Kaiser Duka 50 safelight

[Fintan]

Is this light safe with all papers?

 

[Dave Miller]

Should be ok for mono papers. They made several models, some ( sodium lamp) suitable for colour work as well as B & W. The are adjustable and should be tested in the normal way. I have both and like them. This dosn't completly answer your question I know, there may be papers I havn't used that they may fog, but I havn't found one yet.

 

[Les McLean]

I have my safelights set up so that when I switch off the white light the safelight comes on and and vice versa and I also have a master switch that enables me to switch off the safelight only so that I can work totally in the dark, which I often do when I carry out a lot of work and extended development on the print. I did have 3 Duka 50 safelights rigged up in this way abd started to experience some strange fogging and paper discolourisation and tested every process and renewed chemistry etc before I was told by a company in the UK that when the Duka is first switched on it takes time for the lamp to warm up and if it is not at the correct temperature the paper will be fogged. I tested this and the paper fogged when I switched the lamp off for a few minutes and then switched it back on. When it was left on continuously there was no fogging. I ditched the 3 Duka safelights and now use 4 8 x 10 lamps with Ilford 902 filters that are amber and safe with most papers but there are more obscure papers that need a red safelight so I also have two of those just in case I ever need them.

 

[Fintan]

Thanks guys, I should have given more info. I'm looking to try some lith printing [Mr McCleans' article Developing a Style, Nov 2002, Black & White Monthly is partly to blame]

So do you know of any of the usual papers people use that I should avoid with this safelight?

 

[Les McLean]

The paper that I had the problems with was Ilford Warmtone but I would test any others if I were you. Sorry to be the culprit that influenced you down the lith road but it is great fun and you do come up with some interesting and sometimes unusual results. Have fun.

 

[Dave Miller]

Since I’m currently darkroomless (but working on it) when I answer questions like this I forget others have different working methods. I develop in drums rather than by inspection, therefore I can have a brighter working environment than those that develop by inspection. Les has made a valid point regarding lamp start-up, however my Duka 50 has a slider to dim the lamp mechanically, that is by covering the lamp, rather than dimming it electronically, now I know why. When Lith printing, which has to be done in open trays, I used an old fashioned 15 watt red light which I switched off for the first 20 minutes of the development cycle, I switch it on every few minutes just to make sure I’m still alive. The important thing is to do safe light tests to ensure that your paper is not being fogged.

 

[Fintan]

Great thanks, I'm going to try some Oriental Seagull first.

 

[Fintan]

Thanks again Les for that advice to let the Duka 50 heat up, I've noticed some initial fogging isnt happening anymore since you posted that.

Cheers.