New to darkroom photography. Recommendations for safelights?

[RalphLambrecht]

Welcome aboard @Premier!

There's a difference between papers; some papers work OK with an amber safelight (they will also work OK with red) and others (esp. Foma) that really need a red safelight as amber will fog them. So the safest bet is a red safelight. I've personally used red LED strips shielded with an extra layer of rubylith. This has worked well for me for years. There's a limit to how bright you can make it before the paper starts to fog; this depends mostly on the paper you use. E.g. Fomaspeed will fog a a few stops earlier than the much slower Fomatone. So whichever solution you choose, be sure to perform adequate tests as @MattKing outlines above. Note that only testing for fogging of the whites is not adequate! You really need to determine as well whether there's an effect on the contrast, even if the safelight doesn't generate image tone by itself. It can still act as a contrast-reducing fogging exposure.

fully agree. I'm paranoid about safelight fogging and also went with red lights with additional rubylith protection; not the brightestbut the safest.

 

[Tina Kino]

Thank you @koraks for your help, I appreciate it!

Yes I saw the Rubilith on eBay, it's just rather expensive (also shipping one rolled sheet from abroad seems nuts).

I spoke to the people of Lee Filters, who also offer a deep golden amber filter - that would need some proper testing, but if it passes that would be a nice option (for Multigrade)..

 

[koraks]

a deep golden amber filter

Looking at the transmission curve, that will definitely not work for Foma papers and may also produce problems with other VC papers.

 

[Pegajoy]

Never made a fogging test, but for Foma paper, I use the ADOX Supersafe LED bulbs that are quite cheap. For Ilford paper, I use the orange SL-1. But the ADOX bulbs are not very less bright, very comfortable for darkroom work. I had the five SL-1 first. If I had have known the quality of the ADOX bulbs before, I had safe my money and started with them.

 

[Tina Kino]

I also got a SL-1 @Pegajoy and think it's great (definitely safe for Ilford Multigrade, which is all that I'm using, not expensive (used on eBay etc.), pleasant light to work under)..

Just realised (as my wet area is on the other side of the room, opposite the enlarger) that I'd be standing in my own shadow when developing the prints in the trays - this is happening near the sink - over which there are low-hanging cupboards, which is why it would be perfect to have an LED strip below those.
I'm basically trying to find some suitable light that runs along the length of the cupboards, ideally in a similar color to the amber SL-1



If it would be all on free standing tables I'd hang those Adox Supersafe bulbs over them as well. That would be an easy and rather cheap solution, and apparently they really are super safe

By the way, how are you finding the light of those (apart from the brightness), is it as pleasant as the SL-1 to you?

Thanks!

 

[Pegajoy]

Yes, it is nearly pleasant like the SL-1. I will make some pictures from my next darkroom session tomorrow.

 

[BobUK]

My darkroom measures 8 feet by 10 feet.

I am using a 250 volt 15 watt tungsten bulb with an amber Ilford S902 5" x 7" filter glass bounced off the ceiling.

Would there be a significant light improvement if I used an S902 8" x 10" filter glass with the same bulb?

 

[Pegajoy]

Hello @Tina Kino, sorry for being late, had to postpone my session to today. Her the pictures of my darkroom setup illuminated by SL-1 and the Adox safelight with clip lamps that are directed to the ceiling.

The SL-1 is bit brighter, but at the end both are very convenient for working.

 

[Tina Kino]

Thank you very much for the feedback (and the pictures) @Pegajoy - I appreciate it

A nice darkroom you got there!

 

[Pegajoy]

Thanks a lot. What you see is a rock solid Homrich 4x5 color enlarger to the left, in the middle a Magnifax 4 with a Heiland splitgrade system and on the right a Philips PCS 2000 RGB enlarger that I use for color negatives and slides.

 

[Pegajoy]

Just found this alternative:

https://www.ars-imago.com/shop/dr2003-ars-imago-lampada-rossa-led-per-camera-oscura-6311?category=612

 

[Tina Kino]

..I also saw these the other day.

They seem to be designed as a little "secondary" light - yet they advise to keep it "at a minimum of 1.5m distance from the paper or the film", which seems a little weird for that use case?
I'd probably still prefer a SL-1 (which Ilford suggests to keep away 1.2m).

 

[Pegajoy]

Agreed. I prefer the SL-1 also. I use the Adox safelights only where needed, Foma, old Afga Record Rapid etc.

 

[MattKing]

The 16 foot rope light/Christmas light/safelight in my temporary darkroom/bathroom that passes the Kodak safelight test with the Ilford and (old Agfa) and Oriental RC papers I use:

 

[snusmumriken]

The 16 foot rope light/Christmas light/safelight in my temporary darkroom/bathroom that passes the Kodak safelight test with the Ilford and (old Agfa) and Oriental RC papers I use:

View attachment 417175

Some pretty murky chemicals you got there, Matt! What process are you doing, out of curiosity?

 

[MattKing]

Some pretty murky chemicals you got there, Matt! What process are you doing, out of curiosity?

I nest smaller trays inside larger ones to help minimize splashes - particularly the fixer - and those inner trays happen to be black .
Ethol LPD developer, either Ilfostop or just citric acid, and either Ilford Rapid Fixer or Hypam fixer right now, although I've used lots of the Kodak rapid Fixer without hardener added in the past.
The lower tray is a print washing tray which drains into a further print washing tray on the bottom (which is hard to see in that photo) which itself drains into the tub.
As I use RC paper, I'm able to wash them 1-2 minutes in each wash tray - bottom one first, then top one next - which is enough for thorough washing.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

This is what I have been using for the past couple of months. I have a proper darkroom safelight, but this one is safer for the xray film that I use... Influenced by a darkroom group that I belong to (along with Matt!). I was quite impressed with the brightness level. By the way, I tested this rope light via Kodak safelight test (thanks @MattKing!).

 

[snusmumriken]

Hello,

I am new to darkroom photography. I am setting up an enlarger in a spare bedroom, and developing trays in the bathtub in my only bathroom. Can anyone recommend what you consider a good safelight? I am only working in black and white, and with variable contrast papers.

Thanks,

Phil

Honestly, I'd go for cheap and cheerful. You'll find a simple red darkroom safelight satisfactory for many years, and easy to unhook and stow away. For about 15 years I used only a single Paterson dome light, and it still forms part of my safelight array, using the original bulb, now >30 years old. It's identical to the Photax dome light, and both can be found second-hand on eBay for next to nothing.

If you use a type of paper that allows it (eg Ilford Multigrade), an amber safelight allows you more light to see by - but the red is perfectly good for such papers too.

 

[snusmumriken]

I nest smaller trays inside larger ones to help minimize splashes - particularly the fixer - and those inner trays happen to be black .

Aha !!

 

[Tina Kino]

Speaking of "secondary lights" - I thought these little safe LED flashlights like Tim Rudman is wearing around his neck in this video on Lith printing are neat (made by Heiland, so quite pricey.. there's probably a rear bikelight alternative that does the same : )

 

[Tina Kino]

@MattKing that rack setup looks pretty good And the lights very festive

 

[MattKing]

@MattKing that rack setup looks pretty good And the lights very festive

The folding metal ironing board that serves as the support serves to complete the ensemble .
The "racks" are actually coated metal shelving cut to length at a local Home Depot or similar.