My experience with Eco Film Processing.
Eco Film Processing is the idea of taking more ecological friendly ingredients to develop your film. Traditionally, film is developed in chemistry that can be harmful to pipes, waterways, and local wildlife if not disposed of properly. This is away of combating this harm while still creating the art we know and love.
Here are my notes, recipes, and results from my work back in 2024!
CAFFENOL DEVELOPING
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Contents
(80 g) instant coffee - Selection Dark Brew Instant Coffee
(160g) Crystal soda - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
(40g) C-vitamin - NOW Ascorbic Acid
(50g) iodized salt - Windsor Table Salt
2 liters of water - straight from the tap.
Procedure
Mix stage
Fill a large container with 1.5 liters of cool water (19 degrees Celsius)
Fill a second container with ½ liter of warm water (around 25 degrees Celsius)
Add 80g of instant coffee to the second container and stir until dissolved.
Add 160g of washing soda and 50g of salt to the second container and stir for 3 minutes.
Add the contents of the second container to the larger first container and add 40g of vitamin C powder. Stir until dissolved.
Notes: This developer w
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Developingstage
Pre-wash for 1 minute in cool water.
Pour into Lomo Tank at 23 degrees Celsius.
Agitate consistently for the first minute.
Mix every 10 seconds for 12 minutes (13 minutes in total).
Begin to pour out the developer at the 13-minute mark.
Wash until water runs clear. (roughly 3 minutes or 2 full tanks)
Add fixer and agitate every 10 seconds.
Dump out fixer after 3 minutes
Wash for 2 minutes.
Hang to dry.
Morgan’s notes:
Don’t use hot water to dissolve the coffee. It takes too long to cool down and then you can’t use the developer. Sad :(
Does not smell great. Kinda like vomit and coffee had a very sad baby
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I got this recipe from https://www.peterbjerg.dk/blog/eco2. I take no credit for this recipe. I also developed my film at 23 degrees instead of 20 and only let the film develop for 13 minutes instead of 15.
Cost Breakdown:
Selection Dark Brew Instant Coffee
$5
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (3kg)
$6.99
NOW Ascorbic Acid (227g)
$18.99
Windsor Table Salt (1kg)
$3.97
TOTAL (No Tax)
$34.95
Final Score
Affordability
5/10. Can develop as much as the regular chemical developer for the same cost.
Environmental effects
6/10. Can be dumped safely down the sink. The coffee industry is known for the exploitation of foreign workers.
Simplicity
8/10. The mixing stage is very self-explanatory.
Developing Results
8/10. Some uneven development but still high contrast.
Reusable?
No. Only effective for 30 minutes due to oxidation
BEER DEVELOPING
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erol Developing - April 2nd, 2024
Contents
2 Liters of Beer - 4 cans of 500ml Guinness Draught dark beer.
(225g) Crystal soda - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
(60g) C-vitamin - NOW Ascorbic Acid
Procedure
Mix stage
Open cans of beer to let them flatten overnight. (I did this to one liter of beer and then had the other still carbonated)
Pour the 2 liters of beer into a large container.
Slowly mix in the washing soda and Vitamin C power and stir.
Once fully mixed being to add to the developing tank.
Notes: I misread the recipe and thought I added water so I only bought 1 liter of beer, you don’t add water, so I went to the beer store on the day of development to get a second liter of beer. This is why 1 liter was left out overnight and why one was still carbonated.
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liter of beer. This is why 1 liter was left out overnight and why one was still carbonated.
Developing stage
Pre-wash for 1 minute in cool water.
Pour mixture into Lomo Tank at 23 degrees Celsius.
Agitate consistently for the first minute.
Mix every 10 seconds for 18 minutes (19 minutes in total).
Begin to pour out the developer at the 19-minute mark.
Wash until water runs clear. (roughly 3 minutes or 2 full tanks)
Add fixer and agitate every 10 seconds.
Dump out fixer after 3 minutes
Wash for 2 minutes.
Notes: When agitating the developer, only spin to the right (clockwise) because if you spin it to the left the film can unravel from the lomo spirals. Lift the tank and (Gently) bang it on the sink/table to eliminate the air bubbles that accumulate.
Morgan's notes:
No such thing as buying too much beer.
The website I found the recipe on: ® / developing-film-with-beer
(This was my first time buying alcohol)
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Cost Breakdown:
4 cans of 500ml Guinness Draught dark beer
$13.50
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (3kg)
$6.99
NOW Ascorbic Acid (227g)
$18.99
TOTAL (No Tax)
$39.48
Final Score:
Affordability - 2/10. Get much less developer for the price.
Environmental effects - 7/10. Can be dumped safely down the sink. A lot of waste nonetheless.
Simplicity - 7/10. The mixing stage is very self-explanatory. Must plan ahead as you need to flatten the beer for best results.
Developing Results - 5/10. You get images but they come out foggy and uneven.
Reusable? - No. Only can be used once.