I may get a digital timer in the end. I'm still thinking it would be more convenient, but I'm trying to save as much money as possible. I can deal with a little inconvenience if i'm saving $100 or so
Honestly, I have a home built simple digital timer that came with my enlarger (well, probably not digital...it is about 30 years old built with nixie tubes!). I also have a used digital timer for my other enlarger that I paid $30 for. Used digital timers are fine!
You will need a GraLab style timer in any case to time film and paper processing. QUOTE]
Why do I need a GraLab timer for film and paper processing? I've been doing just fine with a kitchen timer from Target. I've even used a cell phone stopwatch when my timer's battery went dead
GraLab 300's are nice for processing, as the large dial is easy to read, and you can use it in the dark for doing tray or open tank processing. For the enlarger, they aren't so hot, IMO, because they don't repeat, and can't be set for a precise number of seconds.
Are they necessary for processing? Certainly not.
As Nicholas says, the GraLab's are quiet, but the do make a fairly audible click when the time runs out, which I listen for as my signal that whatever interval I'm timing has run out, if I don't happen to be watching it. For things where timing is critical, I make sure I'm watching it.
It's very easy to set a Gralab precisely within a half second - the dial is huge, and one certainly can position the hands at positions much less than a second apart. If you really think that a setting of 13.3 seconds vs. 13.6 seconds - which is the type of real world variance that one might see with a Gralab timer, actually makes a difference, you're inhaling too many darkroom chemicals. Frankly, the accuracy of any lens' diaphragm blades is a noticeably larger source of exposure variance than inconsistent settings from a Gralab's lack of repeat timing. Gralabs also have a very loud buzzer that can be turned on and off, as well as adjusted for volume, which is MUCH more audible than the click of the hands if the buzzer has been turned off.
Before you drop $500+ on an enlarger and related items, you probably should consider that you could almost certainly find a perfectly nice used outfit for a tiny fraction of that amount. Digital has really put most film darkroom gear into the obsolete category (along with film cameras). I've seen Beseler 23C enlargers (which are a step up from the model you are considering) for essentially the cost to ship them. And top quality used enlarging lenses like El Nikkors, going for prices like $20-25 (and at that price, the obvious answer would be, get BOTH, an 80mm and a 50mm so you could use the one best oriented to each film format).
Here's a couple of examples:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Beseler-23CIII-...9955QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVWQQsalenotsupported
http://cgi.ebay.com/Beseler-23C-II-...2262QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVWQQsalenotsupported
It's almost certainly a dead bulb. You can clean the contacts with a nail file (obviously, not while it's plugged in)
I tested the power to where the light plugs in, and there's no power coming to it. Is there a switch somewhere that I need to flip on? If there is, I cant find it
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?