Sheet film processing/seeing in the dark?

ulysses19 · Mar 11, 2007

I'd like to start developing my B+W 4x5 negs myself but I don't know how one keeps track of time in the dark. all the timers i have access to give off enough light to fog the film. do i really need to continue to pay $4 a sheet at my local lab? Thanks for any info you might have.

<todd>

jstraw · Mar 11, 2007

ulysses19 said:
I'd like to start developing my B+W 4x5 negs myself but I don't know how one keeps track of time in the dark. all the timers i have access to give off enough light to fog the film. do i really need to continue to pay $4 a sheet at my local lab? Thanks for any info you might have.

<todd>

What timers do you have, why do you think they'll fog film and have you considered developing film so that it's not exposed to the light from your timers?

Gatsby1923 · Mar 11, 2007

I keep my timer on the floor under the table i have my trays or tanks on. It is bright enough for me to see the glow in the dark numbers but it is not shining on my film. Everything else needs to be done by feel but you do get used to it... practice with some old film first.

Photo Engineer · Mar 11, 2007

Even luminescent tape will fog film and paper.

Nevertheless, I have pasted a strip of luminecent tape on the hands of my GraLab timer and keep that about 3 feet or more from the film as I load it. That works just fine.

PE

Anupam Basu · Mar 11, 2007

Cell phone or I-pod timer track.

Mine goes something like this : 30 seconds to start ... 5,4,3,2,1... start development...15 secs...30secs..." etc. Making a 20 minute track isn't that hard and very very convenient.

-Anupam

donbga · Mar 11, 2007

ulysses19 said:
I'd like to start developing my B+W 4x5 negs myself but I don't know how one keeps track of time in the dark. all the timers i have access to give off enough light to fog the film. do i really need to continue to pay $4 a sheet at my local lab? Thanks for any info you might have.

<todd>

I would reccomend considering a process timer such as the GraLab 900. You can program multiple processing step times, the timer can be started (or stopped) with a foot switch and the display can be turned off. You need only listen to the timer alert you when the end of the processing step is approching.

If you can find a Heathkit darkroom processing timer it will also allow programmed steps with audible alarms with the display turned off. Unfortunately these haven't been made of over 20 years. Occasionally they do appear on eBay and usually fetch a pretty good price. One just sold last week for over $80. Mine died several years ago amd it is sorely missed even though I replaced it with te Gralab 900.

I prefer to work in total darkness and don't use glow in the dark timers or tape so having an audible timer is a must for me.

removed account4 · Mar 11, 2007

hi todd

i have one of those big square graylab timers -
it is about 3 feet from where my film is bathing in
its developer. i haven't gotten anything fogged yet.
maybe i am just lucky? i can't really see the numbers well,
just shuffle the film until i hear the click of the second hand
stopping, then into the next bath (water) which i don't time.

where do you take your film - abar? renaissance? printmakers?
i never realized how $$ it was if you didn't process it yourself ...

john

robert e · Mar 12, 2007

Two more options that were mentioned around here lately:

A music mix with tracks selected for timing purposes [MP3, CD, cassette, etc.]

An old monochrome PalmOS handheld and Fototimer, a nifty freeware process timer for PalmOS that can give audible alarms with five-second countdowns.

Sean · Mar 12, 2007

robert e said:
A music mix with tracks selected for timing purposes [MP3, CD, cassette, etc.]

This is the best idea I've heard yet, boggles my mind I did not think of this ages ago.. I'll be making some mp3's tonight!

donbga · Mar 12, 2007

Sean said:
This is the best idea I've heard yet, boggles my mind I did not think of this ages ago.. I'll be making some mp3's tonight!

This has been suggested many times over the years. Personally I think it is a cumbersome and inflexible way to time processes in the darkroom. There is no allowance for adhoc changes.

My 2 cents -

reub2000 · Mar 12, 2007

I use a kitchen timer. I give my self about a minute to unload the film holders. The only problem that I have is with timing the agitation.

David Brown · Mar 12, 2007

Sean said:
This is the best idea I've heard yet, boggles my mind I did not think of this ages ago.. I'll be making some mp3's tonight!

Sean:

I did this 30 years ago when I processed my own slides! And, that was in the light (after loading the tanks). It was E3 or E4 (don't remember) and there were 12 -14 steps and it all took about an hour. I had a tape made up, reel-to-reel, mind you, that timed all of the steps and told me what to do at each step.

"30 seconds to end of step. Next step: second developer for 10 minutes. 10 seconds. Start." etc. Then would follow a 9 minute, 30 second piece of carefully chosen music. Worked great.

As for Don's concern that this doesn't allow for changes in times, that's true. Multiple tapes, I guess.

Neal · Mar 12, 2007

Dear Todd,

Consider the purchase of a Timex Ironman Triathlon 100 lap watch. It has a very flexible countdown timer that can be used for all sorts of things. No light emitted (unless you turn it on).

Neal Wydra

jp80874 · Mar 12, 2007

Buy a Jobo Cpp-2. Turn the lights on. Use any clock you like. I prefer a stop watch myself. See current Jobo thread and many in data base.

John Powers

Ross Chambers · Mar 12, 2007

Timers for darkness

My paid job is with a blindness/low vision agency, they have many useful devices like loupes and more particularly speaking timers which from memory (I use sealed tanks these days) have a count down from "30 seconds to go"
to a choice of alarms for "time's up" including a steam whistle sound. These timers are made, like so many other things today, in China and probably aren't hard to find.

Regards - Ross

Sheet film processing/seeing in the dark?

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