Need to get going- 35mm D&P equipment needed

[kennethcooke]

I keep procrastinating but I need to get my ass into gear and start processing after what has been a 35 year layoff. I don't have any equipment at present which is possibly the best position to be in. So what is available, given my location- West Yorkshire UK

Thank you in anticipation

 

[Bob F.]

Complete (or at least, near-complete) darkrooms can be had on ebay.co.uk for under £100 - often well under (http://photography.listings.ebay.co...QQfromZR4QQsacatZ15224QQsocmdZListingItemList).

 

[Venchka]

Free even. That's how I got 2 darkrooms. And lots of other stuff (tanks, reels, etc.) for free.

 

[kennethcooke]

I like the sound of for free but I am open to offers

 

[Venchka]

I'm in the Colonies. I have been most fortunate to find quite a bit of gear free for the transporting. Mind you, one trip was about 500 miles total. In exchange, I got an Omega D5XL Super Chromega, Omega voltage stabilizer, Beseler Color Analyzer, 150mm Componon-S, Beseler motor base, several Beseler print tubes (8x10 & 11x14), a 50mm lens, lens boards, neg. carriers, etc.

So far, all of my darkroom kit has come through contacts on forums like this.

 

[kennethcooke]

You give me hope and encouragement thank you

 

[John W]

To provide ideas, here are some ways I've been picking up my processing and darkroom equipment recently:

1. Craigslist (which does have a UK site, I see)
2. eBay
3. Word-of-mouth via local photography school
4. A few odds and ends bought new in-store

Past that, I recommend knowing what you want and being patient. This approach landed me a lovely Saunders/LPL medium format enlarger for 30 USD, located a mere two blocks from my home. I've seen folks asking many times that for kit in rather dodgy condition, another reason to be patient.

 

[kennethcooke]

I think you are right John being patient is the best option. I know that some senior photographers are only too happy to see their much treasured equipment being given a new lease of life by someone who will look after it and appreciate it as much as they did

 

[Ian Grant]

Look around, I gave two good enlargers away last month, to the Irish for their workshops. Both came from the council tip when I was in the UK, one was in the back of a new BMW estate

People just throw them away so ask around.

Ian

 

[pentaxuser]

Kenneth, I hang around e-bay when bored and as others have said there is lots of good equipment going cheap. Keep an eye out for enlargers that are collect only. Unless the seller lives in a very large conurbation, the demand and desire to collect is very limited so real bargains to be had.

If you can be patient until the New Year I think that equipment will become even cheaper. A few months ago Paterson Major Focus Finders for instance were fetching £12-14. Recently a couple have gone for well under £10 and last night one went for under £5!

There's never been a better time to set up a darkroom. Happy hunting.

pentaxuser

 

[Martin Aislabie]

Kenneth, IMO there are things worth buying 2nd hand (enlargers, easels - the larger more expensive items) and there are things which are not - such as Developing Tanks & Reels.

These are cheap brand new.

I made the mistake of buying some 2nd hand Dev Tanks & Reels a couple of years ago thinking they were a bargain - they weren’t.

The Tank outer cases were OK, the Centre Rods were broken and needed replacing and the Film Reels were the colour of soil.

I have no idea who was using these items before me - or the quality of the work they produced but they were clearly unaware of the term "extended wash"

Small (10x8) Developing Trays also fit into this category.

NOVA - http://www.novadarkroom.com/1/Welcome_to_our_New_Web_Site.html and Second Hand Darkrooms - http://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk/ both have a range of new and second hand equipment plus any materials you need.

Silverprint - http://www.silverprint.co.uk/ and RK Photographic http://thedarkroom.co.uk/ sell new equipment and materials.

All of these places are staffed by friendly helpful people if you need assistance and advice

When I was doing 35mm I would load my tanks and reels inside a changing bag, as I don't have a permanent darkroom & using a changing bag was a much quicker and easier option than converting the Utility Room into a Darkroom.

Have fun

Martin

 

[jp80874]

Many schools, colleges, photo labs and commercial paper printers have or are phasing out wet for electronic darkrooms. In cases where they have already made the conversion they may have disposed of the equipment or if they have space they may have pushed it into the corner with the plan to toss it some day when they have time. If you are willing to make the effort to contact the ones close to you, everything you might want could be saved from going in the garbage or sold for scrap, because you reminded them and are willing to help them get rid of it. A college student I know was there when her high school made the conversion. They auctioned everything and she bought the three best Omega enlargers of the batch for $1 each. Then she convinced her boy friend to borrow his dad's truck and haul them away.

John Powers