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what does your darkroom look like ?


daveleo

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My 2011 resolution is to set up a "darkroom" area in the basement . . . target date is Feb21 to be up and running.

I have several books on the topic, but also thought that I would ask . . . would you care to share a photo of your darkroom setup here?

I am planning to clear off that back corner in the photo below and set up there. I have no sink, but can haul water up the stairs on the right (not shown) . . . cannot put this anywhere closer to a sink.

 

I am hoping that the shelf space there, plus maybe a movable table ? is adequate. there's a ceiling vent and of course I'll be light-blocking the window and any nooks and crannies.

 

thanks for any replies.

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My darkroom is so narrow that I cannot get a picture of it, even with my widest lens. Sorry.

 

However, I can offer a tip or two. Mine is narrow, but just wide enough to have the enlargers (2) on one side, a 24" alley, and a sink along the opposite wall. Not having to walk to the sink while printing is important to me. During long sessions I can work sitting on a stool.

 

If I may recommend an economical enlarger, it would be a Leitz Valoy 1a. Mine is an unusual design for extra large prints - longer column, larger baseboard, and an optional cooling bonnet to allow the use of brighter, hoter bulbs. I would not use Leica enlarging lenses. I put the Valoy in storage and now use a Leitz Focomat IIa because I also shoot 6x9. (You don't find many IIa models. A IIc is most common.) The second enlarger is for 4x5".

 

Here is a good page on Leitz enlargers.

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I have not had a print darkroom for a decade, but have run several in "found" spaces over the years. Some thoughts:

 

1. You'll probably want to put some plastic sheeting on the wall - chemicals tend to splash a bit, sooner or later, and leave powdery white residue.

 

2. You'll want easily accessible white light for pre-exposure setup, and viewing prints in the fixer - if it is a long walk to the room's light switch, consider some kind of "work light" that can be reached from the enlarging position.

 

3. I'm not sure what the fish in the aquarium will think of being in the dark. ;) - Actually, the light over the aquarium is probably in a good place to be your print viewing light, although not convenient for fast acces from the enlarger.

 

4. From the above you can tell my first instinct is to put the enlarger on the short side of the "L" and the trays along the counter under the window. You may actually have to remove the aquarium to make room for 3 process trays (dev/stop/fix) plus a holding/rinse tray large/deep enough to hold several prints.

 

5. If you actually do have a darkroom use for the laptop, safelight filters are available up to 10" x 12" in glass, and sometimes in larger sizes as sheets of plastic. Probably not hard to "safe" the computer screen if needed.

 

6. You probably want to figure out a way to install a ventilation fan in part of the window space, if possible. Unless that ceiling panel is a ventilator.

 

Otherwise - it does look like a reasonable spot for a printing station.

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thanks for the comments!

 

That ceiling vent DOES go to the outside.

Putting a fan in the window makes blocking the light out a much tougher problem.

There are 8 electrical sockets along the top of the platform (this was "computer central" before I retired).

The fish tank will go at some point, but not immediately.

 

I am moderately anxious about getting into this, but I have lots of time now and the cost of shooting and printing film (35mm and 120) is ridiculous (about $2 per shutter click for the medium format stuff, counting in the postage and handling !)

 

PS . . . there is another thread nearby about starting up a darkroom and I am getting some good thoughts from that discussion also).

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I once considered using a laptop screen as a lightsource for large format contact prints. One can create an image on the screen to dodge and burn, and even split-filter exposure.

 

Euh ? Do you care to explain this ?

"create an image on the screen to dodge and burn, and even split-filter exposure" ?

 

Thanks

 

Rgds

Ulev

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I guess I must not be alone here, but my darkroom is my kitchen. The downside is, I have to wait until dark to use it.

 

It has running water, storage space on the counter tops, plenty of plugs for the safe light, enlarger, and timer if you are lucky enough to have one of those, and for my drum drier which died a dozen years ago. The RC papers leave something to be desired, but they do not require special drying and that is what I use today. Oh, there is also a frig to keep the beverages cool.

 

What does my wife think of it, well 40 plus years and she still complains.

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Euh ? Do you care to explain this ?

"create an image on the screen to dodge and burn, and even split-filter exposure" ?

 

Thanks

 

Rgds

Ulev

 

Once upon a time, large format (8x10" and larger) were often contact-printed on a box lit by dozens and dozens of small lights. Each light could be brightened, dimmed or turned off. The effect of this was to dodge and burn the print. (Air Force Aerial Recon had some beautiful such machines.)

 

Large format folks will sometimes make masks on a sheet of film to accomplish dodging. The mask goes between the original and the the paper. (Masks were also used to create 'unsharp' masks - the origin of the photoshop term.

 

Now, using photoshop a person scan in a copy of the original negative, throw it out of focus (surface blur), and modify areas for brightness, and color (to correspond with various grades). Then using the screen as light source, acting as a mask.

