Shoutout to the $12 changing bag that finally got me developing my own rolls
Six months ago I was dropping off every roll at the lab in town and paying about $9 a pop, which added up fast once I started shooting a roll or two a week. I kept putting off home developing because loading film in total darkness sounded like a nightmare. Then a guy at the camera swap in Pasadena sold me a used changing bag for $12, and I loaded my first roll in it two weeks back without ruining a single frame. Now I've done 11 rolls at the kitchen sink and the difference in cost per roll is honestly silly. My scans are not lab-perfect but they are mine. What is your go-to trick for keeping the reel from sticking when you load?
That "$12 changing bag" is doing more work than half the gear in my closet, so congrats on finally seeing the light, or rather the dark. For the sticking thing, the trick is to make sure the reel is bone dry and give the film a little flex to break that curl before you start feeding it. A tiny bit of dust or moisture is all it takes to jam, so keep the bag clean and you'll be fine.