B&W Darkroom, 120 and 35mm

[Anthony Martinez]

All right, I've sold off some of my equipment to buy more equipment I'll actually use and now I'd like to setup a darkroom. Part of me thinks this is completely insane as I have never once even watched someone make a photographic print. The other part just wants to be able to print his B&W work.

As far as I know I need an enlarger, lenses for the enlarger, filters for the enlarger, negative carriers, 4 trays, a washer, paper, chemistry, and somewhere dark to do fun things. What I don't know is what to look for in any of the above.

I don't know that I ever shot any B&W through my Pentax, which means I'll be limited for the most part to printing either 6x6 negatives or 35mm negatives. 11x14 is probably as big as I'd ever go. Can such a thing be pieced together on about a $500-$600 budget and yield good results provided I RTFM and don't do anything stupid?

[TXhummer2]

Start here: (unless you already have gotten this far)

Black and White Darkroom - photo.net

[Anthony Martinez]

Yup, read that part already - now just trying to figure out where to start on the equipment trail. Seems there are about a million options/combinations.

[pcoursey]

Anthony
I have an almost complete darkroom setup. It has a Besslet CB7 (up to 4X5), an Omega (up to 2 1/4 X 2 1/4). With at least 4 lenses (its been a while since I looked), film carriers and lots of other stuff, including focusing aids.

Film developing tanks for up to 4 X 5.

The CB7 has a cold light head + a condensor head. The Omaga has a color head.
I know I'm a long way but it nearly needs to be seen to appreciate. It has been stored for about 10 years.
I have priced it at $500.
The only thing it is missing is paper developing trays.

[Big Dog]

Kodak: Darkroom Design for Amateur Photographers
http://wwwcaen.kodak.com/global/en/p...bs/ak3/ak3.pdf

A Beginner's Guide to Darkroom Equipment:
Beginner's Darkroom Guide

Ilford (many pages - look around the site)
ILFORD PHOTO Website - Applications

There are more links on my darkroom blog at: A New Darkroom: Darkroom resources on the web

Enjoy!

[Anthony Martinez]

Originally Posted by pcoursey

Anthony
I have an almost complete darkroom setup. It has a Besslet CB7 (up to 4X5), an Omega (up to 2 1/4 X 2 1/4). With at least 4 lenses (its been a while since I looked), film carriers and lots of other stuff, including focusing aids.

Film developing tanks for up to 4 X 5.

The CB7 has a cold light head + a condensor head. The Omaga has a color head.
I know I'm a long way but it nearly needs to be seen to appreciate. It has been stored for about 10 years.
I have priced it at $500.
The only thing it is missing is paper developing trays.

Thanks for the information, I'll certainly consider it. Diesel prices may stop me from making it as far as Brownwood though.

Originally Posted by Big Dog

Kodak: Darkroom Design for Amateur Photographers
http://wwwcaen.kodak.com/global/en/p...bs/ak3/ak3.pdf

A Beginner's Guide to Darkroom Equipment:
Beginner's Darkroom Guide

Ilford (many pages - look around the site)
ILFORD PHOTO Website - Applications

There are more links on my darkroom blog at: A New Darkroom: Darkroom resources on the web

Enjoy!

Thanks, I've saved some of those PDFs to my dropbox so I can use up some of my printing credits at UH instead of using up my own toner and paper!

[Valerie]

Check Craigslist. Darkroom setups get posted all the time. Cheap. If you want to see one, and maybe make a print or three, I kinda know how to do that...

[Anthony Martinez]

Originally Posted by Valerie

Check Craigslist. Darkroom setups get posted all the time. Cheap. If you want to see one, and maybe make a print or three, I kinda know how to do that...

Been checking. I know they've got a gaggle of stuff in the back of Camera Co-op too, and I haven't been there in something like four days!

[tropicpine]

Light controll tip:
Light proof cloth is available at most frabric stores.
Most windows in modern homes have a ferris metal strip under the paint & spakle. (test with any magnet). Good magnets are can be found at Electronic Parts Outlet (Fondren South of Westheimer). Use magnets to temproaraly attatch light proof cloth to windows.
Strips of light proof cloth stapled to door jamb can light proof a door and if done well are not too obvious.

