Processing black & white film

I was going to write up a how-to for developing your own black and white film, but it wouldn't really be any improvement on the one I started with, from Justin Ouellette's Chromogenic.net. It's actually very easy, once you get the hang of putting the film on spools in the dark; you can buy everything you need to do it for about $50, and you do not need an actual darkroom. If you're not into exactitude, the process is pretty forgiving for the most part; you do need to load the film in total darkness, and you should follow the developing time closely.

First, you should understand that this is for turning the film in your camera into a negative; making a print from that negative is a second process, requiring more gear and expertise, and a dedicated darkroom. Usually I scan my negatives with an old Epson Perfection 2450 scanner, and take them to a specialty lab when I need a print. Your neighborhood 1-hour place can also make prints from your B&W negatives.

You'll need to go to Chromogenic to read the whole thing before attempting this, but here is the overview of the process once you have the film in your tanks: