Tried to save money developing at home and ruined 5 rolls

Bought a used developing tank and chemicals from a guy on Craigslist for $40. Turns out the tank had a light leak I didn't catch until after developing 5 rolls of Portra 400 from a weekend in Portland. Anyone else get burned by cheap used gear and lose good photos?

2 comments

2 Comments

evah401mo ago

Relax, it's five rolls of tourist snaps, not a family heirloom.

smith.anna1mo ago

Those 5 rolls from Portland too... man, that stings extra because Portland trips are so rare and the light there is so specific. I've noticed this pattern where cheap gear failures always seem to hit on the trips you've been planning for months, not on random Tuesday test rolls. It's like the universe has a way of punishing the shortcut you tried to take, and the cost ends up being way more than just money. Lost time and lost memories you can't get back...