How to Develop a Digital Camera Negative

Developing a negative requires very little elements: for the load we need total darkness (in a dark room or in the inside of a black bag ), a developing barrel with it's corresponding spiral , graduated cylinder, a thermometer, running water and the chemical products we are going to use: the developer, the fixer and, optionally, the stop bath, fixer remover and moisturizer.

•  In the first place, the load of the film in the developing barrel has to be mage in complete darkness. For 35 mm rolls we recommend to add a bottle opener and scissors to your instruments, the first to open the case and the second to cut the tongue and round the corners of the end of the film.

Holding the film by it's borders, it's end is introduced through the mouth of the spiral with the dull side (emulsion) inwards, towards the center of the spiral, and is finished loading. We have to avoid having the film stick to not cause scratches on the emulsion. For a smooth load, with no problems, it is advisable for the spiral and film to be completely dry and the end of the film well rounded; in case that the camera has a rewind of the film with the emulsion on the outside, inversely to the original, it is convenient for the film to have been rolled in the cartridge for a few hours to recover it's original curvature.

After being sure that the barrel is well closed, we can take it out of the bag or turn on the light.

•  In second place, the temperature of the liquids, specially the developer, must be exactly what is indicated for the developer we are going to use.

The developer is poured, the clock is started and the barrel is hit softly against the table to release air bubbles that may have been stuck to the film. Agitation has to follow what is indicated by the manufacturer; usually every thirty seconds we will make an inversion (if the barrel is tightly sealed) or a rotation.

•  Next, once the developing time has concluded, we take out the developer and rinse the negative with running water or, better yet, a solution of water and acetic acid at 5 per 100 during 30 seconds. This bath is to instantly neutralize the developer's action, which also expands the fixers life.

•  Afterwards, we pour the fixer proceed as with the developer (time, temperature and agitation).

•  Once fixed, we wash the negative around 30 minutes in running water, placing the barrel under the faucet. An alternative to this wash is the use of a fixer elimination bath (or "hypo"), which quickly eliminates "two minutes" the fixer from the emulsion and reduces washing time to five minutes.

•  Lastly, after washing, we can ease the water running off the surface of the negative with a moisturizing bath (two minutes), which will avoid the formation of drops on the surface of the negative when we hang it to dry. The drying place has to be dust free, and free of air currents.