Newbie from Victoria

[skegger]

Hey Everyone,

Just getting back into analogue photography after being put off it in high school all those years ago by reckless idiots turning the lights on in the middle of an exposure :rolleyes:. I'm shooting 35mm at the moment on a Contax 159MM and bought an enlarger of a friend who can't take it with her overseas. She was kind enough to give me a big pile of papers or different kinds that I can experiment with.

I don't have a dark room set up yet but the outside laundry is looking like a prime target.

The part you're dreading is this part though. The questions. Where can I get a good developing tank? Which brand is the best? What brand chemicals have you had success with? Paper grades? Film types?

Cheers!

 

[simulatordan]

Ask away mate. and welcome to the dark side.

Regards Daniel

 

[skegger]

Cheers mate. I'm just wondering where to start. What chemistry to set myself up with etc.

 

[BWKate]

Welcome from Victoria, B.C. Canada!

 

[PhotoJim]

They should make a musical about moving British Columbia's capital next to Melbourne. They could call it "Victoria, Victoria".

(Okay, the real musical was "Victor, Victoria". Laugh anyway please.)

Welcome to APUG!

Jim

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

<*/waving\*> Hello Skegger of yonder Ballarat!
Make sure you separate the laundry into dry and wet areas if converting it into a darkroom! And ventilation!
Camera House stores have heaps of Ilford stuff, including chemicals, papers, tools etc. Not sure if one is in Ballarat (observations are from the Geelong store here).

 

[Thanasis]

Welcome to apug, from Sydney, Australia. There are many different types of tanks from different manufacturers. I use stainless steel as they make it easier to control the temperature. Nikor or Honeywell are both fine. Many others use the plastic Jobo or Paterson tanks. Ebay is the place to get them cheap.

As far as developing chems are concerned, i like Ilford ID-11 as a standard developer. It is easy to use but does not last for as long as i would like. I use it as a one-shot (use once then throw it away). Fix and stop bath are also ilford and they are good too. Film that I like is Tri-X 400 and Ilford Delta 100. A lot of this comes down to personal preference. Tri-X 400 is very versatile and forgiving film. I would recommend this as a starting point together with either Kodak D-76 or ID-11. As many here will tell you, experimatation is only useful when you change things slowly over time. Get to know one combination well before changing aspects of your process such as changing developer/film/dilution/development time. Hope this helps.
Regards.
Thanasis.

 

[nsouto]

I can second the ebay recommendation:
nowadays you can pick up a tray kit and a tank in there for less than 100 bucks, including shipping.

I'm using a Patterson universal plastic tank for my 35mm, with ilford's dd-x soup and Acros + HP5 + Tri-X at the moment, going to try Xtol next. Been on Microphen and D76, quite good but not as good as dd-x for my taste anyway.

As for printing soups and recipes, can't help: do most of mine with a scanner and a printer, no space for an enlarger or darkroom.

 

[TheDreadPirateRobins]

Welcome to APUG from Portland, Oregon, in the U.S.

To the ebay recommendation I would also suggest Craigslist if you have a local one.

I am just getting back into B/W photography, and most of it has so far been 120 film on a TLR. I have been getting some nice results with Ilford FP4. I am working on figuring out where the darkroom is going to go, so I haven't been doing any recent experimentation with papers, but I remember liking the Ilford papers I used to print over 10 years ago.

 

[thebanana]

Welcome from Manitoba!

 

[skegger]

Thanks for the info and warm welcomes everyone. There is a Camera House in Ballarat and they can order in whatever they don't have in stock. I bought a pile of Kodak T-Max 100 film for $1 a roll because it had just gone out of date. Going to experiment with that first. I might pop up to Camera house some time this week and see if I can get myself a tank (I just can't wait for eBay. Too slow).

Cheers!

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Yep, Skegger, just go to the Camera House place, but please be careful as their chems may be on the old side. I know Ballarat and that particular place quite well. I live up the road in Melbourne. Don't worry too much yet about what to use - you have a lot of experimenting ahead of you, but basically nothing will be too far wrong. And by the way, welcome to APUG!

 

[skegger]

It's nothing for me to hop on the train to Melbourne to grab chemistry though. I'm just impatient

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Greetings from Richmond Va.

Jeff

 

[Black Dog]

Welcome to APUG!-as far as chems, materials etc go, just keep it simple at first. ID11 is as good a starting point as any [as a Brit living just down the road from Ilford I'm bound to recommend them......]. And then just have fun!

 

[Wyno]

Welcome from another guy in Geelong. You'll get lots of info here.
Cheers
Mike

 

[skegger]

Awesome thanks guys. I'm also interested in shooting slides. Is it worth developing rolls yourself these days or is it cheaper to do them yourself? I wouldn't mind having a go. How else am I going to learn.

 

[Nige]

Welcome... from Victoria... Melbourne area

Hope you've got some heating in that laundry! Coldest place in Victoria is Ballarat... probably snowing tonight!

Cheers, Nige

 

[Mick Fagan]

Welcome from another Melbournian.

If you are going to hop onto a train and come down, then Vanbar in Carlton would be your best bet for any darkroom stuff, be that film or paper, you can check online as to what they carry, whether they have the particular item(s) or size is another matter, but generally speaking, they literally carry pallet loads of paper.

That is a very cheap price for that film, cheaper than bulk loading.

I think I have a spare Paterson tank, with either a single or a few reels. I'll check the darkroom in the morning, too cold to venture out this late.

An outside laundry in Ballarat, probably with a concrete double trough, perfect for washing prints in, but friggin freezing this time of the year.

If you do go to Vanbar, take a large empty back pack

Mick.

 

[skegger]

Thanks for the info Mick. I picked up a Patterson tank and 2 reels when I was in the city yesterday. Most shops I ask for developing tanks in just looked at me sideways. Michael's on Elizabeth had them and they were about $25 cheaper than Camera House in Ballarat. Then another 5% off with student discount.

 

[OldBikerPete]

G'day mate! Welcome from another Melburnian. If you'd like a 35mm bulk loader and some empty 35mm cannisters & reels, I have a few dozen that you can take off my hands.
As well, there is a photography swap meet/market held every March and September in the Camberwell town hall. Starts a 9AM and you need to get there before the doors open!

Hey, Mick! Tell us when the market is on this September.

 

[digiconvert]

Welcome to the friendliest , most helpful forum of ANY kind on the web .
BTW would Australia like a few tips on female middle distance swimming ? - It's a LONG time since we could gloat so much about our swimmers so let us have this one bit of glory !!

 

[Mick Fagan]

Pete, the photographic flea market, is on Sunday the 12th of October 2008.

Skeg, glad that you are now equipped to develop your film.

Digi, I don't follow athletic events, unless they are down at the local running track or swimming pool. I'm assuming some of your countrymen have done well in China, good for them.

Mick.

 

[Captain Bedworthy]

Well we all like our 'kit. Here's mine:
Three Canon A1's
24mm
35mm
50mm
85mm
135mm
200mm
Lowepro Omni Trekker Bag
Gitzo 2220 Leg Set with any head you like
NIKOR Steel tanks with Stainless Steel spirals
Omega B22 Enlarger with Nikkor 50/2.8
Saunders 16X20 inch easel
Kodak OC safelights, or Brumberg with OC filters in them
Rodinal
Ilford ID-11
Distilled Water, Lots of
Kodak Hardening Fixer
Ilford Rapid Fixer
Agfa Sistan (Not older than two years on the shelf)
Clear File sleeves
Thermometers timers trays and the rest
And that gadget ILFORD makes to measure exposure on the baseboard. The EM-10. It saves $100's on paper.