How can I minimize the cost of developing Medium format film?

[haring]

I just love my old cameras. I am just wondering what are the tricks to minimize the cost of developing medium format film? I would like to have professional quality.

1. I guess the first is to buy expired film? (Which is the best source to get the film, ebay?)
2. I guess I need to develop my own film on my own.
3. I need to scan the negatives with my own scanner.

Which is the best scanner to scan medium format film? Do you use one or you send it away to scan it?
BUT probably the most important question: Is it worth it to develop and scan your own film?

[Graham Mitchell]

I'm a little confused by your 'professional quality' requirement. That probably means NOT developing colour film at home and NOT buying expired film. As for the scanner, the 'best' (in your own words) is probably something like a Heidelberg Tango drum scanner, though you could probably get by with a Flextight X5

[mingus]

if you would like to have professional quality shooting film as you said, the answer to all of your questions is NO.
to the question if is it worth it? depends on you... Are you shooting professionally and need consistency on your work? pay someone to develop and scan, are you shooting few rolls from time to time? send them to the lab. Do you have lots of free time and lots of money? then pay someone else to develop and scan while you are shooting 5fps 220 colour film. I love film but the whole processing-scanning process its the worst pita ever, and i haven't started talking about scanners, chemistry,....

[TMARK]

1.  Don't buy expired color film, unless its for a specific look, or you know its been frozen its entire life..
2.  Developing color at home is doable but unless you rock a Propack a week, its not worth the set up, time, etc.
3.  Black and White at home is easy, not too time consuming.
4.  A Nikon 8000/9000 is really all you need to MF scans.  I've had them all, a Creo, an Imacon/Blad 646, the Microtek 120tf.  My conclusion is that the Nikon 9000 has the best balance of quality and productivity.  You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the Nikon and the Imacon. The Creo was great, but too slow for a non-production environment.  My workflow is to use the Nikon 9000 for most purposes, including magazine publication.  If a better scan is needed, or I need 4x5/8x10 scans, I send it out to Lamount in NYC.  The Epson V700/750 does a good job with B&W 4x5 and 8x10 negs.  Color is hit and miss.  I've only scanned a few MF negs on the Epson, and my impression was that it was pretty shitty.

That being said, I spend $500 a month on film and processing, half of which is personal and half I can bill to a job.

[KevinA]

A jobo would do you for processing. Their drum for LF like a revolver bullet holder type thingy, gives lovely even developed film, so I guess their other drums work well. There were quite a few "pro" labs using jobo's.
A Nikon as suggested for scanning, not sure why you would go to all this trouble on outdated film.
And lots and lots of time, which in the digital age has shrunk to nothing.
If you are thinking of doing it for your Weddings as some kind of USP I can't think you would be able charge enough to justify the hassel, stress and strain. Nice to do for a bit of fun once and a while, or when retired to show the grandchildren how it once was, as a basis for a business I'm not so convinced.
In the long run if shooting colour it will be easier and probably more cost effective to send to a Lab for developing and a bunch of prints in a package, then scan the negs you like on a Coolscan.

Kevin.

[EinstStein]

1. The best source of BW film is freestylephoto.com.
    Look for its house brand name. It's usually OEM of the best films in the market, whether Ilford, Agfa, or Fuji, etc.
    You might find expired film from here, go for it. It's used to be very popular, but freestyle now rarely sell expired stuffs.
    I'd not take expired film from any other sources. Not that they are bad,  but just I've never heard any good word yet.
2. Developing color films is very easy, but you need Jobo rotary drum setups. It will be very cost effective in terms of per roll,
     but it tends to push you shoot a lot more in the short amount of periods. So the cost per month may go up.
    A E6 in 1Gal or 5L volumn costs about $80, which can handle roughly ~40 rolls if my memory serves right, But it's better to use up within 3 months. 
    Check if it makes sense for your shooting quantity.
3. B&W darkroom costs is extremely low,call it zero.
    For example, a $10 Rodinal can develop hundreds of rolls, and its shelf life is almost forever. Similar to a 0L PMK or Pyrocate-HD (~$40).
    But,perosnally I don't like to scan the B&W. Maybe I'm lack of knowledge on this, but I can't get the looks I'm looking for. I can only get it from chem-prints.
4. For a cheap and professionall grade scan, look for Leafscan 45 or Polaroid 45 format. These are for 120 and 4x5. The price is dirt cheap, usually runs from $200~$600.
    If you bump into $200, get it immediately, but even if it costs $600, still a stealing deal. Hey, you don't work for wallstreet, do you? you are looking for good ROI, right?
5. If you reallyends up getting a cheap and good scanner, be careful then.
    Cause' you are going to hunting around for the good and cheap wet-mount stuffs, which can get you both crazy and exciting.
    I'm sure you are going to post a lot of questions on how to best scan.

[elf]

Actually the cheapest film is xray film.  You have to cut it to size or build a 24"x36" camera

[EinstStein]

Cutting Xray film? nay, the labor cost is way too high.
The film canister is also expensive nowaday.