Safelight Confusion (Gaslight, Bromide, Panchromatic????)

jamesgignac · May 7, 2009

:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

So, I picked up a safelight that was headed for the trash from the now-extinct darkroom that was once part of the physics and astronomy department of the University of Western Ontario (just around the corner from me.) It has a rotating body which allows the bulb inside to allign with either of three glass filters: one for Gaslight paper, Bromide paper, and the last for Panchromatic Plate & Film.

I have a Kodak amber OC safelight and filter and the Gaslight and Bromide options give off a similar light (the Gaslight is about twice as bright as the Bromide option). The Panchromatic filter cuts off the light entirely.

So my question is this:

I'm just setting up a darkroom of my own for the first time, I have quite a bit of past darkroom experience working with red safelights (I've never had ANY amber lights before and this alone is making me a little nervous), and I don't know which of these filter options, if any, will work with standard B&W multigrade photopaper.

Any hints would be extremely helpful!

Thanks!!

Nick Zentena · May 7, 2009

You should test your paper and safelight. I'm sure somebody will remember the location of the Kodak description of the test.

Red should be safe with any paper. I think it was Forte that had trouble with strong amber lights.

Is it still snowing in London? -)

RJS · May 7, 2009

Ralph Lambrecht in his book has a super method for testing safelight. Why not give it a try? Much better than guessing or trusting someone elses memory. (Ralph, maybe I've sold a bunch of your books today?)

jamesgignac · May 7, 2009

Heh, no snow, it's been mild and pleasant at 15-20C for a couple of weeks now.

Thanks for the reply, I was planning on testing them but wanted to spare as much paper as I could in the process. I have some Ilford Multigrade IV RC that I'll be doing long safelight exposure tests with. I'm pretty sure the Kodak OC filter will be fine but I'd prefer to have both safelights up and running. I don't know much of anything about gaslight or bromide paper but I'll be testing both of those filters as well...as soon as I pick up my paper trays (the final item on my list.)

I'm very anxious to get started printing and I'll be sure to show off my work as soon as I get up and running.

Nick Zentena · May 7, 2009

Memory tells me both are fairly slow papers. I think you'll find modern enlarging paper too fast unless you put the lights far away.

ic-racer · May 7, 2009

Also, check the datasheets that come with the paper you plan to use. Most all datasheets indicate which type of light is safest.

Samuel Hotton · May 8, 2009

Good morning James,
OC is for modern Bromide papers. Do the "Coin test" to get the correct power of bulb and you will be just fine.
The Panchro filter is for film development by inspection after de sensitizing the film with Pinacryptol green.
The Gaslight filter is for the old Gaslight papers. I would not trust it with modern papers.
Sam H.

jamesgignac · May 8, 2009

Thanks to all for the responses, I'll check and test and check and test again. The safelights are both rather large so they're a good distance from where I'll be doing my printing, though I do have one hanging over my developing trays. I have one more safelight that is just a thick red plastic case for a 15 watt bulb, I guess I can always resort to using that. To be honest I am a little hopeful that the amber lights will do the trick - they seem a little easier for the eyes to be exposed to for long periods of time - I remember the blue-blindness of days gone by, stumbling out of a revolving darkroom door only to step outside into the glaring blue snow and having my eyes tear up like a bastard.

But I'll do the tests, though I'm not sure of the coin test - basically I interpreted this as placing a coin on the photo paper so as to give myself a base of what and unfogged 'white' should look like.

Oh, and as a matter of interest I have 15 watt bulbs in each of those lamps.

Thanks again, I'll inform the world of my results!

Samuel Hotton · May 8, 2009

Good afternoon James,
The coin test: In the DARK take out a small piece of photo paper, put it in a light safe or light tight film can. Make sure your box of paper is closed! Turn on your safe lights, let them warm up for a few minutes. Lay your little piece of photo paper (emulsion side up) (shiney side up) out near your developer (on a dry spot) tray line with several coins on top. Leave it for 5 minutes, take the coins off and develop the paper for about 2-3 minutes, stop and fix it. Turn on the lights, see if you see where the coins were laying. The paper will either be evenly white OR you will see the shadow of the coins on the paper. IF you see the outline of the coins you either have to move the light furthur away from your developer line or reduce the wattage of your bulb. If you do not see where the coins were laying, then your safelight is safe.
Happy printing,
Sam H.

jamesgignac · May 8, 2009

I figured it must be something along those lines - thanks for the directions Sam!

Bob F. · May 8, 2009

Pre-fog the paper first to just off-white. Do a test strip under the enlarger to find the time for the fogging exposure - stop the lens right down and run the head to the top of the column if necessary to get a sensible time of several seconds. Paper could pass that test without pre-fogging with flying colours and still get fogged when used for real. When checking the paper there should be no change in the level of fog where the coins were and the rest of the paper.

Anscojohn · May 8, 2009

jamesgignac said:
I figured it must be something along those lines - thanks for the directions Sam!

******
You should give the paper a slight flash under white enlarger light first. Then the coin for your desired period of time; then develop in a covered tray or in total darkness. Just the coin is not enough.

Safelight Confusion (Gaslight, Bromide, Panchromatic????)

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency