How has the digital revolution helped you ?

[digiconvert]

I ve just bought a Dut Labometer from the auction site and a thermostatic processor. I have added up my expenditure on 'kit' for interest and my costs are as follows;

Meopta enlarger + 50mm and 80mm Nikkor lenses - £180 (most of that is the 50mm lens)
Processor - £40
Labometer - £40 (New in 2004 at £800 !)
Jobo Comparator/grade calculator - £45
Duka safelight - £70
Various filters for colour and MG work - £10
Measures, bottles etc. - £20 (?)

With odds and ends the total is probably just shy of £450 ($900). For a useable colour/BW darkroom. I could have spent less on individual items and the Labometer/comparator/Processor really are luxuries that make the process a whole lot less frustrating (as is the Duka to some extent).

Imagine the cost of this lot before everyone threw away their gear to go digital ., I actually have a complete spare enlarger for spares - thrown out from college !

So what have you been able to afford for the darkroom that you only dreamt about before digital ?

Cheers CJB

 

[Ole]

A $1500 (including freight) Durst Laborator 138S with condensor head,
$150 for a complete set of condensers for same,
and $100 for 210, 180 and 150mm Rodagon enlarger lenses...

Oh yes - about $60 for two Ilford safelights.

 

[Mick Fagan]

DeVere 504 Dichromat free standing enlarger, with drop table.

Mick.

 

[Sean]

An incredible durst pictochrom 4x5 enlarger with all the bells & whistles (i think they sold for over 16,000US) and I got it in NZ for about 700US. And too many other steals to list

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

50mm and 90mm Apo-Rodagons and a 150mm Apo-Componon HM.

 

[firecracker]

My recent purchase is a pretty-good-conditioned used 105mm El Nikkor enlarging lens for about 40USD at the Japanese Yahoo online auction. The lens is usually seen as a real hot item, but I didn't have to fight with anyone to get it.

But I don't know that had anything to do with the shift to the non-film photography.

 

[bdial]

A new Phillips tri-color enlarger, an 11x14 Nova Quad, various lenses, and more that I've not pursued as yet.
Recently a 4x5 Omega with color head and all the other necessities was put up for free near here. Would have grabbed it, but I don't presently have the space.

 

[dphphoto]

OK, it's not darkroom, but: less than $800. USD for a Mamiya 645 Pro with winder, meter prism and 80mm, 55mm and 150mm lenses.
And-a 105mm Companon for $29. on eBay.

 

[jovo]

A Nu-Arc thousand watt UV exposure unit with vacuum table and glass cover that cost (and they're still being made) between $2500 and $3000 new, for $300. It came from a print shop that no longer used it as they had turned to digital solutions for the Nu-Arc's task.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

$250AU - 2 enlargers, 3 lenses, two dozen boxes of paper (RC and fibre based, Ilford, Kodak and Agfa), enlarging easels, trays, timer, and "odds and ends".
Pick up only eBay auctions are excellent.
$300AU - Speed Graphic, recently serviced, owned by a University.

 

[Michael W]

I got an X-Rite 810 densitometer for $50 from a mini lab that closed down.
Apo Rodagon 50mm for a very reasonable price, can't remember exactly.
I've heard some some amazing stories of high class gear practically being given away.

Still, I'd rather see the analogue photo market healthy, even if it meant higher prices.

 

[Flotsam]

An Omega D2V XL in beautiful condition with multiple carriers from 35mm to 4x5. including an additional glass 4x5, and three componon lenses to cover all formats and several other assorted accessories for $170 US. And as a bonus it was close enough to conveniently pick up, saving packing and shipping costs. The only down side was that the XL column wedged into my compact car painfully stabbed my thigh for the entire 45 minute return trip. A small price to pay, the bruise is long gone.

 

[Blighty]

Other than a Durst UT100 drying 'cabinet', buggerall. No one round my area seems to selling anything.

 

[Flotsam]

Other than a Durst UT100 drying 'cabinet', buggerall. No one round my area seems to selling anything.

I know what you mean. I live in the wide and densely populated New York City Tri State area and I watched Ebay for a very long time to find a good 4x5 enlarger deal within a reasonable pick-up radius (I wound up going to Connecticut). Finding real bargains on specific items, even in what you might think are rich waters, are still chancy and require patience and effort for the buyer.

 

[Black Dog]

I'm wondering where all the Kodak tray siphons have gone-mucho nada it seems

 

[Moopheus]

I'm in the middle of putting together a darkroom setup now, with most of the gear coming from ebay/craigslist, generally 1/10 to 1/4 the price of new. This would seem to be a big problem for the makers of new film gear--they not only have to compete with digital, but with their own previous product. Tons of serviceable equipment is still around, a lot of it from the days when durability and build quality were still things people would pay for. I mean, there's always been a market for used stuff, but now it's becoming the proverbial tail that wags the dog.

 

[digiconvert]

..... a lot of it from the days when durability and build quality were still things people would pay for.

Thats a good point. I guess the marketing men have now won the battle over the engineers - hence the 'need' to improve digicams every six months.

 

[Black Dog]

Fings ain't wot they used ta be-you've got to pick a pocket or two

 

[rjs003]

I was able to get an Omega D2 for $50. If was offerd on e-bay without any pictures--- told the seller if he didn't sell it I would drive to home an look at it first hand and if it was worth the starting price of $50. I'd take it. Well it was and enjoyable ride and the enlarger now resides in my darkroom. Took a lot of waiting to get this deal.
Recently pick up a Mamiya RB6 pro that was little used, almost new in the box paid $300. for this beauty, which will last me the rest of my life.

 

[Ian Grant]

It has meant two contradictory things.

First my commercial work takes up far less of my time and has no consumable or processing costs, as it is 99.9% digital. The clients don't want prints they want everything in electronic formats.

Secondly there is at the moment a glut of redundant conventional photographic equipment for sale on the second hand market, so it's a really great time to re-equip and upgrade.

The downside though is the knock on effects on manufacturs, and we need things to stabilise rapidly. It's all very well buying a 75mm SA on ebay for 200 euros, boxed and as new, but that doesn't keep Schneider producing LF lenses, or paper manufacturers going.

Ian

 

[eddie gunks]

45x dII enlarger and lenses (5)
8x10 devere enlarger and lens and a 16x20 easle!
both enlargers, lenses, AND EASLE were under 250$
lots of film and paper (i usually get 135,120, and 220 film for $1/roll!
meduim format, and large format gear. all for very very cheap.

eddie

 

[CGross]

So what have you been able to afford for the darkroom that you only dreamt about before digital ? Cheers CJB

Some of the amazing deals I have been able to capitalize on:

De Vere 504 Dichro with Drop Table, 4 lenses and lots of accessories - $280 plus my time to disassemble, pack and ship it!!

Beseler 23 II C - $50 - Was new in the box
The following was free from a wonderful friend who is retired, but doing all digital now:

Beseler 45V-XL with Condenser & Beseler & Minolta Color Heads - 3 lenses
Beseler 45 MXT with Cold light head with lenses
Nord 4x5 with lenses - Power stabilizer is shot - but should be able to reconstruct it.
Nord 16x20 Roll Easel
3 Darkroom doors
Film Dryer
Polaroid Land Camera
Tons of darkroom stuff.

Now I just have to build the room for all of this

 

[removed account4]

the digital rev. has helped me quite a bit
i can now have my color + commericial work printed
very affordably ... and shipped to me (or my client )
for very little $$

... i can't really mention how or why