Do You Currently Operate a Darkroom?

[Danner]

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Just curious how many, if any, of you regularly process film and/or prints in a darkroom?  And, what kind of darkroom set-up you are using?

I, for example,  have a permanent darkroom in a detached shop building at my residence, it is always ready to use with chemistry, safelights, enlarger (LPL 670 condenser), paper slot processor, drying racks, and such.  My primary materials are HP5 film, XTOL developer, Ilford paper chemistry, and Ilford RC and FB papers.

[Michael Hiles]

I have a darkroom which I use for printing. Mainly I have my films (always XP2) processed professionally. I think nothing matches a well made silver print, and I am unwilling to give up film for that reason. I USE A FOCOMAT Ic and I also have a RHdesigns Analyzer. Part of the reason is that in my opinion, the goal is a mounted and framed print that then gets wall space. Electronic images are fine but for me they are not the goal.

 

I also occasionally give away what I consider to be "FINE PRINTS" - mounted and framed.

Edited September 3, 2021 by Michael Hiles

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[ianman]

I just use a bag and Patterson tank for processing, no need for more. Yesterday I got an unused, new in box Durst M302 enlarger for €30. I plan to print in our cellar (basement) but I’ve no running water there yet. I’ve done darkroom printing before but not at my own place.

[Pyrogallol]

Main darkroom has a sink, table, 5x7 enlarger, smaller inner darkroom has two Durst enlargers for 35mm and 6x6.

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[Michael Hiles]

Running water in the darkroom is not an absolute necessity – It must be available, but can work well if it in a more or less adjacent room (like a kitchen). It just means more walking.

[Doug A]

No darkroom for me. I did that in the 60's and 70's. Too much work for results not as good as I am getting now developing, scanning and inkjet printing. 

 

[Ornello]

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Yes, of course.

[LocalHero1953]

No darkroom (also 'of course'🙄).

I develop film in the bathroom, then scan to digital. Or print cyanotypes in the bathroom for washing in the bath.

[105012]

Yes, but will be moving it post-renovations to a better spot. I process film (bw and c-41, could do E6 if required), print bw and colour and also have a scanning setup.

[TomB_tx]

After I retired I set up a darkroom again, as I'd stored my equipment for decades. Built new cabinets for the (formerly) kids' bathroom so the enlarger stays setup but out of the way for bathroom use, and all other equipment stores out of sight. Due to size I changed from the Omega B22XL enlarger I'd used since 1968 to a Focomat V35 with both color and variable contrast heads. I mainly process B&W negatives in my old stainless Nikor tanks, and switched from the unavailable chemistry I used to use to Ilford and Rodinal (depending on the film). While I've slowed recently, I was processing a roll a week. Need to start again, as I recently got my Contax IIa back from overhaul.

[Aryel]

Hello,

Started mine about one year ago and love it. Found a second hand Kienzle enlarger. Then got one of the optima darkroom vertical trays system to handle the lack of access to water. 

Lot to learn 😊

Seeing one of my negative appearing on paper completely shift my photography upside down (in a good way). 

[Danner]

Heartwarming to read about all y'all's set-ups.  [beerclink]

Bro'-nod to 105012 for processing C-41 and E6.

[Jeff S]

I built 4 darkrooms, in 4 different houses, first in the 80’s, with each project necessitated by a work related relocation. All were designed for b&w film developing and printing, from 35mm to 4x5. By the last one, I took advantage of all the little things that made darkroom work more efficient and pleasurable. But the novelty and joy of the first one still brings back fond memories… and some favorite work.  

Another house move when I retired in 2008 resulted in my transitioning fully to digital in 2009.  No more darkrooms.  Instead, I have separate spaces in my home for editing, printing and matting/framing. Nothing replaces the darkroom experience, and the joy of a lovely silver print, but digital tools do provide me with far more flexibility, convenience and capability to produce desired print renderings.  No more darkrooms for me.
 

Jeff

[logan2z]

I've got a permanent darkroom setup utilizing a spare bedroom as a dry space and a spare bathroom as a wet space.  The dry space contains a Beseler 23C II/XL and Leitz Focomat v35 enlargers.  I rarely use the Focomat, though, as the correct bulbs are nearly impossible to find and the available replacements are relatively dim and result in long exposure times.  I've also been shooting quite a bit of medium format film on a Hasselblad 500 C/M so the Beseler gets used for printing those images. 

I also use an RH Analyzer Pro for printing - one of the best investments I've made. 

I use a Nova slot processor for developing prints which saves space and reduces the startup time for print sessions. 

I've been sending my film to a lab for processing, but I've had issues with a few of the labs I've used so I've finally just started to develop my film at home.  And when I say 'just' I mean I'm developing my first roll of 35mm film today 😁  Wish me luck!

[Pyrogallol]

Look at converting the Focomat to an LED light source. I made a panel of multiple LEDs for my 5x7 enlarger,  it is much brighter than the old light source and does not generate any heat.

[Michael Hiles]

Do you have any advice/tricks/instructions on how to do this?

Edited September 12, 2021 by Michael Hiles

[logan2z]

29 minutes ago, Michael Hiles said:

Do you have any advice/tricks/instructions on how to do this?

Heiland sells an LED light source for the v35, but it's very expensive.  I don't know of a DIY solution for this.  @Pyrogallol do tell.

[Pyrogallol]

At the time I bought three panels of multiple led bulbs and made a replacement lamp house for them. It was probably easier for a 5x7 head as I made a wooden box to put them in. Maybe now there are even brighter small led bulbs that could be made up into a replacement top for the lamp House?

the picture is of some spare panels I bought and have not used, with 12v transformer.

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[spydrxx]

I still develop my B&W films, using either a Patterson or Rondinax tank. No prints though, sold my Focomat and converted a Minolta enlarger to a steady stand for digital conversion of negatives. I send out for prints.

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[schmidtbaer]

Just came across this post - reading about the Leitz Focomat V35 bulb problem. As mentioned by Pyrogallol, LEDs can be used to get around the supply shortage.

I also own a (actually two) V35(s) and modified the light box by including  2x 3W red, 2x 3W blue, 2x 3W green and 2x 3W white LEDs. Driven by some MeanWell 700mA current source, the result is actually not too bad.

Here a picture of the prototype LED board (still missing the 2 white LEDs) and the result.

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Coming back to the original post:

Three years ago I started again to print B&W (I must have stopped in the late 90s) - and now have completely switch back to film - processing 3-4 films each month. Printing only the shoots I really like...may be 4 per roll. I process the films (HP5)  in XT3 using a small DIY processor for Jobo tanks. Printing is done on the aforementioned modified V35(s).