Serious Downsizing

KenD

KenD

Film Shooter
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I am looking to major downsizing sometime over the next year, moving from a large house to in all likelihood a small apartment. I do not want to go digital, so film it will be. So far my thoughts are (aside from clearing out all the cameras, extra tripods, etc., etc., that I don't use anyway) to change from multi-format to 35mm only, to prune the darkroom equipment to a bare bones "carry in and out of the bathroom" setup, standardize on one or two films and papers, etc.

Any advice on what worked or what you regret from already downsized film photogs? Advice from tiny apartment dwellers?

Thanks,

KenD
 
I live in a small 1br apartment in Hayes Vally, San Francisco (read: very small!)

I don't have much of problem developing with dark bag loading in kitchen/bathroom, but thinking of setting up everything and storing afterwards makes me feel a little lazy before every develop session. I have a few clips hanging from shower curtain rail so I can hang films easily.

For printing, I go to nearby shared darkroom that I can use for cheap. That's just a lot easier than setting up all trays, chemicals, sealing bathroom door/window, etc.
 
If you could fit just one piece of furniture to hold your stuff... from Ikea look for the Billy bookcases with the half window doors. (I don't know if Ikea is in Canada)

Anyways, that will give you a simple clean place to store and display your cameras, and you will be surprised how much it will hold. Download as you see fit, but this will help organize your stuff to one small footprint place.
 
Good idea to prune back to one format.

So ... divorce, FBI witness relocation program, or just a change of lifestyle? 😀
 
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I would suggest you get a film changing tent -- Harrison pup tents are great, but expensive...Calumet also made a nice one that was cheaper...not sure if they still do. I would avoid doing any irreversible changes too, such as changing a 4x5 or MF enlarger for a 35mm one...you might go back. I would be inclined to dump all the 35mm stuff for medium format, but that's just me. In terms of chemicals, Rodinal or HC-110 are good choices -- highly concentrated, last forever and diluted on use, so they don't take up space. Edwal Hypo check will let you know how long it is safe to keep your fix, so you don't need to worry about wastage...same goes for indicator stop-bath. It's hard to go wrong with Multigrade IV...RC is a lot easier, of course. It's easy to let film dry in the shower, just make sure you use photo-flo. A HEPA filter in the room goes a really long way towards them drying clean and dust free (and good for your air quality too!). That's all I can think of at the moment, but best of luck!
 
Ken...
I personally downsized my equipment from 4 35mm systems, 2 MF systems and a 4x5 system to just one 35mm and one MF and I have to say it was the best decision I've ever made. However, I can't help you with the darkroom. I went from a bathroom darkroom in an 8x8 bathroom to building a pro-lab capable of 20x24 prints and developing 20 rolls of film at time in a 24x24 foot basement. But having a "roll-in" darkroom on casters would be a good idea -an enlarger on a small cabinet that rolls infront of the toilet, trays in the tub (or you can build a stacked shelving unit to use horizontal space). Get a shower head that has a hose so you can clean around the tub more effectively. Bathrooms are great for keeping dust down. There's no flawless way of doing it as it's a set-up/take-down system that is limiting and very labourious.
 
How much space are your cameras taking up? A pair of rangefinder bodies, a few lenses... maybe a MF folder or other compact option... not much room. One or two development takes and chemistry isn't much more.

The number one answer I've heard on the MF side was people dropping the SLRs and going with Mamiyas instead.

Granted, a 4x5 takes a up a lot of space comparatively no matter what you do. 🙂
 
I don't see camera storage as the problem here but processing the images. I have a separate outdoor darkroom/building where I process film and hang it to dry etc though I scan so an enlarger is not an issue. Having to do this inside the house would create a change of attitude for me though so I can see the problem.
 
Didn't Beseler, Vivitar or similar company make their own version of the Daylab? Daylabs are for use with Polaroid papers, but I thought another company had an enlarger for use with regular papers. There was a tray that loaded into the base of the enlarging unit and a slide that pulled out of the tray for exposure. After exposure, the tray went back in place. The tray was then pulled out of the enlarging unit. It was designed to poor chemicals in and out like a film tank.

This would use very little space.

Of course I could have it mixed up in my head with the old Daylab from many years ago. Senility may have set in early. 😀
 
Hey, downsizing is great! Not only photo formats and gear but also living space.

It does take some getting used to as hoarding and over-buying have to stop. But it is do-able.

As far as a film setup in tiny spaces, Roger Hicks has posted his bathroom darkroom a few times. Hopefully he can chime in.

I will look to see if I can find that thread!🙂
 
I down sized but went digital and just realised a couple of years after doing it that I have room at my office for a darkroom so am now setting a darkroom up now. Happy days.
 
aaarrggghh!!!

aaarrggghh!!!

aaarrggghh!!! 🙁

that's my thought on down sizing on camera gear...don't even want to think about my darkroom gear (in storage). :bang:

like many photographers i started with 35mm. then i heard the siren call of medium format and her sister in large format...the road goes on forever and the party never ends...

about the only down sizing i am (sort of capable) of is occasionally leaving the house with one camera - a mamiya 6 or a rolleiflex 6002. 🙂

i have seriously considered selling my 35mm gear and maybe my 6x7 gear and my crown graphic. then i rethink it all...switching to and from various formats and cameras is a little bit like having a refreshing weekend get-away. just wanted to add some insights...sorry i cannot be of any help with your quest.

happy trails!!!

breathe, relax and enjoy.
sg, aka smiling gecko, aka kenneth
www.neverforgetbeslan.org
 
I've essentially been downsizing the last few months, as I was finishing up grad school and realized that I've spent WAY too much money and time on my hobby! So, lots of months and gear sales later (both on here and Ebay), I'm down to:

1 M-body (M5) + lenses
1 Nikon SLR body (F3) + lenses
1 Contax SLR body (167MT) + lenses
1 Fuji GL690 body+lenses
and Panasonic GF1 + 1 lens

I think this is where I'll stop pruning and downsizing. I am, however, going to try to have a darkroom set up as well in the small bathroom....so....it's been a wash?

Just my 2 cents.
 
I was gonna suggest going up to 4x5 or 8x10, and contact print your negatives. Its a slower, more meditative process than roll film, more in keeping with your simplified lifestyle. Your output will be smaller than roll film, but you'll be able to produce some really nice silver contact prints.

You also wouldn't need an enlarger, just a light source on a darkroom timer for contact printing, and a place like a bathroom to load your film and process it in tubes (or trays), plus a light source with variable output for contact printing. This could end up being much more compact of an outfit than using an enlarger.

~Joe
 
i downsized massively a while ago. sold a few grand worth of junk (including leica and 120) and standardized on a small nikon kit, efficient and effective. zero regrets. actually, quite liberating not to ponder which camera to pack--after a few weeks i stopped noticing gear altogether (which is what may have caused the obvious increase in quantity and quality of output 🙂)

ad hoc darkroom in the bathroom works very well, no problem there either

i wish i had done it a decade earlier 😎
 
Upsizing is good too. Just move to a cheaper part of the world... I now have a full-time darkroom and a full-time studio, as well as the rest of the house.

Cheers,

R.
 
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