question about safe light & paper

[Bobby L.]

First let me say I'm sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum, This is my first post on Apug.

I'm getting back into developing B&W and my brother loaned me his darkroom equipment.

I had purchase a package of ILFORD 5x7 glossy. I was looking onthe back reading the flap and it says safelight 902 (lightbrown). I have a red safelight. Would it be ok to use this safe light when I make a print with my enlarger, or would the red safelight have some effect on the paper when i pull it out of it's protective black bag.

If I should use the mention safelight, I'll look around and check prices and try and get one if that's the case, because my local camera store only sell ILFORD paper. and they don't keep allot of things in stock for darkroom except for some kodak chemicals for film development and paper, and some ILFORD chemicals. So I have only D-76 for film and Dektol for paper on hand for my darkroom.

Any suggestions on the safelight issue will be greatly appreciated.

 

[JBrunner]

First let me say I'm sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum, This is my first post on Apug.

I'm getting back into developing B&W and my brother loaned me his darkroom equipment.

I had purchase a package of ILFORD 5x7 glossy. I was looking onthe back reading the flap and it says safelight 902 (lightbrown). I have a red safelight. Would it be ok to use this safe light when I make a print with my enlarger, or would the red safelight have some effect on the paper when i pull it out of it's protective black bag.

If I should use the mention safelight, I'll look around and check prices and try and get one if that's the case, because my local camera store only sell ILFORD paper. and they don't keep allot of things in stock for darkroom except for some kodak chemicals for film development and paper, and some ILFORD chemicals. So I have only D-76 for film and Dektol for paper on hand for my darkroom.

Any suggestions on the safelight issue will be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

Welcome to Apug. The red safe light should be fine. Red is usually the "safest" safe light. To run a check on your darkroom, and safe light situation, take out one piece of paper and set some opaque objects on it, coins for example. Let it sit for about 6 or 8 minutes. Process the paper. You should have a blank white paper with no faint outline of the objects visible. Then you have peace of mind, beyond what some dude told you on the internet.

Safe light problems are insidious. Many people have them, few check. A subtle safe light problem robs the sparkle from your printing.

Happy dark-rooming >Glad to see you here.

 

[Bobby L.]

k thanxs JBrunner, I'll do that test.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

First let me say I'm sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum, This is my first post on Apug.

I'm getting back into developing B&W and my brother loaned me his darkroom equipment.

I had purchase a package of ILFORD 5x7 glossy. I was looking onthe back reading the flap and it says safelight 902 (lightbrown). I have a red safelight. Would it be ok to use this safe light when I make a print with my enlarger, or would the red safelight have some effect on the paper when i pull it out of it's protective black bag.

If I should use the mention safelight, I'll look around and check prices and try and get one if that's the case, because my local camera store only sell ILFORD paper. and they don't keep allot of things in stock for darkroom except for some kodak chemicals for film development and paper, and some ILFORD chemicals. So I have only D-76 for film and Dektol for paper on hand for my darkroom.

Any suggestions on the safelight issue will be greatly appreciated.

I use an OC aimed away from the enlarger and easel to illuminate the dark room generally. I use a red light close to the easel and developer tray. You can't go wrong with red.

 

[nickandre]

It should be orthochromatic so it's not sensitive to red light. I use ilford paper all the time with a red (almost orange) safelight. For B&W as long as it's not too bright you should be fine with red light. Color is different. You'll be fine.

 

[Bobby L.]

thanxs for the replies. using my bathroom as my darkroom. where i have the safelight mounted it illuminate the bathroom good. I done some prints already with it on and didn't have any problems.

 

[outwest]

For a better test, first expose the paper enough to bring it up just past the threshold then let it sit around with some opaque objects on it and cover portions of it at intervals as if you were making a test strip. This simulates the time you might spend burning, dodging, and developing and lets you know just how safe it is.