Darkroom flashlight?

Resoman · Apr 11, 2008

Friends -

I used to have a little item made by JOBO, I think, which was a very small flashlight with an OC-type filter in the light path. I've misplaced it, and could really make use of it for changing filtration while printing on VC paper.

Does anyone still make such a darkroom flashlight at a reasonable price? I've looked for red LED keychain lights without success.

Thanks,

Gary,
East Snook, TX

Photo Engineer · Apr 11, 2008

I take an ordinary flashlight and put a cutout of a wratten 29 or 70 filter in the path. It makes a fine safe flashlight. At Kodak we had different flaslight covers for many different types of conditions. It is no big deal to make one. I have two.

PE

Vaughn · Apr 11, 2008

I just use a regular flashlight to which I have glued a red safety filter onto the lens. I run a university darkroom and I have it on the wall in case someone drops something on the floor, or if we lose power, or an earthquake visits us, etc.

Vaughn

PS...the red safety filter is the one that comes with variable contrast filter sets.

eclarke · Apr 11, 2008

I bought a nice little LED darkroom torch from RH Designs, a sponsor here. I love it..Evan Clarke

Travis Nunn · Apr 11, 2008

RH Designs makes a safe torch. I use one and it's pretty handy. Not sure if it this is what you're looking for, though
http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/safetorch.html

Monophoto · Apr 11, 2008

Many years ago I was given a large sheet of red acetate. I've made several darkroom flashlights by putting a small chip under the lens of an ordinary flashlight.

David Brown · Apr 11, 2008

Resoman said:
I've looked for red LED keychain lights without success.

Next time you're at a mall with a "Brookstone", check these out:

http://www.brookstone.com/store/pro...ords=keychain&prodtemp=t2&cm_re=Result*R1C1*T

I know, the website only offers blue and white, but I bought a red one at a store, and there were other colors available.

And, there's always the wratten filter over a flashlight.

fschifano · Apr 11, 2008

I bought a couple of sheets of a graphic arts material called rubylith for patching up or making up safelight filters. a small piece under the lens of a flashlight makes a fine "safe" flashlight. Just don't point it directly at unexposed paper at close distance. That practice may not be so safe.

ntenny · Apr 11, 2008

David Brown said:
Next time you're at a mall with a "Brookstone", check these out:

http://www.brookstone.com/store/pro...ords=keychain&prodtemp=t2&cm_re=Result*R1C1*T

I know, the website only offers blue and white, but I bought a red one at a store, and there were other colors available.

Astronomy shops sell them too, probably cheaper than Brookstone (a red light doesn't blow out your night vision as badly as other colours).

Plus, some stores handle both scopes and cameras, so you can walk in for a cheap LED light and be seduced by a few expensive lenses while you're there.

-NT

sun of sand · Apr 11, 2008

i bought a flashlight with red and blue filter covers -who the hell knows what they were supposed to do for you besides diminish light output- but I soon enough took it into the darkroom and then decided to put red vinyl tape over the filter to darken it some more. Works great.

Lee L · Apr 11, 2008

See:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Rosco and Lee make theater gels with the proper red filtration. You can buy a sheet from B&H for under $6 last time I looked. That's enough to cover a large number of flashlights. Don't have the exact passbands here at hand, you could find the correct filters at the Lee or Rosco websites.

Lee
(Disclaimer: I don't make filters)

bdial · Apr 11, 2008

I recently bought a little Petzl red safety head light that is working out quite nicely in the darkroom. Dead Link Removed

Darkroom flashlight?

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