Darkroom Luxuries

eddie · Nov 28, 2020

Frank53 said:
-the Heiland split grade filter module that came as a free extra with the LPL7452 I won on a local auction site
- the Heiland split grade control unit + Comfort unit. The best investment I ever did.

Agreed. I have the Heiland units on my 4550XLG. Truly remarkable pieces of equipment.

srmcnamara · Nov 30, 2020

wyofilm said:
srmcnamara has a luxurious rock in his darkroom!

I’d trade that rock for a Jobo!

wyofilm · Nov 30, 2020

srmcnamara said:
I’d trade that rock for a Jobo!

seall · Nov 30, 2020

A comfortable chair.

Nige · Nov 30, 2020

does beer fridge count? although I wrecked a print one day when I thought it was a good idea to grab one during the development phase... oops!

RalphLambrecht · Nov 30, 2020

logan2z said:
RH Designs Analyzer Pro.

not a luxury but a necessity.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 30, 2020

Michael Firstlight said:
See my recent posts today in Dark Room Portraits 2 - many luxuries (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/darkroom-portraits-part-2.89555/page-17#post-2348806). For me the ultimate luxury would be a Heiland Densitomiter.

MFL

lots of printing and checking with a densitometer really improves my printing.

ericdan · Nov 30, 2020

Leitz Focomat

36cm2 · Nov 30, 2020

Time to spend there.

logan2z · Dec 1, 2020

RalphLambrecht said:
not a luxury but a necessity.

It certainly has become indispensable to me.

Ai Print · Dec 1, 2020

A luxury? A film loading / unloading table with built in dedicated vacuum for cleaning film backs and holders. I get a *lot* less dust on negatives now.

Rick Jones · Dec 1, 2020

Always considered my dry mount press a luxury. Makes EVERY print look better.

Michael Firstlight · Dec 1, 2020

My small air compressor (along with a good air gun handle and an in-line filter - good bye cans of dust-off!

Steve Goldstein · Dec 1, 2020

A sink. And running water in it.

I have neither and need to bring empty trays and containers to the kitchen sink for washing as it's the only one in the house that's big enough. Bleaching also happens in the kitchen.

perkeleellinen · Dec 1, 2020

36cm2 said:
Time to spend there.

That is a luxury!

I thought a 4 blade easel was a luxury when I got mine, now it is a necessity.

NortheastPhotographic · Dec 1, 2020

Agree on Heiland items, they are so nice to work with. I can't believe how quick they are to update firmware when new papers come out, or refine profiles. I have an LED head in my 4550XL. I really would like to purchase an 8x10 LED for my Zone VI enlarger, but the cost is prohibitive. Maybe someday! The cost is high upfront for the LED but if you can swing it, time is money, and paper is a lot closer to money. It's 2020 and there is no shame in speeding up the process a bit.

Now if only they would come out with a color analyzer.

Luis-F-S · Dec 1, 2020

Intellifaucet K250 and Elkay chiller. Not really luxuries, but essentials.

Saganich · Dec 1, 2020

Electricity: I have to run an extension cord into the hallway.

dkonigs · Dec 1, 2020

NortheastPhotographic said:
Now if only they would come out with a color analyzer.

A modern color analyzer, and a modern color densitometer, are the biggest missing pieces of electronic darkroom equipment.

ic-racer · Dec 1, 2020

I got a full set of these Stainless Steel Leedal graduates at Photorama for almost nothing. I don't know how I got along without this 4 liter one all these years. I was using a common bucket. This is perfect for mixing Dektol, because of the accurate graduated markings.

ic-racer · Dec 1, 2020

High humidity is the bane of all photography equipment. I monitor humidity with a sling psychometer. The nice thing about a sling psychometer is that as long as the mercury columns of the thermometers stay intact, it never needs to be re-calibrated.

R.Gould · Dec 1, 2020

logan2z said:
RH Designs Analyzer Pro.

Best luxury money can buy

Tom Kershaw · Dec 1, 2020

ic-racer said:
I got a full set of these Stainless Steel Leedal graduates at Photorama for almost nothing. I don't know how I got along without this 4 liter one all these years. I was using a common bucket. This is perfect for mixing Dektol, because of the accurate graduated markings.
View attachment 260745

Those look great. Much better than the various old plastic jugs / buckets that I tend to use.

logan2z · Dec 1, 2020

Rick Jones said:
Always considered my dry mount press a luxury. Makes EVERY print look better.

Agreed. I lucked out and found a lightly used Seal 210M a few years ago for a decent price. So far I've only used it to flatten fiber prints, but I would like to start dry mounting prints as well.

barzune · Dec 2, 2020

Steve Goldstein said:
A sink. And running water in it.

I have neither and need to bring empty trays and containers to the kitchen sink for washing as it's the only one in the house that's big enough. Bleaching also happens in the kitchen.

I fully agree !

Darkroom Luxuries

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency