Light souce for checking B+W Prints at the darkroom

[demam]

I am looking for a light source for checking the prints ( shorty after the fixing bath ) to make the corrections ( for instance :take another gradiation, take another exposure time)


Thanks for the answers.

 

[jmcd]

I match the evaluation light source with the viewing light source, in terms of amount and quality of light. In other words, judge the prints in the darkroom with the same or equivalent light source used to enjoy them on display.

Also, the area surrounding the print will have a big affect on how you assess your prints. I use white mat board for display, and in the darkroom I judge my prints against a sheet of white plastic. Place the same print under water, on a piece of glass, or against a dark background, and it looks different.

 

[demam]

What kind of light source do you use ?

 

[Anscojohn]

For down and dirty darkroom work, a quick check while the paper is in the fix tray helps. I keep a 25 w. frosted bulb in a bullet reflector connected through a foot switch. It is over my shoulder and directed at a large piece of plexiglass angled behind the tray. I can plop the print on the plexi, hit the foot switch so I do not have to worry about the possibility of wet hands and electricity. After a while, you'll be able to evaluate the final print after dry downm from the way it looks at this standardized set up. That'll take time, but it will come. Beats bringing my dry mounts, mat board, frames, cover glasses, etc. in to the darkroom whilst I am printing.(vbg)

 

[jmcd]

For viewing, I use a 20 watt low voltage halogen track light bulb, 3 feet from the print, diffused with a frosted glass and shining through a grid. For an inspection light, match this set-up, or use a light meter to match the amount of light shining on the print. Your print will reflect a different value when in the fix or under water.

 

[Maris]

I use a 25 Watt frosted bulb about 1.5 metres from the tray. Various bulbs were tried until the wet gelatin-silver photograph in the tray tonally matched a dry one in the next room in ordinary room lighting. This involved a lot of opening and shutting doors, dark adaption, eyeball dazzling and earnest guesswork.

The object is is to avoid too bright an inspection light which leads to over-printing and disappointingly dark pictures when dry-down finally bites. Too dim an inspection light hazards the opposite problem and it frustrating to use because you can't get a good look at what you just did.

 

[George Collier]

I agree with AnscoJohn and Maris about finding the right low wattage bulb to mimick wet what the print will look like dry. I would encourage you, though, to use a large piece of angled plexi and remove the print from the tray and let it drain for a few seconds (my plexi sits in the back of the sink, so it drains into the sink). A print in the tray looks very different. Over time you will find the wattage that simulates drying down.

 

[Bob Carnie]

I use daylight florescent bulbs high up for overall lighting.
I also have track lighting with tungsten bulbs on a dimmer switch to lower and increase the lighting.