Re-established my darkroom!

[Silvertooth]

Hello all!

I set my darkroom up yesterday and plan purchasing the film, paper, and chemistry this week. The question I have is what to buy? Should I go with Kodak, Ilford, Adox, or someone else?

The main plan is to teach my 12 year old analog photography. In the past I have used Kodak, Ilford, and Agfa with success. It has been so long, I just wanted some more opinions.

Thanks in advance
Aubrey

 

[dxqcanada]

Personal choice. We all have our preferences depending on the film type and style of images/prints.

My personal choice is Agfa Rodinal / Ilford Ilfosol for developer.
The rest of the chemistry is Ilford.

 

[mike c]

For printing use freestlys RC VC paper, its inexpensive and really not to bad.

Mike

 

[Silvertooth]

Thanks for the info. I am starting with Ilfosol and other Ilford chemistry. Hopefully I will get out this weekend to make some photographs!

 

[Monito]

I set my darkroom up yesterday and plan purchasing the film, paper, and chemistry this week. The question I have is what to buy? Should I go with Kodak, Ilford, Adox, or someone else?

The main plan is to teach my 12 year old analog photography. In the past I have used Kodak, Ilford, and Agfa with success. It has been so long, I just wanted some more opinions.

Go with whatever film, paper, and chemistry combination is the most readily available and reasonably cost effective. Especially if you are teaching a 12 year old child. They need to be able to do lots of work and not fuss about using esoteric combinations.

I just recently set up a darkroom to do darkroom work for the first time in 20 years. I chose TMax 100, D-76 1:1, Ilford Multigrade paper and Ilford paper dev/fix because those were all available locally and the most likely combination to be actually in stock. I have a roll of Ilford Delta 100 to try since it is said to be very like TMax 100.

Later I (and you) can branch out with other combinations. In the meantime, I want to fine tune my technique and zero in on the combination I have, to extract the most out of my technique and establish a basis for comparison. Without a solid basis I could just thrash around with other combinations and accidentally land on something that seems to work better without knowing how or why.

 

[Simon R Galley]

PM Me your home address and I will send the MULTIGRADE Printing Manual for your 12 year old...should save you a few sheets of paper during the 'learning' process.

Good luck... Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[mgb74]

Also, you may want to choose powder or liquid developers based on your volume. Liquid developers are generally more expensive on a per use basis, but concentrates will last long than stock solution from powder.

This is especially true with certain film developers such as HC-110 and Rodinal. The liquid paper developers I seen last longer than Dektol stock solution (I think) but not nearly as long as HC-110 and Rodinal concentrate.

 

[Silvertooth]

Finally got the first of TMY processed last night! Success! I do need to practice load reels again, though.

Thanks to all for you advice!
Aubrey

 

[Rick A]

The best way to practice s to just keep shooting(and take loads of notes) and developing, then printing. Follow this procedure repeatedly for the next, oh say thirty or so years (for you , more for the kids). Leather, rinse, repeat!