Building my first darkroom

mehguy · Apr 13, 2016

Hi everyone,

Ive been looking into making a basic darkroom with an enlarger. Now, I don't have much space and I'll probably have to store the enlarger when I'm not using it. I plan to use a bathroom. I'm only going to make 35mm film prints But watching youtube videos on film printing, they seem to take up a lot of space and are very large. Are there enlargers out there that will only print 35mm and are much smaller?

Also, I'm still sorting out what chemicals to use. As for the film developer, I need a developer that as a long shelf life, is relatively available in my area (I'm also considering mixing up my own D-23 developer...).

As for the paper developer, I assume you use more of (since you have to fill up a full tray of it) so the shelf life of the paper developer may not be a deal breaker and also I'd be willing to shop abroad since paper developers are a little more uncommon than film developers.

LASTLY, if anyone has some steel reels they'd like to part with, I'd be willing to buy them up. Preferably if you were located in Canada.

Thanks in advance,

MattKing · Apr 13, 2016

Where in Canada are you?

HC-110 is a good choice for long life.

Have you seen the Bathroom and Temporary Darkroom Thread? (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I use Kodak Polymax T as a print developer. One bottle makes 10 litres of working solution, and keeps well. Dektol is easy to find, easy to mix and in powder format when you get it, so it keeps.

Here are some pics from my darkroom with my smaller enlarger on its cart.

mehguy · Apr 13, 2016

I currently live about 1 hour north of downtown Toronto so all the awesome camera shops that are down there are out of reach unless I make the uncommon trip there. It's a shame too since I know some camera shops that stock a very good selection of darkroom stuff compared to Henry's.

frank · Apr 13, 2016

If you're interested I could help you out. I'm in uxbridge. Where are you?

mehguy · Apr 13, 2016

frank said:
If you're interested I could help you out. I'm in uxbridge. Where are you?

I'm in Newmarket.

frank · Apr 13, 2016

PM sent.

jvo · Apr 13, 2016

exciting! 1st darkroom.

take up frank on his offer... someone "walking" you through the process is a real gift getting started.

hc110 is what you're looking for... long lasting, versatile and available.

i got 3 steel reels... if you don't get a better offer, i can post them from florida, if cost reasonable. post or pm me.

Todd Barlow · Apr 13, 2016

Look up Camera Shows in Toronto Kijiji and get the details for a show this Sunday (April 17, 2016) at the Delta hotel 401 and Kennedy, they usually have darkroom equipment.

John Koehrer · Apr 13, 2016

The Beseler Matt shows is a decent and compact enlarger, so is an Omega B-22. Neither is heavy
but putting it on wheels makes it easier to move around.
Matts has a color head and can work with 6X7 negatives, The Omegas are 6X6 and usually found with a B &W head
but there are color heads that will fit.
The Beseler's also available with a B&W head. Prices today don't show much difference between them.
Check out the show Barlow mentions, keep in mind prices are flexible and enlargers are bulky
so look around & later in the day are likely to be a bit less.

FWIW I recently got a B22XL(taller 22) with 2 carrier,2 lens4s and lens boards for less than $30.00
and that's not uncommon. Sometimes you can get an entire darkroom for free.

mehguy · Apr 13, 2016

Can vinegar with water be used as a stop bath?

MattKing · Apr 13, 2016

mehguy said:
Can vinegar with water be used as a stop bath?

Yes, if it is high purity white vinegar. It works out in the long run to be moderately expensive, and without an indicator it is harder to know when it needs replacing.

One bottle of the Kodak stuff develops many prints and many rolls of film and lasts a very long time. Two bottles of the Ilford stuff develop many prints and many rolls of film and also last a very long time, and don't smell as bad.

BenKrohn · Apr 14, 2016

I have an Omega B22 enlarger. Very compact very light weight and easy to move.

Indicator Stop is probably the least expensive thing you will need in the darkroom. And it will make your fix chemistry last longer.

RalphLambrecht · Apr 14, 2016

mehguy said:
Can vinegar with water be used as a stop bath?

Yes, aim for a 2% working solution.

Jim Jones · Apr 14, 2016

I use liquid film and paper developer, and mix only as much as needed for one darkroom session. Stop bath and fix last well when diluted.

FujiLove · Apr 14, 2016

I have a very small darkroom set up in my spare bathroom and use Nova tanks instead of normal trays. They are a great space saver if you can get hold of them. I have boards (2" thick scaffolding boards cut to size at a local timber yard and painted) over a short bath and have enough room for a Durst AC707 enlarger, a three slot B&W 16"x12" Nova tank, a four slot heated colour 16"x12" tank and a two slot print washer. I even have a bit of room behind the enlarger to store focus finders and filters etc.

