Vicky's Developing Thread

[vicky]

Hahahaha I made a pun in the title and didn't even realise it.

Guess what?! I'm going to be buying a whole bunch of equipment to develop and print my own photos! yay! I think it's a black and white kit.

And I'm going to get it off one of the other photographers at the newspaper who doesn't use it anymore.

But that is all I know at this stage and I'll update (ie: develop hahaha) this thread as I know more and actually get it and then set it up and use it!

And any words of wisdom for someone setting up their very first darkroom in their bathroom?

[PhotoJet]

Yea!!!! Can you post some pics of your bathroom? It might be easier to let you know what you need to do if we can see the space you've got.

Very exciting!!!! :)

[Terri]

Jeanette's right - give us a few shots to see what your space looks like. But bathrooms work very well for darkrooms. I've seen pictures of folks who have laid boards over their bathrubs and set up their chemistry trays there - perfect, no worries about spills.

You'll get plenty of advice and suggestions from this group. Bring it on - darkrooms are wonderful, it's a great freedom to know you can make your own prints!

Congrats!

[Antarctican]

Ooo, lucky you! Sounds like you were in the right place at the right time. Congrats

[ferny]

1. Make sure it's dark in there. You won't notice the small light gaps straight away as it takes a while for your eyes to adjust - so take your time on this.

2. Clear all the clutter away and make sure anything you wash with can't get chemicals on them. Painful and smelly.

3. Make sure you put the seat down before you start. The last thing you want to do in the dark is decide to take a seat for a few minutes and then realise you left it up.

[Terri]

Make sure you put the seat down before you start. The last thing you want to do in the dark is decide to take a seat for a few minutes and then realise you left it up.
Got a story you'd care to share? :mrgreen:

[ferny]

Nope, I have my own darkrook remember. :p

But I did rush to the toilet one day when I was bursting, pulled down my underwear and fell to the seat with a big bump and then realised I'd not lifted it! No mess, it just hurt and made me feel stupid. Hence #3.

I've done lots of silly things recently and my memory is shot to pieces...

[vicky]

Ok Here's a photo of the set up.
Tell me what you think... should I get it, and what price?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Meysha/BWoutfit_small.jpg

And here's the larger 3mb version if you want to zoom in on anything:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Meysha/BWoutfit.jpg

[PhotoJet]

I have to say that I have never seen an enlarger like that one before!

[ferny]

Get some info on the enlarger and see what lenses it takes. You'll need a different one for 35 and 120 work. Assume the chemicals are crap but use them for playing with at first anyway. the other stuff isn't expensive to buy but it is handy to be given it all in one go.

As for price, I can't comment as I don't know what prices stuff goes for down-under. But I wouldn't expect to pay a lot for an "unknown" enlarger. Check eBay to get some idea?

[vicky]

Well I went and picked it up tonight and paid $200 for it all. I'm very happy with that.

And I'll be doing my first prints tomorrow night!

Just wondering, for those of you who set up in your bathroom... do you pack it all down each time you've finished with it? I'm just worried about the humidity in the bathroom affecting the enlarger if i leave it set up all the time.
I think I'll just pack it down after each use.

[Terri]

If you're happy with that price, then it's fair. :) I don't recognize the enlarger, either, but I see the user's manual there, so you're good to go. I see a couple different lenses, negative carriers, and one red filter. Are there more filters?

I agree with Ferny, if you mistrust anything, mistrust the chemicals, and possibly the paper. If you mix correctly, and you get funny results it could be expired chems or old paper. If the paper was sealed (unopened) it might be fine. Chemistry is inexpensive so if you need to buy fresh, don't sweat it. Nice variety of trays, too, and I see the grain focuser. Some cheap jugs and measuring cups and you're set to get started.

Note the orange filter on your safelight. Ann or someone else might want to weigh in here. Different papers like different filters, red or amber (yellow) being other choices. Should she think about getting another safelight, or filter?

You may want to consider purchasing a rolling cart for your enlarger. This way you can easily roll it in and out of the bathroom, possibly storing trays and other items with it. Be much easier!

You look pretty well on your way here, Vicky. Congrats!

[ann]

there is a set of contrast filters for enlarging. The red under the lines filter is for blocking light from the paper, good for spot flashing, but not much else, and i would suggest removing it as it will just be in your way.

I can't tell if there is a filter draw, but someone did purchase the filters, so perhaps they are using them ontop of the negative.

the safe light looks to be the standard bullet type and should be fine.

the reels look a bit strange, but perhaps it is the lighting.

the chemistry is a gamble, the dry chemistry is for developing negatives, with the perceptol creating ISO issues, and frankly i would not recommend it for a beginner.

the stop bath may be ok, as well as the photo flo, (which i think that is what the bottle indicates. Am not sure about the agfa chemistry as it is probably quite old and again as a beginner , not worth the risk.

I am not familar with that enlarger, but it is of a type that is pretty straight forward.

did it come with only that gralab timer? Or is there a timer for the enlarger? The gralab is great for development times; i.e. film and paper, but it is not IMHO so good for exposing paper.

it apprears to have a consender setting out, is that a second one, with the other being engaged already ( i think there is one, in the upper "draw" above the negative stage.

here is a link that should be very helpful
http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/page.asp?n=9
lots of pdf files with all the basic steps

have fun

[ferny]

I didn't see the enlarger manual. :blush: Yes, that'll come in handy!

Ann - I've only got experience of my own kit, but those reels look "normal" to me. There are three there and they're the type which extend to take larger film.

