Recent content by Mainecoonmaniac

Packs have their advantages because the heads are lighter. Monolights have packs built in so they're heavier making it hard to put on a boom. I've used strobes with packs. I think Norman packs are dangerous. I've seen one explode and the plugs sometime arcs. One thing you might want to think...

I'm sure your Volvo wagon is like an old friend. If you're like me, I don't need the latest and the greatest. If it works, why get a new one? I hate to say this, but my almost 40 year old enlarger is familiar and I know it inside and out. I've repaired it through out the years and it's still...

Enlargers are specialized equipment which are expensive to manufacture. When I got my 45MXT with Dichro 45S head back in the mid 80s, it was thousands of dollars. I still use it. Though it was expensive, I can’t say that I’m still using inkjet printers I bought in the early 2000s.

As for my enlarger story, I got my Beseler 45MXT almost 40 years ago. I got it in my twenties while an undergrad. I still have my darkroom at mom's place and still use it. I got my second 45MXT at a thrift store almost 10 years ago at a thrift store with a Zone V 16x20 print washer and other...

I don't know if it's my imagination, but on Ebay, it seems that enlarger prices have shot up. I remember 10 years ago, they were ending up in the scrap heap.

I love using roller transport RA processors. They're just like some ink jet printers, you constantly have to use them to keep them happy. I think the advantage of RA processors is they won't go obsolete if the manufacturer decides not to support them anymore. I did desktop support for a while...

I haven't done RA printing in a while because of ink jet printers. Now I'm retired, I thinking about going back to optical printing again. To be perfectly honest, I can't tell the difference between a well made ink jet print and a well made RA4 print. I just like the process. It does have...

You can expose for shadows without a spot meter. Handheld meters in reflectance mode and spot meter measure reflected light. Just hold your meter in the shadow areas and stop down 2 stops if you want to place your shadows in zone III. But just don't meter shadow. After placing your shadows, see...

Thanks for the tip! I’m going to try your toning method. I hope tannic acid won’t go moldy if it’s stored for a bit.

Nice! thanks for sharing. Cyanotypes are fun to make. I got tired of the Prussian blue so I stopped making them. I'll revisit making cyanotype and tone them. I don't know if I missed it, but can you reuse the tannic acid or toss it after each toning session?

Nice! I’ll bet seeing the print is gorgeous in person.

Have you heard of S.L.I.M.T? https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/slimt-and-why-you-should-be-using-it.64135/

Nice work!

I need to go into stand development rehab. I've gotten lazy and can't agitate any more. One step at a time. 😂