Analogue Adventures: Developing Film for the First Time with the Lomo Daylight Developing Tank

Self-developing is often one of the most intimidating aspects of film photography. This is the case especially for beginners who may be new to the world of chemicals, dilution ratios, agitation and inversion methods, and more.

In this article, I'm sharing with you some of my thoughts and experience self-developing film for the first time with the Lomography Manila team, using Lomography's Daylight Developing Tank. Let's answer some key questions about this newly-launched gem!

Camera: Olympus Superzoom 70G
Film: Berlin Kino B&W 35 mm ISO 400
Developer/Fixer: Ilford Ilfosol-3, Ilford Rapid Fixer
Dilution Ratio: 1:9 (35mL developer/fixer, 315mL water)
Temperature: 20C
Time/Method: 8 mins 45 secs, 20-30 secs agitation every 2 minutes for both developing and fixing process

How was your overall experience using the Lomo Daylight Developing Tank ?

It was a fun and interesting experience! As a film self-development newbie, testing out the daylight tank gave me many insights into the technical side of film photography and made me feel more connected to the analogue medium.

Since none of us at the Lomography Manila office had previous experience developing film, it was a satisfying experience getting over the slight anxiety and seeing results actually come out!

What did you like most about it?

The simple mechanism and the portability. The size is perfect for its purpose. It’s a small but efficient self-development tool, and I like how the tank alongside the chemicals and other materials doesn’t take up a lot of storage space–it's perfect for those who want to develop film but don’t have enough space for it or those just starting out and wanting to learn the fundamentals of film development.

Did you have any difficulties or challenges while developing your film?

Some small challenges were cutting too much of the film leader, resulting in the last frame of the roll being cut. I also don't think I rinsed the roll enough, but these can be fixed easily in the next test. Overall, it was a pretty breezy first time experience.

Has this experience helped your previous apprehension about self-developing film?

Yes, I used to be intimidated by self-development, I thought the whole thing about choosing chemicals, dilution ratio, and stuff like that was pretty complicated and overwhelming, and I was worried about ruining rolls.

I tried to prepare well before we tested out the tank and even that was satisfying–I feel like once I got the general idea of self-development, it was easier to look up smaller details and narrow down the information that was going to be useful for a daylight tank. Trying out the Daylight Developing Tank was a good confidence booster since I got to apply the basics of what I learned.

Do you have any tips for others using this developing tank?

The manual is your friend! Try to get acquainted with how the little machine works before developing your first roll, follow the manual closely down to every little detail and imagine how the whole process is supposed to happen before even going into it so that you’d get an inkling if something goes wrong or feels off.

For your first roll (especially for beginners like me), try not to get too attached to the photos you’re taking and focus more on taking down notes to see afterward what worked and what didn’t. Trust your knowledge, have fun, and stay curious–there’s something to learn even if things don’t go the way you planned.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to look them up on the LomoSchool!

Also–do it with your friends! I was initially fearful of failing, but by doing it alongside friends at the office, I actually got to have fun and just bond with them over a common interest which is film photography.

Who do you think the Lomo Daylight Developing Tank is most suitable for?

I think it’s great for beginners in self-developing film. For example, those who are interested in self-developing but don’t have the space or the budget for a whole darkroom setup. I also think this could work in educational institutions or programs that teach film, especially to younger people.

Since it can only take around 2 or 3 hours overall to shoot and develop a whole 35 mm roll, it could be a great experience and introduction to people just getting into film, or even getting people interested in analogue photography.

For you, what is the appeal of self-developing film at home?

It’s really the hands-on experience of seeing the photos you took appear on the negative, through your own effort. The technical aspect in combination with the creative is pretty satisfying–you get to express yourself through the images and you get to learn more about the technicalities of photography through development!

Have we piqued your interest developing film yourself? The Lomo Daylight Developing Tank is available now on our Online Shop!

written by sylvann on 2025-03-27 #gear #beginner #self-development #first-impressions #apac #daylight-development-tank Share Article