On that note, Vicky, make sure they have their ball bearings. They help grip the film as you put it on the reel. One of mine has its missing and it's impossible to load without forcing it on. Fortunately I've got loads of drums and reels so it isn't an issue for me. If you're going to do loads of films in one go you may want to buy another so that you're using them dry. Loading wet reels is...


Oh, obviously make sure you clean everything with really hot water before you use it and you may as well mark each tray. I doubt it makes any difference but I always try and use the same pots/tubs/trays for the same type of chemical. I've even labels up the tea towels I use (developer, stop bath, fixer and "clean") so I don't cross-contaminate.

To be fair, if you advance as quickly as you did with general photography then in a weeks time you'll be telling me how to do things! :mrgreen:

[vicky]

Wow! Thank you so much for all the info everyone! It's invaluable! :-)

Ann, the filters go in that drawer that's sticking out (above the negative holder).
Yep the reels are the type that extend to take larger negs.
and Yep it has two sets of condensor lenses, one's already in there - just below the filter drawer.
I understand they're for 35mm and 2 1/4in negatives. But how am I able to tell them apart? TBH I haven't looked at them closely so it may be written on them.

Thanks for the ilford link. It's just so confusing for me to understand the processes without having all the items in front of me. There's so many different names of chemicals etc. I'm going to have to tape instructions above each tray when I get around to printing.

Terri,
You are a wealth of info! :-)
The box labeled Ilford Multigrade is full of filters - a pack of about twelve I can't remember... from 00 to 5.5 or something. - That means nothing to me at the moment... but I'm learning.

Great idea on the rolling kart, but my bathroom is about 5cms above the floor in the hallway, and my only storage space is downstairs. So I think I'll just have to box it up and take it downstairs each time.
I bought a whole bunch of black plastic today to lightproof the bathroom and it's looking good.

Another question about printing: I need to get some measuring jugs and cylinders. What sizes should I get? I haven't figured out how much of each chemical I'll be needing yet. I found a great website: www.labdirect.com.au that a chemist told me about and they have heaps of cheap measuring devices. I just don't know which ones.

Ferny, thanks for the advice on labelling. Should I clean the stuff after use in any special way, or just hot water and rinse it all down the sink. Can I keep any of the used chemicals to use again? But realistically I'm not going to be using it more than once a week.

[ann]

the reels look pink or have a pink cast, which could be from chemistry or from the lighinting. i didn't mean to say they weren't normal, perhaps dirty.


the filter grades or 00 to grade 5. the lower the number the less contrast, the higher the number the greater the contrast grade.

if you go over those pdf files they will cover their use.

1 gallon jugs to hold "stock" chemistry will do.

you can wash out trays after use.

you can reuse the fixer, however, place it in a separate container than the "stock" jug.
you can also re-use the stop bath; however, it storage is an issue it may not be to your advantage.
saving the developer will depend on what your using. It can be place in another container ; however, deverloper tends to go south quickly, but then again it will depend on which one your using.

i happen to use glass containers as i don't like plastic, but it may be harder for you to find . I also tend to use amber, or brown containers for storing stock, however, this is just old school thinking. I have heard of people using all sorts of stange plastic containers , but be carefull as some of these are not safe for chemistry.
Since your using your bathroom for working, i would really use dark colored jugs if they are sitting around in the light.

you will need a funnel, or maybe even two. a 2 liter beaker is good for measuring out water. smaller beakers, perhaps 4 for film chemistry.
you will need storage containers for developer (film) and paper. unless you end up using a film developer that is a one shot type i.e. hc110. You don't need anything for stopbath as you just add that to water per use. You will need one for fixer, if mixing from poweder and another for the fixer that is in use. If you are using a liquid form of fixer you will mix that in the proper dilution rate as needed. You can bottle this up for use again.
you may want to get some hypo check which will make checking fixer for silver count;unless you want to count the surface level of how many prints go through the fixer, which is a pain for beginners.

[ferny]

The only reason I said about cleaning them with hot water was to clear away anything which may have been used with them before. You've no idea how well they've been cleaned either. :)



I use these bottles which I got from Jessops;

http://www.2spi.com/catalog/photo/images/2076.jpg

They collapse so you don't have air in them when you store the chemicals. The other option is to add marbles to normal bottles to raise the level but that sounds like a headache when cleaning and pouring them to me.

Kodak Max Stop has an indicator in it which makes the liquid go black under safelights when it's exhausted. You can use it for film and paper but in different concentrations.

I use cheap plastic jugs for measuring. I also use a small syringe as sometime I only want 20ml of something and the jugs don't have those marks. Most of the time you work by ratios. 5-1 or 9-1 etc and not a set number of ml which is handy.

[Terri]

you may want to get some hypo check which will make checking fixer for silver count;unless you want to count the surface level of how many prints go through the fixer, which is a pain for beginners.
This is another good tidbit of advice. Hypocheck is inexpensive and, after a long printing session, a fast and easy way to make sure your fixer hasn't exhausted itself.

Here's what they have from our friends at Freestyle (http://www.freestylephoto.biz/69800-Arista-Premium-Hypo-Check-.75-oz.); you can get this or a similar product from Jessops, or whatever your main online store is that ships to Oz. :) It all works like this stuff; squeeze a couple of drops right into your tray holding the fixer after several prints have gone through.

I have the same collapsing-type jugs that Pete pictured here. Supposedly helps extend the life of your stock solutions by giving you the ability to lower the jug after each use, thus keeping oxygen out. I'm not able to print often so maybe it helps me.