Guide to 35mm Film: How to Process 35mm Film

In photography, 35 millimeter (35mm) film is a small-format photographic film used in single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs), film cameras, rangefinders, and disposable cameras. The number 35 refers to the total width of the film, including its perforated edges. It first debuted in the early twentieth century, when inventor William Kennedy-Laurie Dickson cut 70 mm film in half and spliced the ends together. A spool of 35mm film usually has 36 exposures per roll using a full-frame camera, but other types of 35mm film cameras will vary.

The analog quality of 35mm film makes it perennially popular, even as digital cameras have become dominant in the world of photography. Here are some of the characteristics of 35mm film.

1. 1. 3:2 aspect ratio: A film’s aspect ratio refers to an image’s width and height proportions. 35mm film negatives are 36x24mm, at an aspect ratio of 3:2.
2. 2. Soft resolution: 35mm film is a small film format with a lower resolution than other types of analog film. This means that 35mm photos may have a grainy or slightly blurry quality to them, which some photographers prefer to the sharp definition of digital photos.
3. 3. Different ISO levels: ISO is a camera setting that determines your camera’s sensitivity to light. In terms of image quality, a low ISO value means your image will be darker and have less grain (or noise). A high ISO number means your image will be brighter and have more grain. Most 35mm film typically comes in an ISO range from 100 to 400, which allows a photographer to choose film for specific situations: if you are shooting in bright daylight, load your camera with a low ISO film; if you are shooting at night or in low light, try to use a higher ISO film.

Choosing to shoot with 35mm film comes with several advantages over other types of film photography.

1. 1. It’s great for small-format cameras. 35mm film canisters are smaller than medium format film rolls. This means that 35mm cameras are often lightweight and more compact than other types of cameras using larger format film.
2. 2. It’s easy to find in stores. Due to its abundance, 35mm film is incredibly easy to find. Any photography store will sell 35mm film, often in a range of ISO options.
3. 3. It’s affordable. 35mm is more affordable than other types of medium or large format film. This can make it more accessible to beginner photographers, combined with the fact that it is perfect for small-format cameras.
   

Shooting on 35mm can afford you a great degree of creativity and freedom in the developing process. Here is an overview of how to process your own photos shot on 35mm film.

1. 1. Access a dark room. In order to develop your 35mm film, you will need access to a dark room to avoid exposing and ruining your film. You will need to use a developer (which makes the negative appear on the paper), a stop bath (which washes off the developer), and a fixer (which makes the negative permanent). You will also need a developing tank (a light-proof container used to contain your chemicals) and a film reel (a metal or plastic wheel used to hold your roll of film in the tank as it soaks). When everything is ready, it is time to begin processing your film.
2. 2. Place equipment into the changing bag. Put your film canister, bottle opener, scissors, and developing tank into your changing bag and zip it up so you can open your film canister in complete darkness.
3. 3. Open your film canister. Use a bottle opener to pry the lid off the film canister. Remove the film, only touching the edges. Then, cut off the film leader—the extra film at the beginning of the film roll.
4. 4. Feed the film into your reel. Locate the reel's entry point by feeling for the two nubs on the reel, and slide the film a few inches into the reel. Then, twist the sides of the reel back and forth to pull the rest of the film into the reel. Once all the film is in the reel, use your scissors to cut off the spool hanging at the end of your film roll and twist the sides of the reel a few more times to pull the end inside.
5. 5. Load the film reel into the developing tank. Place the reel into the tank so its center hole slides around the post sticking up from the bottom of the tank. Put the funnel cap on top of the tank and twist until it clicks into place, forming a light-tight seal. With the tank secured, you can now remove it from the changing bag.
6. 6. Mix your chemicals. Use your measuring vessels to separately dilute your developer, fixer, and stop bath with the proper amount of water according to the instructions provided. Use your thermometer to make sure your water is at the specified temperature (68 degrees Fahrenheit is typical) and heat or cool the water if necessary. Tap water is sufficient if your water has a very low mineral content, but using distilled water can prevent your negatives from developing mineral spots.
7. 7. Pour your developer into the tank. After pouring, immediately tap the bottom of the tank on the sink bottom a few times to eliminate air bubbles that may have formed around the film. Next, gently agitate the tank for 30 seconds and perform one inversion (turning your tank upside down for 10 seconds and then returning it to right-side-up) every minute until the development time listed on the instructions has elapsed. Pour your developer out of the tank, either down the drain or, if it's a reusable developer, into a bottle.
8. 8. Pour your stop bath into the tank. After pouring, agitate for 30 seconds and let sit for an additional 30 seconds before pouring out of the tank. The purpose of the stop bath is to cancel the effects of your developer.
9. 9. Pour your fixer into the tank. After pouring, agitate for 30 seconds and perform an inversion every minute until five minutes have elapsed. Pour your fixer out of the tank and into a bottle (you can generally reuse your fixer three times). Your film is now developed.
10. 10. Wash your film with tap water. There's no need to use distilled water anymore, so run tap water through your developing tank for approximately five minutes. To prevent water spots from forming while your negatives are drying, try pouring a wetting agent into the tank for about 30 seconds (after you've poured out the tap water).
11. 11. Remove the film from the developing tank. Open the tank and gently pull the film off its reel. If any excess water remains on the film negatives, use a sponge or a specialized film squeegee to very carefully absorb the water.
12. 12. Hang your film negatives up to dry. Choose a dust-free environment and hang your negatives up to dry with a piece of string, shower curtain rings, or clothing hangers. Secure the negatives using clothes pins or film clips, and clip a small weighted object to the bottom of each negative to prevent curling. It will take a few hours for your negatives to fully dry.
13. 13. Scan and print your photos. Once you have your dry strip of film negatives, cut it into smaller strips of five photos each. You can either purchase your own film scanner to obtain the raw files of your photos, or you can take your negatives to a photo lab to have them scanned for you. With either option, you then have the ability to digitally edit your photos on your computer and print out hard copies to display your finished product.

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