, an interactive user forum, and more! Steve Anchell is a photographer and author of The Variable Contrast Printing Manual, and co-author of The Film Developing Cookbook. He has been teaching darkroom and photography workshops since 1979. Steve is a member of the Freestyle Advisory Board of Photographic Professionals. "With its unrivalled collection of photographic formulae and easy to understand explanations of photographic processes, The Darkroom Cookbook has long been a favorite with darkroom workers everywhere. Now, with further additions to its formulary, more topics, and contributions by renowned darkroom experts, this new edition promises to be an indispensable Aladdin's Cave resource to darkroom enthusiasts of all levels." -Tim Rudman, photographer and author "The Darkroom Cookbook is an essential compendium of photographic information for anyone interested in high-quality darkroom work." -John Sexton, photographer *Packed with rare techniques for silver-based processing clearly explained by a darkroom master so you can create your own stunning prints at home or in the studio *Contains over 200 formulas - follow along step-by-step, or experiment with your own variations to develop new recipes! *Includes a brand-new chapter on analog variable contrast printing *Visit the new supplemental website to find useful links and an interactive user forum |
|
|
The Darkroom Cookbook (Paperback) $69.93 This book shares tried-and-true techniques for the silver-based process and provides the keys to unlocking creativity through the mastery of the `ingredients` of photography - namely the chemicals used to develop, fix, stop and tone. The Darkroom Cookbook, 2nd Edition offers 170 photographic formulas, 20 of which are new to this edition, that cover film developing, paper developing, toners, stop baths, fixers, negative reductions, print reductions, negative intensifiers, paper intensifiers, and more. New information has been added on pyro developer, amidol developer, monobaths, pushing film, and low contrast development. Sections on safety and darkroom planning, as well as a listing of chemical suppliers, complete this book. |
|
|
The Darkroom - Widescreen AC3 Dolby $8.99 The horror film The Darkroom concerns an amnesia victim who has been in an asylum for years. One day he begins to remember flashes from his life, decides to escape from the hospital, and soon befriends a teenager. As he pieces together his former life, he begins to suspect he may be in terrible danger. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi |
|
|
Darkroom $19.95 Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White is an arresting and moving personal story about childhood, race, and identity in the American South, rendered in stunning illustrations by the author, Lila Quintero Weaver.   In 1961, when Lila was five, she and her family emigrated from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Marion, Alabama, in the heart of Alabama’s Black Belt. As educated, middle-class Latino immigrants in a region that was defined by segregation, the Quinteros occupied a privileged vantage from which to view the racially charged culture they inhabited. Weaver and her family were firsthand witnesses to key moments in the civil rights movement.  But Darkroom is her personal story as well: chronicling what it was like being a Latina girl in the Jim Crow South, struggling to understand both a foreign country and the horrors of our nation’s race relations. Weaver, who was neither black nor white, observed very early on the inequalities in the American culture, with its blonde and blue-eyed feminine ideal. Throughout her life, Lila has struggled to find her place in this society and fought against the discrimination around her. |
|
|
Early Darkroom Equipment $79.99 Early Darkroom Equipment - Premium Photographic Print |
|
|
Personnel Working at Mobile Darkroom $79.99 Personnel Working at Mobile Darkroom - Premium Photographic Print |
|
|
The Film Developing Cookbook $56.03 While the original Darkroom Cookbook focused entirely on photographic chemicals and formula, this up-to-date manual on film development techniques concentrates on films, their characteristics, and the developers each requires for maximum control of the resulting image. It especially addresses the difficult subject of T-grain film development and includes rarely found information on film development and the nature of film developers. |
|
|
The Photoshop Darkroom $39.95 The Photoshop Darkroom offers limitless possibilities for photographers looking for jaw-dropping results, using powerful and innovative creative post-processing techniques. If you want folks to ask "How did you do that?" then this is the book for you! The images in The Photoshop Darkroom will inspire you and help you unleash your creative potential. You'll learn to view your own digital photography with new eyes. Step-by-step directions show you real-world examples of how to achieve the results you want from your photography and post-processing. *Learn how to work with RAW image files *Understand the Photoshop darkroom workflow *Multi-process RAW files *Extend the dynamic range of your photographs *Create High Dynamic Range (HDR) images by hand *Create stunning black and white imagery with Photoshop *Use layers and masking for compositing *Create striking color effects using LAB color |
|
|
DarkRoom Familia: The Darkroom Video Collection - $14.99 This release collects music video made by various acts who at one time or another were part of the Darkroom Familia. Among the dozen clips here are "Valley to the Bay," "Conspiracy Theory," "Bacardi," and "Marijuana Dreams." ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi |
|
|
The Film $6.99 The Film |
|
|
This is Not a Film $13.99 This is Not a Film |
|
|
Film $12.49 Film |
|
|
Darkroom (Paperback) $33.51 In the aftermath of her mother`s suicide, one young woman recognizes the malleability of her reality. From her adolescence in the flat, hot Floridian landscape to a tectonic Missouri adulthood, a girl shaped by grief is compelled to create and manipulate her image of the world. As her dreams become indistinguishable from daily life, she begins to question memory, identity, and the function of love. Employing photography as its central metaphor, Darkroom tackles the tangled relationship between memory and mourning by exploring an artist`s impossible attempt to re-create the object of loss. |
|
|
Darkroom Widescreen $6.25 Rated: NRSynopsis: He was found 15 years ago wandering a road near the woods, covered in dirt and blood with no name or memory. But when this now-grown mental patient is given an experimental new drug, he suddenly begins to have horrific visions of a beast that slaughters beautiful young women. Escaping from the institution, he is befriended by a teenage outcast who needs the stranger's help to unlock a few frantic secrets of his own. Together, the two will discover the violence of their pasts, the evil in their future, and the shocking secret that waits deep inside The Darkroom. |
|
|
The New Darkroom Handbook $52.95 The Darkroom Handbook, Second Edition, is a completely revised and updated version of a classic guide to the best design, construction, and equipment to use when setting up a darkroom. This book features ideas and money-saving tips on how to put a darkroom almost anywhere in your home or apartment. It takes you inside darkrooms of photographers around the world including those of famous photographers such as, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, Berenice Abbott, and W. Eugene Smith. In addition, it contains detailed do-it-yourself plans for the most essential darkroom components, cutouts and design grids to plan that "dream" darkroom, and special sections on the color darkroom and the digital darkroom. The most comprehensive book on the darkroom. A step-by-step guide to help anyone plan and build a photo lab. Illustrated with an abundance of photos and sketches. |
|
|
Darkroom (DVD) $36.49 A married couple that develops crime scene photos for the Salt Lake Police Department gradually finds the psychic toll of their job becoming too much to bear as the disturbing content of the pictures begins to weigh heavily on their morale and cast a suffocating blanket of melancholy over their very existence. Every day, David and Coy are reminded just how badly life can end. When David suffers a devastating disconnect from reality and Coy experiences serious complications while attempting to get pregnant, both of their lives begin spiraling down the same dark and dangerous path. |
|
|
Darkroom (Hardcover) $128.93 Description not available. |


US $18.04






























































































