beginner: darkroom - what does one need?

[Florian1234]

Hello,
I'm totally new to classic photography with film. Mainly I shoot b/w film, but also some colour.
I did not do any development or printing myself. But I would try it some day in the future.
The point now is that I don't have any clue what stuff I need to set up a darkroom.

Could you please give me some hints or is there a guide-line website that gives information about the equipment needed for the beginner (as for Middle-Europe)?





Thanks in advance,

Florian

 

[ruben]

A moderate start would be to process film, not manual printing, but scanning.
Do you own a scanner for film ?

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Florian1234]

Ruben, thanks for the suggestion. But I just own a flatbed scanner without possibility to scan negatives.

 

[chrish]

to start developing all you need is a dark room (i use a bathroom with no windows) or changing bag, a bottle opener, a tank, developer, and fixer. you could get stop-bath if you wanted to and photo flo or an equivalent to reduce water spots.

 

[Revolucion Artistico]

Mainly space, you'll need everything to develop the film; tanks, reels, flm developer, and fix. A sink to rinse the film after development. A film dryer, which ill find a link on how to build your own with a plastic garment bag and post here for you. Then an enlarger with a timer, trays and tongs to develop the prints and I use a clothesline to dry the prints, I'm sure I'm forgeting some stuff

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Hi,

B&W goes in two stages.
Film development and printing.
For development ypu need a darkroom or a changing bag.
A development tank with a reel. i recommend Patterson.
Developer, stopbath, fixer and photoflo in plastic bottles.
A thermometer and a stopwatch.
Clamps to hang the film on.
Place to dry the film, i use my bathroom.

for printing you really need a darkroom but yo can use safe lights to light up a bit.
You also need an enlarger, preferable asls an easel
Developer, stopbath and fixer in plastic bottles.
Trays
Photographic paper and when using multigrade, filters for that.
A sink to wash the prints.

Seems like a lot of stuff. But the development at home is really easy.
for printing it can be a bit more of a hassle because you need more dark space and equipment. Equipment however is silly cheap nowadays.

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[ruben]

Ruben, thanks for the suggestion. But I just own a flatbed scanner without possibility to scan negatives.

Is a film scanner, let's say like the Epson 2450 or its follower, out of your budget ?

My insistance come from the following: Processing film and Printing negagives, are two kitchen recipes for which you will have to invest a lot of time to achieve an acceptable level. Not so much for processing, but definitely for printing.

Splitting these two into separate stages would be more than reasonable and practical. This was not the situation in the past, when the internet didn't exist.
Nevertheless, there is a lot of relevance, even today, in learning film processing together with negative printing. But by today's rythm, and if you are not a student at a photography school, mounting a whole mini darkroom, both for film processing and printing, it may take your tongue out.

Now, even if you are eager to take both tasks at once, a scanner will allow you access to the internet.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Florian1234]

Is a film scanner, let's say like the Epson 2450 or its follower, out of your budget ?
[...]
Now, even if you are eager to take both tasks at once, a scanner will allow you access to the internet.

Cheers,
Ruben

I think you are absolutely right with that. What's the follower of the 2450? Because I did not find the 2450 on the net. However 200 bucks would be in budget, I think. Are the Epson scanners superior to the new Canon ones (the ones which are able to scan negs)?

Actually I thought about getting one at first, before thinking about a darkroom for both, development of negs and printing.

 

[fidget]

I would recommend that you give the whole process a try. Dev and printing. The equipment can be had for next to nothing on the bay, when people find that you are interested, they may give you their gear rather than scrapping it, it's so cheap.
A good traditional print is quite something and fun too. I process my film in the kitchen and use a spare small room which we use to store junk to print. I black out the window with a home made blind and print in there. i do not need a sink in with me, I put my prints in a tray in water and then wash and hang them in the bathroom to dry. It's surprizingly easy to get going...
You will never be able to compare for yourself otherwise.
You could also try MF and be lost into darkroom adventures..


Of course there's no reason why you shouldn't do both....

 

[philhirn]

for 200 bucks you can get a very nice wet darkroom set up (if you have the space) - if you have a dslr you might want to do analogue the "right" way and not end up at the same end point as with digital (the pc). that´s my pov at least. You´ll be able to scan your prints with your current scanner.

 

[Joao]

I currently develop B&W since last Summer, with a minimalistic approach: changing bag, small scissors – to open film canister and to cut film - thermometer (previously used in a home aquarium), cheap digital clock, Patterson 2-reel tank, homemade paRodinal for developing, water as a stop bath, Ilford fixer, drops of liquid detergent as wetting agent, clothespins for drying film. It is really easy, believe me.
Scanner or enlarger? Your decision will take in account not only the budget, but the available space and time. If I was going now to buy a scanner now I would choose the flatbed Epson V500 Photo (can scan opaques, 35 mm and MF negatives - so they say- and has a resolution of 6400ppp, enough for me). It costs 279 euros new, here in Lisbon. But I am currently resuscitating an old Durst enlarger, as I have a small inactive bathroom that I will upgraded to a darkroom…Being in Germany you can certainly find a variety of used inexpensive enlargers. The only problem with these is their weight and sellers often ask for a local pick-up. As I said, it is your option.
Best regards
Joao