Guidance Needed for Color Enlarging Setup for Multiple Users

[isocero]

Hi All,

As some of you are aware, I am in the process of creating a community darkroom in Santiago, Chile, and I am looking for guidance on color enlarging for multiple people.

I am aware that RA-4 paper is extremely sensitive and requires complete darkness during color enlarging. Therefore, if I want to have a color darkroom that has multiple color enlargers where people can work simultaneously without impacting others with light, how could I construct individual light-tight enlarger bays within the same room?

Also, one of my darkroom mentors in NYC mentioned that she has a Thomas Duplex Super Safelight with the color darkroom FCD filter. Therefore, my next question is: Can this safelight with the correct FCD filters truly be used in a color darkroom and not affect/fog the RA-4 paper?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Christian

 

[btaylor]

I can’t be any help on the multiple enlarger set up, but in terms of safelight, my brief experience has been disappointing. I used a Kodak beehive safelight with the appropriate filter for color paper. It was so dim as to be useless so I never bothered to try the filter set up in my Thomas safelight. I would love to hear if anyone had success with the Thomas color safelight filters.
You don’t say how the paper will be processed, if it’s in drums everything after the exposure can be in room light after the drum is loaded. If using a roller processor mount it in a wall, one side dark the other in daylight. Hopefully someone who worked in a lab making custom darkroom RA4 prints will chime in.

 

[koraks]

Can this safelight with the correct FCD filters truly be used in a color darkroom and not affect/fog the RA-4 paper?

I can only recommend in the strongest possible terms to not even consider this.

As to the bays: you can make booths with with a vertical dividers; as long as one baseboard does not directly "see" any of the other enlargers and you ensure that the large surfaces in the area aren't too reflective, this will be sufficient.

If using a roller processor mount it in a wall, one side dark the other in daylight.

This is hands down the best option for a community/group darkroom. I would frankly not recommend any other approach, whether trays or tanks, for a group facility. For an individual space those would be OK, but for a group space they would .make things horrendously slow, inconvenient and ineffective.

 

[Pieter12]

The community college nearby has individual dark "closets" for color enlarging. Maybe 1.5 meter by 2 meters.

 

[isocero]

I can only recommend in the strongest possible terms to not even consider this.

As to the bays: you can make booths with with a vertical dividers; as long as one baseboard does not directly "see" any of the other enlargers and you ensure that the large surfaces in the area aren't too reflective, this will be sufficient.



This is hands down the best option for a community/group darkroom. I would frankly not recommend any other approach, whether trays or tanks, for a group facility. For an individual space those would be OK, but for a group space they would .make things horrendously slow, inconvenient and ineffective.

Hi Koraks,

I have a Fujimoto CP-51 as my RA-4 processor for reference. I am going to provide a little hypothetical scenario to try to explain my concern.

Let's say that you are in the darkroom, using 1 of the 4 color enlargers. Then, another person comes into the color darkroom, using a revolving door. How would this person be able to see enough to go one of the empty enlargers? Then, let's say that you are finished with your print, and you are going to take it to the Fujimoto CP-51 inside this room, but the other person is about to expose their print which creates light. How do you manage this?

Thanks for your input.

 

[isocero]

The community college nearby has individual dark "closets" for color enlarging. Maybe 1.5 meter by 2 meters.

Hi Pieter,

Do you know if the college has pictures of this setup on their website? If so, please could you send me the link to their school?

 

[isocero]

I can’t be any help on the multiple enlarger set up, but in terms of safelight, my brief experience has been disappointing. I used a Kodak beehive safelight with the appropriate filter for color paper. It was so dim as to be useless so I never bothered to try the filter set up in my Thomas safelight. I would love to hear if anyone had success with the Thomas color safelight filters.
You don’t say how the paper will be processed, if it’s in drums everything after the exposure can be in room light after the drum is loaded. If using a roller processor mount it in a wall, one side dark the other in daylight. Hopefully someone who worked in a lab making custom darkroom RA4 prints will chime in.

Hi btaylor,

I will be using a Fujimoto CP-51 to process the prints.

 

[Paul Howell]

Depending on space, a separate cubical that is light tight for each enlarge. If each enlarger is to be used for both color and black and white there should be standard amber safe-light when used for black and white work. If you can find enough drums you can a set for color and set for black and white so exposed print is put in light tight film drum and brought into the larger room that can be in normal lighting with a motor base and R4 or black and white chemistry.

 

[mshchem]

I have used the Thomas safelights with color. It's as you would expect. You can get away with VERY BRIEF exposure. But I have done testing and these fog color paper like crazy.

Best plan is no safelights, or have a Thomas 15-20 feet away and be careful. You need at least 10 - 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust. If you're turning room lights on and off the safelights are of no benefit.

 

[MattKing]

You can use small amounts of luminescent paint near floor level to help people find their way in the dark - just don't get the paper near it!

 

[ic-racer]

Is this for the wealthy? B&W is expensive enough for many. Easier to do too.

 

[xkaes]

Best plan is no safelights

That's the way every college student wants it. That way EVERYTHING will be in the dark. That will be the most popular class on campus. That's one way to get youngsters interested in photography -- or is that photoGRABphy?

 

[mshchem]

That's the way every college student wants it. That way EVERYTHING will be in the dark. That will be the most popular class on campus. That's one way to get youngsters interested in photography -- or is that photoGRABphy?

For boys, " If you go into a darkroom with a girl something is bound to develop!"