Hand developing vs. sending out: which one actually saves you money in the long run?

I've been shooting 35mm for about 8 years now, and I keep flip-flopping between home developing and using my local lab in Austin. Started doing my own B&W last winter to save cash, but after buying a tank, reels, chemicals, and a thermometer, I'm maybe $180 in and I've only processed 12 rolls. My lab charges $9 per roll for develop-only, so I'm basically at the break-even point already. The real question is whether the satisfaction of doing it myself is worth the extra hassle, especially when my negatives came out with weird bromide drag on the last batch. Has anyone else done the math and stuck with one approach, or do you switch based on what you're shooting?

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rowan66627d ago

The whole "break-even" math thing is actually a trap, I fell for it too. Once you hit that point where you've saved the $180, you start wanting to try different developers or push film, and suddenly you're buying more chemicals and testing stuff. But honestly, the real money saver is when you get fast at it and stop messing up. My first few rolls had weird streaks too, mostly because I was pouring chems in too fast or not tapping the tank enough. After like 20 rolls you get a rhythm and your failure rate drops way down, then it's actually cheaper. Plus you can develop a roll the same night you shoot it instead of waiting a week, that's worth something too.