For those wanting a great set-up on shoe string budget -- it can be done!

[Huram]

First of all, I want to thank the creators and members of this website. It is an amazing resource for folks like me exploring the art of BW who have never had any formal classes in photography. Over the past year, with the help of APUGers, the advice they have given (special thanks to David Goldfarb), the books they have recommended, and the online resources they have pointed me to, I have had an invaluable education and have been able to obtain some very fine equipment that has the potential to create some excellent images. (Still working on that last bit).

Over the past year on a shoe string budget (my wife is a grad school and most of my paycheck goes to her education and rent), I have managed to gather a great set up which includes a couple cameras with excellent optics, a quite-complete darkroom (including enlarger), and chemicals, film and paper to last me a while -- all on a budget of $600.00. I tell you this not to boast, but to encourage those who are in similar situation as me pursuing BW photography on a shoe-string budget. It can be be done! One of the positives that I think has come with the digital age is that the bottoms have dropped out on the prices of traditional Camera and Darkroom equipment. It is a great time for poor folks to get in the art. Below is a list of the following items I have gathered over the past year. The only 2 items I began with were my Canon EOS Elan II that I saved up for and bought several years ago and a cheap, but sturdy, tripod that does the job. Here is the list of all photographic/darkroom equipment that I have gathered over the years that have the ability to give me professional results:

At a garage sale last summer, I paid $100.00 for the following:

Omega DII Enlarger w/ 3.5 condenser for 35 MM
35mm Negative Carrier
3 trays for 8x10 prints
3 trays for 11x14 plus prints
Enlarger Timer (Cab-Lab)
6 tongs
Beakers
Thermometer
Focusing Eyepiece for enlarger
Unopened Kodak Stop Bath
Unopened Kodak Photo Flo

Aggie, a fellow APUGer, mailed me a nice Yankee safelight for Free on her nickel!

Off ebay:

8x10 Paper safe -- $15

2 Patterson Tanks w/ reels (a single 120 reel tank and a Super 5) -- $30

A bundle of various sized speed easels -- $20

A 35mm Alden Bulk Roller -- $20

Rodogan 50mm enlarging lense & Rodogan 80mm enlarging lense -- $25

Extra DII Lens Board -- $15

A Rolleicord IV with Xenar Lense in "user" condition -- $60

A Rolleicord Va w/ Xenar lense in pristine shape -- $75

Gossen Luna Pro F Light Meter (Analog) -- $75

Bay I Rolleicord Lense Cap (plastic) -- $5

Medium Yellow Bay I Rolleicord Filter -- $5

6x6 DII Negative Carrier --$15

Off of Freestyle:

100' roll 100 speed 35mm Arista.edu Film -- $20
100' roll 400 speed 35mm Arista.edu Film -- $20
10 x 12 exp. 100 speed 120 Arista.edu Film -- $15
10 x 12 exp. 400 speed 120 Arista.edu Film -- $15

Arista Film Developer makes 5 gallons -- $15
Arista Paper Developer makes 5 gallons -- $15
Arista Fixer makes 6 gallons -- $15

100 x 5x7 Arista VC Paper -- $13
100 x 8x10 Arista VC Paper -- $25
50 x 11x14 Arista VC Paper --$25

Ron L, another APUGer is giving me a 4x5 Omega D condenser (so I can finally print MF!)

Off of Amazon used books (I could have checked them out at the library, but wanted to own them for quick reference):

Ansel Adams Triology $45
Les McLean's Creative BW Photography $20

$603.00 w/ the 4 books
$538.00 w/out the 4 books

I continue to learn the ins and outs of the Arista.edu film and papers. It is a great, inexpensive and high-quality film to learn with.

With the Canon Elan lense, Rolleicord Xenar lenses, and 6-element Rodenstock Enlarging lenses, I can produce some amazing professional-quality prints (now I just have to capture that perfect image).

Anyhow, I write all of this to encourage those who want to get into this art but are afraid of money issues. You can do it.

Thanks again to the APUG community. You rock!

David Nelson
(Huram)

 

[Mongo]

Congratulations David. Your tale underscores one of my primary beliefs: The cost of equipment drops as your personal patience rises. If you're willing to wait, you can get the most amazing deals on things.

 

[mark]

Great story, and good job. I never find the garage sale treasures others do. Patience pays off. It also helps when you reaize that what you need does not have to be new. Starting off is easy and painless, it is the slope you start sliding down that does the most damage to the wallet. Bigger neg, bigger camera, etc. It is a fun slide down though.

 

[MenacingTourist]

I'll add my agreement as well. My best example is my Graphic View and 190mm lens off ebay for $100 total. The lens needed some help from Carol Miller but it's great now. I've already spent more in film than the equipment

 

[bjorke]

Ooops, I thought this was large format

(Anyone with a good deal on a Super Graphic, keep me informed)

 

[Seele]

Ooops, I thought this was large format

Large format gear, like most film gear, appears to be coming down in price quite markedly; my local dealer with a second-hand department has Sinars lined up on the floor as it ran out of cabinet space.

But even before the digital assault on the market place, I managed to get large format gear at very reasonable prices and put together a collection of lenses, mostly Zeiss, for little more than pocket money. After all I have a taste for old lenses; a Super-Symmar HM is nice enough but I can still get away with a Berlin-made Dagor though.

Even nowadays bargains can still be found; late last year at a photographic collectors fair I bought a 15cm/6.3 Tessar IIb (the original Tessar of 1902) in Compur for the equivalence of US$8, to accompany the same lens by B&L I got some years back. I just took some pictures with it, will process them tomorrow, should be ok though!

 

[celluloidpropaganda]

A helpful thread on going 8x10 for a sub-$900 budget:
http://largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/500806.html