Usually when we talk about automation in relation to photography in the modern sense, we are usually discussing something that is electronic or app-based.
That’s not to say that machines don’t have a role to play though usually on a larger scale than many people can sustain at home, especially when it comes to film processing.
That said, there are many practitioners out there who like to develop their own films and maybe even enjoy a little automated assistance while doing it.
That’s the inspiration behind Dunkbot Reveni Labs.
Reveni Labs’ Dunkbot is capable of processing three rolls of 35mm film, two rolls of 120, and a maximum of six sheets of 4 x 5 medium format film, PetaPixel reports.
In what almost seems like a throwback at this point, the company is seeking funding for this project on Kickstarter with a total target of $USD 300,000. Dunkbot will join the company’s other product, Spot Meter, if the Kickstarter campaign is successful.
One of the main inspirations behind this product is the growing interest in film photography. Noting that many processing centers went out of business with the rise of the digital camera revolution, and that remained rather expensive, Dunkbot hoped to close the gap for the home practitioner.
Naturally, photographers had to provide their own chemicals and agents, as well as a dark environment in which the machine could work. Additionally, the machine will monitor processing time, temperature, agitation cycles, and more, the company claims.
Currently, the robot can only be purchased via Kickstarter as a self-assembled version for $700 within a $900 built-in version offered from Reveni Labs. The Kickstarter campaign has a target date of September 2023 to start shipping.
If you want to learn more about Dunkbot, you can check out its Kickstarter page at this link.
Any thoughts you may have about Dunkbot are welcome in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out some of our other photography headlines in our news section.
[PetaPixel]
