Rui Li's First Experience with the Lomo Daylight Developing Tank 35 mm

Are you feeling nervous about developing your own film for the first time? Don’t be! Our new Lomo Daylight Developing Tank 35 mm makes the process easy! Film developing novice Rui Li and his friend A Bei, who runs a film lab, share their experiences using the Lomo Daylight Developing Tank and the Lomography DigitaLIZA Max .

Camera: Canon EOS 55
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm
Film: Berlin Kino B&W 35 mm ISO 400
Developer: Locally packaged chemical solution
Fixer: Locally packaged chemical solution
Developing Method: Agitation process

Hi Rui Li, welcome to our online magazine! Was this your first time developing film on your own?

Yes, it was! I was both nervous and excited. I’ve been shooting film for a while now, but I never really considered developing it myself until now.

We heard you tested the Lomo Daylight Developing Tank 35 mm with a friend who runs a film lab. How was the experience for both of you?

It was such a fun experience! The tank is really well designed—simple, intuitive, and easy to use. Even as a complete beginner, I could pretty much figure out the process just by looking at its structure. It made film developing a really enjoyable and accessible experience!

What do you find most appealing about developing film at home? And what’s your favorite feature of this developing tank?

The biggest appeal is the sense of accomplishment – step by step, bringing the images to life with my own hands is incredibly rewarding!

My favorite feature is that this tank allows daylight processing, so I don’t need a darkroom or even a dark bag. That makes it much more beginner-friendly. Plus, I really like its design – it looks great and feels solid in the hands!

Any tips for people who want to try this developing tank themselves?

No special tips – just enjoy the process! Developing film is an incredibly satisfying experience, from handling the chemicals to seeing the final images appear. The best part is that moment of joy when you see your developed film for the first time!

I think it’s great for all film lovers, but I’d especially recommend it to beginners. Since I was new to film developing myself, I got to experience firsthand how easy and fun it is to use. There’s no reason not to recommend it!

You used the Lomography DigitaLIZA Max to scan your photos. How was the experience?

The DigitaLIZA Max is compact, lightweight, and incredibly convenient. I never thought I could scan my film anytime, anywhere, but this kit makes it totally possible. It’s like having a small but powerful all-in-one scanning solution!

Also, as a beginner, I found the assembly process surprisingly fun – it reminded me of building LEGO as a kid! The magnetic design makes everything snap into place smoothly, making film scanning easier than ever.

Thanks to Rui Li for sharing his experience! If you’re curious about his film photography, check out his previous feature on our online magazine, where he shot with the LomoChrome Color '92 Sun-kissed film!

written by jluo on 2025-05-04 #gear #people #black-and-white #first-impressions #lomo-daylight-developing-tank Share Article