First Darkroom! Advice

[.hardware]

Hey Everyone,

As the title implies, i have just started to get back into film photography and realized that the only logical next step would be to develop at home. I have only a little experience developing my own film but am looking forward to the challenge and the new opportunities it will bring.

At this point i would like to develop and print contact sheet only, as i am limited in my bathroom space.(unless there exists some sort of small enlarger?) Besides a paterson tank, some trays, film clips, measuring cups for chemistry, chemistry and a scanner, What might i need?

Also does anyone have any advise or tips i should know before starting down this path?

 

[ornate_wrasse]

It's great you're getting back into film photography!

One item you didn't mention that you'll need is a thermometer. You can get this at any place that sells darkroom supplies.

One of our long time and highly respected members Chriscrawfordphoto
has done some excellent tutorials for developing and printing. Go to his profile and then click on My Technical Info pages: Film Developing times, scanning, printing, editing.. Highly recommended!

You'll have a lot of fun!

Ellen

 

[Dan]

A timer is needed. Also a daylight changing bag to enable you to load the exposed film onto the reels and into the tank.

 

[JustPlainBill]

Hi,
In addition to Chris Crawford, Roger Hicks and Frances Shultz have a lot of information on their website. The late Fred Picker wrote a lot of good information in his Zone VI Workshop book, but skip his film speed test. I found making perfect proofs with consistently the minimum exposure to yield maximum photographic black very informative. After thoroughly washing your negatives, dip them in a wetting agent solution, wipe them off carefully with a
piece of Photo Wipe that had been dipped in the wetting agent solution and wrung nearly dry. Hang the negatives to dry from film clips or clothespins hung in your shower. After your negatives have dried but before someone uses your shower for its usual purpose, put your negatives in some kind of envelope to protect them. You'll need a safelight and a consistent light source to make proper proofs - an enlarger is convenient. Enlargers are kind of a drug on the market these days - here's wishing you good luck!
JustPlainBill

 

[StevenJohn]

For contact sheets, you don't need an enlarger, just a consistent light source. If you want to make single prints though, an Omega C700 enlarger is not very big. I started with one in the bathroom like you, but kept it in my closet when not in use. You will need some blackout material for around the door. I use some black plastic that I taped with painter tape. It removes easily and doesn't leave a mark. Allow your eyes to adjust for 5 minutes before looking for light leaks to make sure it's truly dark.

 

[shadowfox]

Not for development, but if you're printing, you need a red light source.

Also look for Fujimoto enlarger (sometimes goes by the brand Lucky).
It is very compact. Or if you can swing the budget, a Leica Focomat.

 

[Rob-F]

At this point i would like to develop and print contact sheet only, as i am limited in my bathroom space.(unless there exists some sort of small enlarger?)

There is such a thing as a portable enlarger. There are a few on eBay, including even an interesting looking Russian model. Some portables even fold up into an attache case! No doubt they vary in quality, and I would personally feel more comfortable with brand names I know. There have been some compact Leitz enlargers, and they inspire confidence!

Once one embarks on darkroom work, one becomes obsessed, and there is no turning back. I started around the age of 11, and I'm still at it. Abandon all hope, and enjoy!

Here's some reading:
http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-printing-finishing-forum/003jbQ

 

[StevenJohn]

Rob-F,

Hope is lost. There is no more Ciba.🙁

 

[Vics]

I used to have a little table on rollers, designed for a typist. It was on rollers, so I could roll my whole kit into the bathroom and be set up in a few minutes. My Durst M600 enlarger stayed on the table, then I deployed the safelight, trays, and timer, using the bathtub for wash in a 11x14 tray.
I learned a lot from Fred Picker's book, Zone VI Workshop.
Remrmber this is chemistry. Standardize. Only change one variable at a time.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have no film clips and developing at least once a week. Plastic clothes hangers from stores...

iPhone timer app is all I use for developing and printing. Cheap "brownie" orange safelight and cheap single little mechanical timer for enlarger.

Check this Meopta enlarger, it is small if not foldable.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/BH401-Vtg-Me...269?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item566f8849fd


Contact prints of 135 is not practical these days if you have scanner, more like a statement. I do it just for fun few times per year.

 

[Dwig]

... Besides a paterson tank, some trays, film clips, measuring cups for chemistry, chemistry and a scanner, What might i need? ...

Some form of storage for the processed film strip(s).

My personal preference are the PrintFile brand pages, which come in a wide range of sizes/styles to accommodate almost any film size and image format.

If you are just processing film and producing a "contact sheet" digitally with a scanner then you don't actually need trays. Even so, I would consider getting one large, preferably deep, tray (~11x14") to serve as a counter top protector. You can place the tank and prefilled beakers or measuring cups with the chemicals in the tray so that spilled chem. doesn't get on the counter itself. This also allows you to fill the tray with tempered water to help in situations where the room temp is either too hot or too cold to allow you to maintain proper processing temp otherwise.

 

[.hardware]

Thanks everyone for the information! I will definitely be picking up a copy of zone VI workshop.

Excellent point on the thermometer and changing bag.

I think i have reconsidered my hybrid approach and will likely try and find a suitable enlarger. Printing is something i am really interested in and was shying away for convenience sake. After seeing pretty small and efficient bathroom darkrooms with enlargers I have more faith that i too can accomplish a similar set up.

As I am starting with nothing in the darkroom world, does it make sense to buy new darkroom kits such as the Paterson film and print processing kits? (http://www.patersonphotographic.com/product_info.php?ID=4444)or are they over priced for what they are. Is used darkroom equipment something that can be found, aside from say enlargers? I mostly prefer to buy second hand when possible. One mans trash is another mans treasure!

 

[mwoenv]

You might want to eventually consider an enlarger even in a small bathroom. I set up a temporary darkroom in a 5 ft. x 6 ft. bathroom and set up a Beseler 23CII on two small low tables; developer tray on a small plywood table over the toilet; stop and fixer trays on the sink; and a water tray on a hamper. I wash the prints outside in the kitchen. Because the 23CII is heavy, I remove the enlarger head from the frame/base to move it easily. For color prints I use an Omega B22 with a Chromega B dichroic head, place the paper in a drum and process in the kitchen. The B22 cannot be easily taken apart but it's not necessary as it's light enough to pick it up and move it.

Keep an eye out on Craigslist and you might get a good enlarger, lens, and accessories for around $100.

 

[Mongo Park]

Have a look at the applications page of the Ilford website. www.ilfordphoto.com/