Category: Developing Medium Format Film

Medium format photography rewards patience and punishes carelessness. As I’ve learned firsthand, the format presents challenges you won’t encounter in digital work. Development Issues The image below demonstrates several problems that can occur during home development. Dust, fibers, and processing errors are all common hazards. This test shot shows what happens when chemistry goes wrong....

This is question I’ve always pondered. I’ll never stop shooting film, but do I need to enlarge in a darkroom as well? Is scanning and printing a better option? A scanned negative can retain the total gradations and colors I get from film, but also gives me a digital master that can’t be lost, scratched,...

Shooting medium format film is one of the most rewarding experiences in photography. The massive negatives, the shallow depth of field, the tonal richness — there’s nothing quite like it. But let’s not sugarcoat it: medium format film is expensive to shoot, and the costs have only gone up in recent years. Whether you’re considering...

Common Problems with Medium Format Film Development Developing 120 medium format film requires precision, attention to detail, and consistent technique. Even experienced darkroom workers occasionally encounter problems that can diminish image quality or ruin entire rolls. Understanding what can go wrong—and why—is essential to achieving consistently excellent results from your Hasselblad, Mamiya, or other medium...

These streaks can be surge marks from overly vigorous agitation, bromide drag, or a combination of the two. Bromide Drag: Diagnosing Vertical Banding in 120 Film Development If you’ve ever pulled a roll of 120 film from your development tank only to find mysterious vertical streaks running through your highlights, you’ve encountered one of the...

I’m currently using the CineStill kit below to develop color medium format film. This kit is easy to use and fairly inexpensive, around $30 and will develop 4 or 5 roles of 120 film. Your results may vary. Temperature is more important when developing color film. The instructions are easy to follow but you will...