Floating Goats

Its been ages since I developed my own black and white film, probably since I was about 13 or 14.

For my first foray back I decided to try some Fujifilm Neopan 400. Since its the first time, I decided to take the path of least resistance and use Fuji chemistry (I'd always used Kodak before).

So it was off to Bic Camera where I bought:

• Super Prodol Developer (SPD) - ¥190 packet makes 1L of developer, dilutes 1+1 for normal development or used stock for push
• Super Fujifix L - ¥720 1L bottle, dilutes 1+2 for film - this is new and replaces Super Fujifix but has shorter fixing time
• Fuji Acetic Acid - ¥550 1L bottle, 50% Acetic, dilutes 3+100 to make stop bath
• Fuji QW - ¥50 packet makes 2L of quick wash solution
• Fuji Driwell - ¥240 200ml, dilutes 1+200

Total spent 1750 yen to this point.

Another foray to Bic and Tokyu Hands yielded:

• Changing bag - ¥1400
• Developing tank with 135 spool - ¥2800
• 2 Poly Beakers - ¥315 each
• 3 Poly Bottles for storing chemicals - ¥250x2 and 500
• Weighted Film Clips - ¥450
• 10mL pipette - ¥630
• 2 collapsable 1L opaque poly bottles - ¥800 each

Finally, a trip to the 100-Yen shop produced the following at ¥105 each:

• 3 1L pitchers with 50mL markings
• a package of 5 filter masks to try and minimize acetic acid fumes going up my nose
• a bottle brush
• rubber gloves
• a tray for a water bath to try and control temperature of the tank
• a 3kg plastic rice storage box that I'll probably use for the quickwash (hypo cleaner) and wetting agent
• a church-key bottle opener to pop the top off the film cannister

Once I have all this set up I figure my costs per roll for development should be down to about 70 yen/roll.