Darkroom With What I Had On Hand

Hi,

Last night I finally had a session in my dark room. Everything has been set up for months but I don't have any proper darkroom chems or fresh paper. I decided to go for it anyhow.

I used Legacy Pro Tmax with 80ml to 1000ml, some used stop and a liter of Ilford rapid fix at full strength that had 10 rolls of 35mm put through it. I have a box of Kodak RC 8x10 glossy that expired 10 years ago.

I found that the paper reached peak development at 1:40 but was coming out very light. So I exposed at 3.5 for 1:30! and the photos still came out weak. No big deal, I did not expect much. I did find out my setup works and I can go ahead and get some proper chemicals and fresh paper.

I don't mind using third party or off brands, what would you all recommend for Paper/Developer/Fixer combo on a budget? I was looking at the Legacy Pro stuff and I was wondering what the opinion is around here on the value and quality.

I'm pretty new to Darkroom, this is only my second time doing a run. Any tips on what equipment I should pickup? I have the enlarger, timer, safelight, easel, grain-viewer, trays, tongs, clock, thermometer, and cloths pins. I learned from my first time what I needed and was wondering if there is anything that makes work easier that I'm overlooking.

Thanks!

Legacy Pro is good, but Freestyle has even cheaper brands that'll be fine.

chip j said:

Legacy Pro is good, but Freestyle has even cheaper brands that'll be fine.

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The Arista stuff?

Where is "here"?
It is fine to use "off brand", at least until you are familiar enough with the procedures to be able to appreciate the more subtle differences between the choices. And even then, the "off brand" stuff may still end up to be what you choose and prefer.
But it is worthwhile to consider some of the other choices, even if they might at first appear more expensive.
As an example, I like Kodak Polymax T developer. For about US $11.00 you get concentrate that mixes up 1 + 9 and will give you 10 litres of working solution. The $11.00 might be more up front than some other options, but the flexibility of a long storage life liquid concentrate might end up meaning you spend the same or less than other, apparently cheaper options.

Cholentpot said:

The Arista stuff?

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YES

MattKing said:

Where is "here"?
It is fine to use "off brand", at least until you are familiar enough with the procedures to be able to appreciate the more subtle differences between the choices. And even then, the "off brand" stuff may still end up to be what you choose and prefer.
But it is worthwhile to consider some of the other choices, even if they might at first appear more expensive.
As an example, I like Kodak Polymax T developer. For about US $11.00 you get concentrate that mixes up 1 + 9 and will give you 10 litres of working solution. The $11.00 might be more up front than some other options, but the flexibility of a long storage life liquid concentrate might end up meaning you spend the same or less than other, apparently cheaper options.

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Here is in Ohio USA.

My shop I used to go to closed and now I have to order online. $11 is fine but then they kick you with shipping fees. $11 can go to $17-20 pretty quick add that up with needing to buy a few things and I'm looking at more than I wanted to spend. If I could find a local shop that sells the stuff I would go there over ordering online.

chip j said:

YES

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I'd take it you like Arista?

Fresh dev and fresh RC paper are pretty safe bets, my choice is usually Ilford paper and chemistry, RC paper is so easy to process and wash. I prefer FB Ilford Warmtone for the best prints but washing them is a problem, my bath leaks :-(

Warm tone is good for portraits, but I like cold tone much better. Cold tone usually gives the blackest blacks.

Cholentpot said:

Here is in Ohio USA.

My shop I used to go to closed and now I have to order online. $11 is fine but then they kick you with shipping fees. $11 can go to $17-20 pretty quick add that up with needing to buy a few things and I'm looking at more than I wanted to spend. If I could find a local shop that sells the stuff I would go there over ordering online.

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I tend to base my orders on what the thresholds are for free or reduced shipping. I get stuff shipped to Washington State, and cross the border to pick it up for importing into Canada.

A decent radio or CD player. Nice music makes long darkroom sessions more pleasant.
Don't make the music too rough or loud. For ME, soft smooth music is easier to block out, when I have to THINK; about image selection, printing size, and cropping. Even so, I have sometime had to turn the radio OFF, so that I could concentrate. This is "background" or "elevator" music. Although some prefer rougher and louder music, this is all personal preference.

When you buy on-line, you need to build the order. Don't buy one-at-a-time, the total shipping cost will be expensive. Accumulate enough stuff so the combined shipping cost is less than the one-at-a-time ordering. Example one large order with $25 shipping is less than 4 small orders with $10 shipping for each order, for a total of $40 shipping. Think HARD and smart when you shop on-line, and you can save $$.

In your case, you also need to consider the weather. Buying liquid chemicals in the winter may not be a good idea. I have heard of people buying ink in the winter, and having the ink freeze, expanding and cracking the bottles, and creating a mess in the shipping box. You may have a warm place to receive the mail, but the box may sit in a COLD/FREEZING truck or container before it gets to you.

As was mentioned, liquid chemicals allow you to mix up just what you want, vs. a 1 gallon size that may go bad on you before you even finish half of it.
Small size powder would be OK, if they still make them, and if you can find them. The small size might be more expensive, but when you consider throwing away chemicals that go bad from age before you use it up, the small sizes might be more economical.

Think about how you are going to wash the prints; how many, what size, what type of paper.
For general home use, I recommend sticking to RC paper, as that makes washing and drying easier and faster than fiber paper.

I don't see Variable Contrast VC filters in your list. You will need that as most of the paper that I've seen is VC paper, vs. graded paper.

gud luk

Cholentpot said:

I'd take it you like Arista?

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I live in Youngstown, Ohio, so HI! Arista 76 is the same as D76,etc. I have to use the ECO-pro paper developer, though, because it doesn't eat my hands up, But Arista everything else is fine for me.

Agree about the Radio mine is set to talk/sport station. You never mentioned graded filters or whether you where using a colour head at all.

Harry Stevens said:

Agree about the Radio mine is set to talk/sport station. You never mentioned graded filters or whether you where using a colour head at all.

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Got the music covered. Have a radio set to boring. Red light and tick-tock scare me.

I'm only doing b&w, to be honest I have no clue about Variable Contrast VC filters or filters of any kind when printing. Would slapping a colored filter from a camera onto the enlarger lens do the job?

No radio necessary in my darkroom.

Cholentpot said:

Would slapping a colored filter from a camera onto the enlarger lens do the job?

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No.
You need something like this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24675-REG/Ilford_1762617_Multigrade_Filter_Set_with.html
Craigslist often has used sets. The Kodak versions are also usable.

MattKing said:

No.
You need something like this: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24675-REG/Ilford_1762617_Multigrade_Filter_Set_with.html
Craigslist often has used sets. The Kodak versions are also usable.

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Welp, another thing for my list, after the MF enlarger lens and 6x6 negative holder...