Sink tip:
A plastic box used to store whatever under a bed makes a good small darkroom sink. You can, remove the faucet from a bathroom sink, place the aforementioned box over the sink, cut holes in the bottom of the box for drainage into sink and remounting a faucet, remount kitchen sink faucet with a spray hose and seal faucet with silicone caulk.
Or, if you have more room, I have a 6' plastic darkroom sink for $75.

Developing tray tip:
Unless you can find a good used set of trays you can find a 3 or 4 drawer (flexable plastic drawers are more dutrable) plastic shelf at you local office supply store for not too much. Use the drawers and toss the shelf away unless you want to use the drawers to store your soon to be growing collection of darkroom paraphanilia while the darkroom is dissassembled.

Enlarger:
Camera Coop usually has a collection of enlargers for sale along the back wall.

[venchka]

Velcro works if magnets don't.
If you want to spend money on an enlarger, the Beseler 23C in various incarnations is a good sturdy enlarger. Handles 35mm to 6x9. Co-op usually has a few. Or you could go on and get a 4x5 enlarger now. For the day when you get a 4x5 camera. Never say, "Never."
Nikkor 50mm/2.8 and 80/4.0 enlarging lenses are as good as any mortal needs. Don't pay too much. Ask Westley how much he paid for his. I think it was in the $25 range.
There are any number of darkroom mentors at the ready. In your 'hood even.

[Anthony Martinez]

Originally Posted by tropicpine

Light controll tip:
Light proof cloth is available at most frabric stores.
Most windows in modern homes have a ferris metal strip under the paint & spakle. (test with any magnet). Good magnets are can be found at Electronic Parts Outlet (Fondren South of Westheimer). Use magnets to temproaraly attatch light proof cloth to windows.
Strips of light proof cloth stapled to door jamb can light proof a door and if done well are not too obvious.

Sink tip:
A plastic box used to store whatever under a bed makes a good small darkroom sink. You can, remove the faucet from a bathroom sink, place the aforementioned box over the sink, cut holes in the bottom of the box for drainage into sink and remounting a faucet, remount kitchen sink faucet with a spray hose and seal faucet with silicone caulk.
Or, if you have more room, I have a 6' plastic darkroom sink for $75.

Developing tray tip:
Unless you can find a good used set of trays you can find a 3 or 4 drawer (flexable plastic drawers are more dutrable) plastic shelf at you local office supply store for not too much. Use the drawers and toss the shelf away unless you want to use the drawers to store your soon to be growing collection of darkroom paraphanilia while the darkroom is dissassembled.

Enlarger:
Camera Coop usually has a collection of enlargers for sale along the back wall.

Thanks for the tips. I've still got some fabric I used to cover amplifier cabinets with years ago. It's worked very well for blacking out my closet (where I unload film). I'm stopping by Co-op today on the way home from school to pickup some paper.

Originally Posted by venchka

Velcro works if magnets don't.
If you want to spend money on an enlarger, the Beseler 23C in various incarnations is a good sturdy enlarger. Handles 35mm to 6x9. Co-op usually has a few. Or you could go on and get a 4x5 enlarger now. For the day when you get a 4x5 camera. Never say, "Never."
Nikkor 50mm/2.8 and 80/4.0 enlarging lenses are as good as any mortal needs. Don't pay too much. Ask Westley how much he paid for his. I think it was in the $25 range.
There are any number of darkroom mentors at the ready. In your 'hood even.

I was actually looking at some large format cameras the other day so I take back my previous "never" statements as having been nonsense.

[venchka]

You are learning. Grinning.
In that case, get a 4x5 enlarger. Beseler. Omega. They are all good.

[tropicpine]

My answer to a large format enlarger.

http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...-enlarger.html

[The Philos]

I have my Beseler 4x5 enlarger set up at work.

[Anthony Martinez]

Thanks to Valerie, I done got me some learnin' and some prints I like. Thanks to Hank, I've got a 35mm enlarger in my yet-to-be-a-darkroom.


Grandma, on Arista EDU Ultra 400 developed for some period of time in D-76 1+1. Straight scan (no USM, or other wizardry). Here is the negative scan.


Inside the UH main library, on Kodak Tri-X 400 pushed to 1600 in DD-X 1+4 (72F, 11m15s). Here is the negative scan.