makeshift darkroom tent

[Gaspar]

Hi, I would like to set up a darkroom in the house. I have all the gear but not the actual darkroom.

I have looked at the nova darkroom tent but the price put me off. Then I came accross these cheaper darkroom tents used to grow plants



Does anybody have any experience using this for photography. The model I was looking at is the same size as the nova tent.

Regards
Gaspar

 

[Keith]

Wow ... I just checked out the Nova tent! Five hundred and thirty pounds. 😱

I love this quote ... [ Ample for two people + enlarger and processor]

Are they for real ... the thing is forty eight by forty eight inches square by eighty eight inches high ... you'd want to be damned good friends with the other person in there with you! 😛

 

[kully]

The important thing with any of these is ventilation - I can imagine some funky trips in a small place such as that and open fixer and stop (not to mention the toning chemicals 🙂 ).

I wish I knew the Nova tent was so expensive - there was someone selling one near me - never used for £60, but I thought it was too much!

 

[Gaspar]

They have a light tight ventilation hole at the top as you can see from the picture.

Yeah I suppose it is a bit tight for two people but again, some people enjoy the intimacy. Can you imagine the chat up line with the cutie at the local camera club " do you fancy spending the evening doing some wet printing in my darkroom?"

 

[Keith]

They have a light tight ventilation hole at the top as you can see from the picture.

Yeah I suppose it is a bit tight for two people but again, some people enjoy the intimacy. Can you imagine the chat up line with the cutie at the local camera club " do you fancy spending the evening doing some wet printing in my darkroom?"

No vegetarians allowed! 😛

 

[momus1]

Just set up in the bathroom (the reading room). A time honored tradition, lots more room, and there's a sink and ventilation.

 

[Gaspar]

Just set up in the bathroom (the reading room). A time honored tradition, lots more room, and there's a sink and ventilation.

Not an option unfortunately as I have two small children and my bathroom has got various light leak areas. I would take me over an hour just to set up and dismantle.

 

[Gaspar]

Great point, specially about the zip being on the outside. My wife is a costume maker so hopefully she can sort that out. I would also trow black fabric over so that would help.

No the bathroom is definetely not an option. I have space in the garage where I would set it up permanently. I would still develop the film in a darkbag as I have been doing so this would be mainly for printing.

I also got a reply from the company. This is what they said "hi,
these tents you can put 1000w high intensity light inside and the material does not leak light.as long as you keep the vents closed then no light will get in.im confident you can use this item for the application of photography."

The price is £89 (130US$?) which is very different from the Nova option (£529)
I think I will go for it. If it does not work I can alway grow cannabis on it 🙂

Gaspar

 

[David William White]

Not a bad price if no other option is possible. Can you turn it inside out?

 

[Keith]

....umm, so why do people need a dark light proof tent to place bright lights in and grow plants for? 🙄

I can't believe a South Australian would say anything so foolish! 😀

:angel:

 

[Gaspar]

Ah, Ah! talk about being entrepeneurial! The guy I emailed asking if the hydroponic tent could be used as a darkroom is now advertising it as such. I should charge consultancy fees! Here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110387473228

 

[gliderbee]

Ah, Ah! talk about being entrepeneurial! The guy I emailed asking if the hydroponic tent could be used as a darkroom is now advertising it as such. I should charge consultancy fees! Here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110387473228

Is there any follow-up on this ? Did somebody try it ? I'm very interested ... Can the zippers be closed from the inside ? Any lightleaks ?

Stefan.

 

[Jack917]

Stefan,

I believe this is a site that sells the tent:

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=GRGL080&eq=&Tp=

And here's a link to a review that may be useful

http://forums.bghydro.com/showthread.php?t=555

The review is old, and I don't know if this is the same tent the OP mentioned. Maybe the pinhole light leaks have been resolved now? Dunno

 

[Patrick]

🙂 hey if you put that tent up but inside out from the picture shown the zips would be on the inside , plus it would look like some kind of space ship 😀

 

[Finder]

A silver room is going to make a bad darkroom--printing contrast is going to suffer with all that light bouncing around. You would want to turn it insideout.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The Nova tent comes with a ventilator fan, guaranteed light trapping, and the kind of build quality that allows you to go in and out indefinitely. We bought one around 20 years ago. It has been our only darkroom on several occasions, for months and even (when we first got it) years at a time. Expensive, yes, but in our experience, well worth it.

And it's roomier than you might expect. These things were quite often used for demonstrations at trade shows, and not just by Nova, in the days when darkroom was more important.

Cheers,

R.

 

[dng88]

How heavy is this? I have tried to buy one but they refuse to ship to Hong Kong.

I have a chance to come to England this October and think about ship it to Post Office and ship it back to Hong Kong (via Royal Post) or luggage.

I have investigated the bright room but it would not work.

BTW, it is not easy to darken and making a good ventilated space to print. I have 5 rolling machines and hence developing of film is no need in the dark for my 135 to 8x10. Just printing is a problem. After one year having my studio I still not managed to print one photos. Develop and scan is not really the point. Hence, want to try this.

Any weight estimate and is my plan feasible?

 

[Roger Hicks]

At a guess (I'd need to fold it up and I'm too lazy), about 20 kg. If Nova knew you were buying one, I suspect they'd weigh it for you. And yes, I think it's feasible.

Cheers,

R.

 

[dng88]

Thanks, Roger!

I would try it. BTW, I liked your article on DR especially the part you are using it as a make-shift one all the time.

 

[Steve M.]

You'd be a lot better off using the old stand by, a bathroom (assuming yours has some ventilation). It's simple to fix or buy a vent that allows air in and out, but not light. Handy having the sink and tub too for washing.