Develop by Inspection?

[grat]

I've got an old falling plate camera, and some old plates that I'd like to drop, and there's been some discussion on here before about them. But since supplies are limited, I'd like to waste as few as possible, so guessing at development time seems a bit too much like gambling. Being able to watch them develop in real time as it were, and being able to stop development when desired contrast is reached sounds fantastic.

These plates are panchromatic, so a safety light isn't sufficient-- but in other seemingly unrelated news, night vision goggles have come down in price considerably, to where a headmounted set of goggles that operate in the 850nm or even 940nm range have become affordable.

I've read a few articles and forum posts about this concept (using IR goggles in total dark)-- one person was actually using IR backlighting and clear acrylic developing trays (Acrylic is IR transparent apparently), and I was wondering if that's significantly better than using the goggles with an illuminator for "front side" IR illumination to justify the work? I did find some relatively inexpensive sheets of acrylic that block all visible light, and the idea of making the light table from that sounds intriguing. The biggest negative drawback I've found is that nearly all the illuminators emit a small amount of barely visible red light-- just enough, I suspect, to fog really sensitive film. Obviously, some form of visible light filter would be needed, but that could be as simple as grabbing one of my 850nm filters and some tape.

Anyone else using / used IR goggles for DBI? What's your experience been?

Thanks for any guidance!

 

[mshchem]

I've got an old falling plate camera, and some old plates that I'd like to drop, and there's been some discussion on here before about them. But since supplies are limited, I'd like to waste as few as possible, so guessing at development time seems a bit too much like gambling. Being able to watch them develop in real time as it were, and being able to stop development when desired contrast is reached sounds fantastic.

These plates are panchromatic, so a safety light isn't sufficient-- but in other seemingly unrelated news, night vision goggles have come down in price considerably, to where a headmounted set of goggles that operate in the 850nm or even 940nm range have become affordable.

I've read a few articles and forum posts about this concept (using IR goggles in total dark)-- one person was actually using IR backlighting and clear acrylic developing trays (Acrylic is IR transparent apparently), and I was wondering if that's significantly better than using the goggles with an illuminator for "front side" IR illumination to justify the work? I did find some relatively inexpensive sheets of acrylic that block all visible light, and the idea of making the light table from that sounds intriguing. The biggest negative drawback I've found is that nearly all the illuminators emit a small amount of barely visible red light-- just enough, I suspect, to fog really sensitive film. Obviously, some form of visible light filter would be needed, but that could be as simple as grabbing one of my 850nm filters and some tape.

Anyone else using / used IR goggles for DBI? What's your experience been?

Thanks for any guidance!

I don't develop by inspection but I use Jakks Pacific Spynet toy IR goggles. There's a near IR and a true IR LED array built in. I covered the near IR so I don't accidentally activate. I also have a separate IR LED bulb. It's invisible, I need to put the goggles on to be able to see it.
One thing film is bright white under IR. You should be able to see ( or not see) the silver forming .

I've used these goggles with fast film, color, papers, doesn't fog a bit.



My only YouTube video

 

[Bill Burk]

I use an ATN Viper regularly.

After testing an hour exposure, I decided to dim the light by the equivalent of “Step 4” (0.45 density)… using a piece of black and white developed film (it was a lousy 4x5 negative from a rodeo, the dirt was about the right density) to dim the deep red near infrared LED. My goal was to have TMY2 have barely any fog in 15 minutes (about what you see on “Step 8”).

The viewer needs an near infra red light to see anything, true infrared LED’s show as a detectable white dot on the viewer but don’t provide enough light to see anything.

I would practice on film to get used to how much development makes a negative with good contrast. It takes experience and judgment to truly develop by inspection. I don’t do that, except in a go-no go sense to make up for mistakes like serious accidental underexposure.

Though I use it regularly, I still develop to time and temperature. I use this as an aid to be less clumsy. Plus it’s as fun to watch a negative come up as it is to develop a print under regular amber safelight. It’s good fun.

 

[Bill Burk]

I don't develop by inspection but I use Jakks Pacific Spynet toy IR goggles. There's a near IR and a true IR LED array built in. I covered the near IR so I don't accidentally activate. I also have a separate IR LED bulb. It's invisible, I need to put the goggles on to be able to see it.
One thing film is bright white under IR. You should be able to see ( or not see) the silver forming .

I've used these goggles with fast film, color, papers, doesn't fog a bit.



My only YouTube video

I have one of the toy viewers too, in case something goes wrong with my ATN Viper.

There is that kickstarter for a full color low light camera I can’t wait to hear if someone uses one of those in a darkroom

 

[awty]

Kodak No.3 safelight might be OK with old glass plates.

 

[Alan9940]

I've tried and tried DBI both with IR goggles and the typical deep green Kodak safelight filter, but just cannot accurately judge when the high values have reached proper density. Nowadays, I use my IR goggles for LF film developing using tanks & hangers.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

What I still use is this rather 'antique' device I bought used from the AGFA-GEVAERT Mortsel factory in the late '80s.
It was originally intended when working with the Colenta (colour processing).

I mounted the whole set on a construction yard safety helmet because of the two battery packs/power intensifier, one of which is for the very functional little IR headlight.
Those batteries keep the whole thing in balance on my head...