Ordinary blackout curtain works great for covering doors and windows. I found it better than the expensive 'real' photographic black vinyl stuff I bought.

I found the biggest problem was making sure I could move safely around the limited space without doing myself an injury and/or spilling and breaking things. It may sound obvious, but take things really slow at first if you're working in a limited space. Take great care to understand how to move things around safely and be aware of where your elbows are! I've lost count of the number of times I've knocked a perfectly set-up easel, as I got up from the floor where my paper safe lives.

Don't be put off if you have limited space. You can make it work with a bit of thought and planning.

Have fun!

FujiLove · Apr 14, 2016

I forgot to add: the Nova tanks keep the chemicals fresh for weeks with a little replenishment. I cover the slots with cling film after use to keep the oxygen out. The other advantage is I can be printing in five minutes without the hassle of mixing chemicals every time.

MattKing · Apr 14, 2016

Jim Jones said:
I use liquid film and paper developer, and mix only as much as needed for one darkroom session. Stop bath and fix last well when diluted.

With respect to stop bath, working strength acetic acid based stop bath (e.g. Kodak) will last, but the citric acid based stuff (e.g. Ilford) tends to encourage growth of stuff you don't want in your stop bath.

canvassy · Apr 14, 2016

mehguy said:
Hi everyone,

Ive been looking into making a basic darkroom with an enlarger. Now, I don't have much space and I'll probably have to store the enlarger when I'm not using it. I plan to use a bathroom. I'm only going to make 35mm film prints But watching youtube videos on film printing, they seem to take up a lot of space and are very large. Are there enlargers out there that will only print 35mm and are much smaller?

I carry my Beseler 23C II into the bathroom when I want to print, and store it in another room when it's not being used. The 23C II does up to medium format 6x9, and it works out quite well for me to use with a temporary darkroom. It's really not as heavy and cumbersome as I imagined it would be, and might be something for you to consider.

Ron789 · Apr 14, 2016

A superb yet simple and small enlarger: the Leitz Valoy or Valoy 2; with a Focotar 50mm lens it will provide a print quality that no other, larger, more sophisticated enlarger will surpass. I don't know about availability in the Americas but here in Europe you can buy a good Valoy with Focotar lens for some $50 - $80.
Film developer with long shelf life: nothing beats Rodinal (available from ADOX).
Have fun with your first darkroom!

Zathras · Apr 15, 2016

Ron789 said:
A superb yet simple and small enlarger: the Leitz Valoy or Valoy 2; with a Focotar 50mm lens it will provide a print quality that no other, larger, more sophisticated enlarger will surpass. I don't know about availability in the Americas but here in Europe you can buy a good Valoy with Focotar lens for some $50 - $80.
Film developer with long shelf life: nothing beats Rodinal (available from ADOX).
Have fun with your first darkroom!

I have a Valoy 2 with a 50mm C.E. Rokkor. This is an outstanding combination. I got it on ebay for $50.00, but the seller didn't want to ship it so I went on a road trip from the SF Bay Area to Mendocino, CA and back, visiting friends along the way and stopping to photograph a few areas of the coast on my way home. For me it was worth the effort.

If you can find one of these, just make sure it has the condenser, neg carrier and the DOORX extension ring for the lens. These items are hard to find on their own, especially the condenser. This is one of the best 35mm only enlargers made.

mehguy · Apr 15, 2016

Can I used red Christmas lights as a safe light?

Jim Jones · Apr 15, 2016

mehguy said:
Can I used red Christmas lights as a safe light?

Possibly, but they should be properly tested first. Some red LED sources publish the spectral response curves for their products. This should give you reasonable assurance of appropriate performance.

Sirius Glass · Apr 15, 2016

mehguy said:
Can I used red Christmas lights as a safe light?

Probably not. Safe lights are safe lights. Random red lights are just red lights and will probably fog photographic paper.

mehguy · Apr 17, 2016

I have some developer packets of d76 and dektol from about 10-15 years ago. Are they any good?

MattKing · Apr 17, 2016

mehguy said:
I have some developer packets of d76 and dektol from about 10-15 years ago. Are they any good?

If you open them up and discover that the powder is both white and flows freely (not in clumps) most likely yrs.

With Dektol, it doesn't hurt much to try. At most you waste a couple of sheets of paper to determine that the developer doesn't give good blacks or contrast.

With D76 or any other film developer, it is a lot more risky to experiment.

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