DarkRoom Question
Barry Twycross
In article <346ba92c...@news.sssnet.com>, someone@somewhere wrote:
> I'm interested in maybe developing my own pictures. I am the
>type of person who is "hands on" and likes to do everything myself.
>Now i know that prices vary, but *about* how much would it cost to
>start up a darkroom? No one seems to be able to answer my question as
>to a rough estimate about price. Is it something like $400 dollars, or
>$2,000 dollars??
Thats about right. The single biggest factor would be the cost of the
enlarger. I'm sure you can spend as much as you want on that.
> Also, i was told that developing "color" film is nearly
>impossible (for the average idiot i guess) and that B/W is the only
>type that i should attempt?? Is this true?? I currently only shoot
>color film, but would switch to B/W if it meant i could develop my own
>film?? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you....
There's nothing impossible about colour. Temperature control is the tricky
part, you can (and I do) that by using a mop bucket as a water bath and
adding hot water as needed. I just set up again to develop negs (to run
into the scanner) it cost me $100 including chemicals. You could do it
cheaper if you tried.
I got:
Drum and Spiral (Jobo drum)
Colour thermometer. (has a resolution of fractions of a degree
,Digital in this case)
A few of measuring cylinders
The chemicals come with enough instructions to get going.
To do prints you also need a paper drum and a larger water bath. Along with
the enlarger (and decent lens of course). I've done 20x24 prints like that.
Colour enlargers tend to be rather expensive, they've got optics to give
you carying colour light to correct the prints.
You can get more expensive as you want. A thermostat is helpful for the
waterbath (i used one for an aquarium). There are automatic processors
which make life very easy. Various electronics for timing and colour
correction. How much do you want to spend?
--
Barry
Ba...@netbox.com <http://www.netbox.com/barry>
------
Posted under the freedoms guaranteed by the US constitution.
John Brubaker
Hi - You don't give enough information for a good answer. Do you only
use 35mm? If so, then a darkroom setup will be less costly than
multiple formats. Color is troublesome for home darkrooms - it can be
done, but it will most likely not save you any money. Anyway, BW is
the way to start, rather than jumping right into a color setup. Most
enlargers can be bought with ability to add a color head, or the color
head can be used for variable contrast BW printing. Give more
specifics about what you intend to do, and I'll write a better answer.
- JB.
On Thu, 13 Nov 1997 07:23:51 GMT, Darkroom GUy wrote:
>Hello,
>
> I'm interested in maybe developing my own pictures. I am the
>type of person who is "hands on" and likes to do everything myself.
>Now i know that prices vary, but *about* how much would it cost to
>start up a darkroom? No one seems to be able to answer my question as
>to a rough estimate about price. Is it something like $400 dollars, or
>$2,000 dollars?? I'm seriously thinking about getting into developing
>my own pictures, as long as cost/benefit ratio is worth my investment.
>
>
> Also, i was told that developing "color" film is nearly
>impossible (for the average idiot i guess) and that B/W is the only
>type that i should attempt?? Is this true?? I currently only shoot
>color film, but would switch to B/W if it meant i could develop my own
>film?? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you....
>
>Thanks,
>
>Darkroom Guy.....
gphickey
I'll answer your question as to a rough estimate of price. I set up a
darkroom for developing black and white film and making prints for about
$1800 buying good quality and on sale, but not the best stuff, at a local
pro-camera supplier. I went in with a list and bought everything at once.
the salesman talked me out of some stuff on my list and added some stuff I
didn't know I needed. If you can afford to do it this way I would reccomend
it. I have a relationship with this darkroom guy that has been very helpful
to my learning process. The equipment I bought was 11' x 14' trays. Ilford
chemicals and paper. A two roll film tank. A grain focuser. A Durst
enlarger with a Nikon 50mm lens. A two blade easel. A Durst digital timer.
A safelight. A paper safe. Tongs and squeegie. A filter pack. A lupe. A
camels hair brush for cleaning negatives. Measuring beakers.I live in an
apartment so have the dry side in a bedroom with black plastic covering the
window and after I expose the print I carry it in a black plastic bag
across the hall into the bathroom and kick a towel around the bottom of the
door and develop it.
I have since spent another couple hundred on matting and framing supplies.
I bought my first camera less than two years ago and am 90% self taught in
the use of the camera and darkroom. There are plenty of books and plenty of
mistakes to make and learn from. I'm now able to hang a picture on the wall
that I made from first exposing the film to attaching the completed framed
piece to the wall. It's fun, frustrating and rewarding. I love it!
regards,
George
Darkroom GUy wrote in article <346ba92c...@news.sssnet.com>...
DGRTEK
>So all in you looking at an initial investment of around £200 sterling.
For those Yanks out there that don't know what a sterling pound is, at today's
going rate... it's roughly 1.7 $ to the pound or in this case around 340 us of
a bucks!
John Brubaker
Hi - Someone else mentioned starting with just BW film developing.
That's probably a good idea. An inexpensive plastic film tank/reel, a
thermometer, and some chemicals will get you started. A good starting
combination would be Ilord HP-5 film, Ilfosol-S film developer, and
some fixer. The Ilfosol comes as a liquid concentrate, and can be
mixed just before using, whereas Kodak's D-76 is a powder that needs
to be mixed ahead and stored in a jug. You will need a measuring
container, preferably something marked in milliliters. The
instructions that come with the film, will give times and temperatures
for development Plain water can be used as a stop bath after dev.
and then fixer for the required time. After washing, the film is hung
to dry. Dunking the film in a wetting agent (Photoflo) solution just
before hanging, will help eliminate drying marks. I recommend that
you find an experienced darkroom person to help get you going the
first time. Once you're able to get good negatives, then shop for
your enlarger, and print making supplies.
- JB.