Computers in the darkroom

[jhultquist]

Re: Who would benefit from computers in the darkroom:

Part of the reason I developed Pachyderm is because I think an intermediate (or advanced) user like myself will benefit from having a computer in the darkroom. I also think that a lot of people (again like me) are very used to using computers to simplify numerous tasks. I know very few people who sit down and hand write a letter to a friend, or keep track of their finances on their check book register because the computer can simplify the task. Why not in the darkroom too?

-Pachyderm simplifies note taking, test stripping, printing multiple photographs that have several steps, etc.
-It alows you to read and write the information from your session to disk, and it allows you return to previous exposures should you decide you like a previous print best (or you can print out the data from every exposure you made during a session for evaluation.)
-It deals with tedious operations like repeatedly changing the time on your enlarger timer, making f-stop calculations, and recalculating all the times from a previous good exposure when you change paper or your enlarger lamp.

I finally sold my GraLab digital timer as I've been using Pachyderm exclusively for the past year, and I would not think of going back.

Re: porting to mac - Has anyone used "RealBasic?" It's website claims that it can import a Visual Basic File and then compile it to Linux or Mac OS.

 

[DBP]

So, did you join for any reason other than to market your product?

 

[Chan Tran]

I do use computers in the darkroom. Just not the way you did it. I only work color in the darkroom. I have problem blanking the screen.

 

[jhultquist]

So, did you join for any reason other than to market your product?

I usually just read the posts on various online bulletin boards like APUG and Photo.net. I do have opinions about some of the topics being discussed but I am completely self taught so I prefer to read how others do things, understanding that my methods may be a little wonky. (I am a theatre lighting designer by trade - programming is my other hobby).

Pachyderm is my first foray into being more participatory. I feel like I have something to offer here that other members may not. Using computers in the darkroom was at first an odd idea to me until I worked through the entire problem and now that I have I wanted to get the idea out there. As I said previously I developed the software for my use only and it was not until I was encouraged by others did I decide to try to sell it.

I do use computers in the darkroom. Just not the way you did it. I only work color in the darkroom. I have problem blanking the screen.

When you do color work, when do you need the screen to blank? (I have never printed color.) I think I can solve the screen blanking problem. I would be very interested to hear your ideas about how a computer in a color darkroom needs to behave.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Again, IMHO, and advanced user would know when to blank a screen and when not to. That is as plain as the nose on your face, provided that the lights are on.

As for color, that is rather as difficult as it is for any pan film. By now, you should have had experience with it.

I still write notes in the darkroom by hand, carry them out to the computer and type them up if necessary. Hand written notes are less of a pain, and there is less problem with getting the computer equipment either wet or moist from the darkroom humidity. And, you will find that humidity is very high when you are processing color!

In fact, at EK, this humidity was a bit of a problem.

And, hand written notes never crash.

In the final analysis, for the average person, why invest about $1000 in a DR computer when it could go into more film, paper or photographic equipment..?

Oh well....

PE

 

[DBP]

I just keep a big whiteboard behind the enlargers and a calculator and circular sliderule nearby. The latter is for calculating enlargement ratios - I picked it up at an art store.

 

[Chan Tran]

My darkroom is my computer and darkroom. I only do the dry side in this room. The wet side is done in the bath room. I do not buy the computer to be used in the darkroom. I just use the computer that is there. I use an old laptop for a while as the timer for the wet side. I use the desktop computer that is in the darkroom as the interface for my timers. The timer is a programable controller. The computer is only the interface so I can set the time as well as it can do calculation in the fashion of an f stop timer. Timer start/stop via separate buttons. Of course in the color darkroom the monitor must be off whenever I have a sheet of paper out of the paper safe. Nowaday, I need to operate a film scanner in the darkroom to figure out filter settings for my enlarger.

I have several HP calculators from the 70's to 90's vintage as well as several good slide rules a drawer in my darkroom. There is also an abacus and a 7ft slide rule hanging on the wall of the darkroom. I used to use the calculator as timer but I don't do that anymore.