 

IBM's Thinkpad years ago (before big projectors and big LCD screens) had a very thin, detachable screen intended to be put on a document projector. I would have loved to try the idea then, but could not afford a Thinkpad.

Edited by pico
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I guess I must not be alone here, but my darkroom is my kitchen. [...] Oh, there is also a frig to keep the beverages cool.

 

Tip: Old Rodinal looks just like flat Guinness under safelight. Be careful. :p

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Pico,

So your fridge has a red safe light instead of a white light incase you open it while printing?

 

But how can you see if your food is still fresh when it all looks ripe and red?

 

You know the light stays on all the time! We only think it goes off because the door shuts out the light when closed. That's how the veg stays fresh because of the cool and the light. If it was dark the greens, onions, potatoes etc would sprout!

 

Not sure I'd want to mix photo chemicals and food/drink in the same fridge though, but perhaps you don't.

 

Regards, Lincoln

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Pico,

So your fridge has a red safe light instead of a white light incase you open it while printing?

 

But how can you see if your food is still fresh when it all looks ripe and red?

 

You know the light stays on all the time! We only think it goes off because the door shuts out the light when closed. That's how the veg stays fresh because of the cool and the light. If it was dark the greens, onions, potatoes etc would sprout!

 

My father used to tell us that Yahoodi turned on the fridge light. Yahoodi was also responsible when the car wouldn't start, or when a light bulb blinked out.

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Dave,

 

There is a great thread on APUG, darkroom portraits I think it is called.

You can get some great ideas there. There is everything from huge and really nice darkrooms to some darkrooms in closets.

 

Anything is better than nothing!

 

Do you plan to print or just process and then scan?

 

If you are printing, and only 35mm, take a really good look at the V35.

It has to be one of the greatest 35mm enlargers ever made.

 

This is the 'dry side" of my darkroom (sorry for the cell phone snaps).

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Edited by Allen in Montreal
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Thank you Allen for that info and the photos.

 

I am going to do this in increments. The driving force here is my "new" Fuji 645 film camera (secondary is that cabinet filled with 35mm film cameras that I want to fire up again).

 

Step 1 is to have the lab develop, and I will set up a print station here.

 

If that works nicely, I go to Step 2 which is to develop here also. Step 2 may happen very quickly after Step 1 ! !

 

Step 3 is to a consumer grade flatbed scanner, but this would be for computer manipulating / web posting only.

 

This is a hobby effort, but I would like to make some nice prints for myself.

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Dave,

 

Have you ever done darkroom work in the past?

 

Step one will be fairly easy.

And gear is rather cheap these days as most people turn their back on film (there is a small resurgence with film and some darkroom gear prices have gone up a little on E bay, but most items still sell cheaply)

I think you should take a good look at doing your own film run sooner. It is easy, cheap and takes very little to get up and running. Unless you have a really good lab, I expect your home results will be better than the labs after a few sessions.

 

Depending on your house conditions, heating source and the weather there, don't over look a 20 dollar steam humidifier! I find my dust issues fall dramatically when I am running the humidifier. Even if you only crank it up the morning before the evening you head in to the darkroom, the difference is noticeable.

 

If you do not intend to run a Jobo at home, go straight to stainless steel reels. Get the heavy gauge steel ones, they are smoother and the film glides on better than most of the thinner gauge reels. You can get by with one tank, 2 is better and 3 is perfect. Put them in a water bath at 68 deg in a kitty litter tub and you are up and running.

Edited by Allen in Montreal
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Thank you again, Allen.

I have never developed any film before, but recently visited the photo lab at our local state college and got a personal tour, plus I do have a few good books on the topic.

 

The humidifier idea is new to me ! . . . Dust will be a challenge downstairs, as once that window is open, it's at ground level and pollen and whatever comes in.

 

Thanks again.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My darkroom: 2x3m in the attic.

 

I am working with a Densitometer, Nova, Dunco II 67 120 pro with (Heiland) Split grade. Papers: Foma, Ilford/Amaloco.

For color RA-4 Fuji papers and a Thermaphot machine with a FEM-Kunze CFL-4012 analyser.

 

In the past (since 1967) I had a Meopta enlarger. This setup is from 1999/2000.

Best photos making myself with the Leica M7 (35mm) and the C.V. Bessa III 667 (6x6 or 6x7cm) R.F. cameras.

 

Greetz,

 

Robert

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Dust will be a challenge downstairs, as once that window is open, it's at ground level and pollen and whatever comes in.

 

Because my wife has allergies, we have a couple portable, HEPA air filtering machines. Leaving one running in the darkroom takes care of the dust. It is amazing how much it can pick up from the air, even though we have central air/heat with an electric air cleaner.

 

A lot of dust comes from exposed flesh, so don't be surprised if you find new dust on a negative that was clean a moment ago. It's easy to blow that stuff off.

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