CopperB
M3 Noob
I've been combing our local kijiji and craig's list sites for used darkroom equipment to get mine going. I'm surprised at how little if anything is available. Has everyone dumped their gear already and I'm just late to the game?
gshybrid
Well-known
There's no shortage here in Seattle....
david.elliott
Well-known
Tons in this area too.
steelydam
Established
Dallas
Dallas
I haven't looked in about a week but the Dallas metro area often has things pop up. Never seen anybody giving stuff away, but if willing to shell out $100-$200, complete Beseler & Saunders outfits can be had with trays/timers and all that good stuff.
Dallas
I haven't looked in about a week but the Dallas metro area often has things pop up. Never seen anybody giving stuff away, but if willing to shell out $100-$200, complete Beseler & Saunders outfits can be had with trays/timers and all that good stuff.
Brian Legge
Veteran
How long have you been looking?
It seems to come and go in waves. After seeing a bunch of gear go on the Seattle craigslist, I decided to dive in and buy a 4x5 enlarger. Suddenly there were none to be found.
It took 2 months of waiting, but I eventually ended up with a great deal. I picked up a Beseler 45MRX with 4 lenses, a complete darkroom minus a sink really - for $100.
Since then, I don't know if I've seen any 4x5 enlargers up again. Patience seems to be the key. Smaller format enlargers seem to be posted regularly and move slowly, as demand isn't very high.
It seems to come and go in waves. After seeing a bunch of gear go on the Seattle craigslist, I decided to dive in and buy a 4x5 enlarger. Suddenly there were none to be found.
It took 2 months of waiting, but I eventually ended up with a great deal. I picked up a Beseler 45MRX with 4 lenses, a complete darkroom minus a sink really - for $100.
Since then, I don't know if I've seen any 4x5 enlargers up again. Patience seems to be the key. Smaller format enlargers seem to be posted regularly and move slowly, as demand isn't very high.
I can't imagine it is scarce... there's got to be so much of it out there.
monochromejrnl
Well-known
What are you searching for?
"beseler" "durst" "saunders/LPL" "dichroic" "rodenstock" on craigslist.ca in the GTA area all result in 'hits'...
I bought most of my darkroom equipment used on CL...
CopperB
M3 Noob
I've got some reels and a tank so far so am looking for clips, cylinders, timer, thermomater, that sort of thing. I'm in London ON, not looking in GTA. Maybe looking for individual stuff is the issue. I'm not familiar enough with the kits to know what to look for.
monochromejrnl
Well-known
Disaster_Area
Gadget Monger
I think the biggest problem is many people are just throwing dark room stuff out instead of going through the hassle of trying to sell it. I've seen a few enlargers on the curb at garbage day and have had many older photographers tell me "damn, wish I knew you would have wanted the stuff, I just chucked it". A lot of this equipment has been sitting in basements for years, covered in dust and grime, it starts to feel like garbage.
A trend I've also noticed, at least in my area, is the one or two used camera stores will buy up any decent darkroom stuff they see on Craigslist and resell it themselves at close to new prices. All the big box camera stores here have all but purged their darkroom sections and with the availability of new equipment so scarce, the used stores can charge almost full price and get away with it.
A trend I've also noticed, at least in my area, is the one or two used camera stores will buy up any decent darkroom stuff they see on Craigslist and resell it themselves at close to new prices. All the big box camera stores here have all but purged their darkroom sections and with the availability of new equipment so scarce, the used stores can charge almost full price and get away with it.
CopperB
M3 Noob
I was in Henry's on the w/e for developer and fixer. They had a bit of stuff including 2 film clips for $15 which I thought was steep. Timer was $200.
david.elliott
Well-known
Have you tried placing a want to buy ad?
hlockwood
Well-known
I met a young guy in a photo store who was looking for darkroom gear. I offered him a complete darkroom, durst enlarger, timers, trays, etc. for $0.
He carted the whole shebang away and was ready to go.
Harry
Edit: I kept the SS film tanks.
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tlitody
Well-known
I noticed this a year or more ago. The glut on the auction site has gone way down to a trickle. I think its because the vast majority of people switching to digital have already done it and disposed of their darkroom kit long ago. Now mostly its the resellers with the stock they bought S/H for next to nothing. Also post christmas is not a good time to sell. No one has any money left and the only people selling are those that have to.
dap
Established
You are probably a bit late to the game. This is not to say that there isn't a good amount of equipment still changing hands out there, but compared to a couple of years ago there seems to be much less. More noticeable than the smaller quantity of equipment, the quality of equipment available 2nd hand seems to have gone down quite a bit (as far as average equipment vs premium equipment). I have noticed that when offered the price for premium equipment has been rising. The initial glut of 2nd hand equipment created by pro labs and schools dumping equipment is, I assume, for the most part over. Now most of the equipment that you see is long dormant equipment from attic/basement cleanings along with the occasional high quality kit being dumped by the last wave of digital holdouts. As was mentioned by a previous poster, the majority of darkroom equipment probably goes directly to the dumpster (shipping these large pieces of equipment is expensive). That being said you should still be able to find a very nice kit if you have some patience. You might want to think about placing a wtb add over on APUG...
drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
No need to spend money on film clips- binder clips from the office supply store work perfectly, and they are really cheap. If you must have the lower one weighted when hanging film, you can pop off the wire loop handles and hang a few washers on them. Beakers and graduated cylinders should be easy to get cheap-ish, and a good thermometer really is essential. Timers are nice to have, but you can use any clock or stopwatch.
Also just keep watching craigslist for folks getting rid of darkroom gear cheap or free. These seem to come up in most locals frequently enough- though the phenomenon of not being able to find such a posting when you need or want it is common. Patience is a virtue. You should be able to find what you need cheaply or free- be creative finding solutions and remember how little you really need.
Also just keep watching craigslist for folks getting rid of darkroom gear cheap or free. These seem to come up in most locals frequently enough- though the phenomenon of not being able to find such a posting when you need or want it is common. Patience is a virtue. You should be able to find what you need cheaply or free- be creative finding solutions and remember how little you really need.
kbg32
neo-romanticist
I have tons of darkroom stuff I'd like to sell, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Local sale only for pick up. All in storage and superb condition. Problem is shipping. I have a 4x5 Omega D2V. Large and ways a ton. Packing it and shipping it would be expensive. I also don't want to sell it as if giving it away.