the first two things i've learned....

[JimEA]

These are the first two test strips I've ever exposed and developed. It's the beginning of an annotated scrapbook. Good reminder of lessons learned and all that....

 

[Nige]

Get a large scrapbook... say 96 pages!

 

[jimjm]

I still make both of those mistakes occasionally, when I try to hurry things.

 

[ic-racer]

Unfortunately, after years of darkroom work, one can still learn those...

 

[gijsbert]

He he, been there done that, well, euh, still do that once in a while

 

[Donald Qualls]

And strangely, those exact same lessons will apply again when you learn to make large format negatives. Don't ask me how I know...

 

[pentaxuser]

My sympathies There seems so much to think about when starting. Glossy and even Pearl or so called Semi-Matt in RC papers aren't too bad to spot the emulsion side from the back side but frankly in the case of Ilford Satin it really does take a bit of inspection to get it right. It is a great paper surface for some kinds of shots but I found that great care is needed to make sure which is the emulsion side. There is just slightly more sheen but I usually have to angle the paper to get the tell-tale refection

pentaxuser

 

[bdial]

I could fill a scrapbook with just those.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I have wondered, from time to time, why enlarging lenses don't have quick-set apertures -- like the white light lever on color heads. A quick flick to get bright light for focusing, and another to close down for exposure. Of course, you'd still have to remember to flick the lever.

 

[MattKing]

I have wondered, from time to time, why enlarging lenses don't have quick-set apertures -- like the white light lever on color heads. A quick flick to get bright light for focusing, and another to close down for exposure. Of course, you'd still have to remember to flick the lever.

Many do - modern Componon S ones come to mind.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Many do - modern Componon S ones come to mind.

Yep, my mistake -- on my budget, new or modern enlarging lenses don't appear. For instance, I have a take-out Anastar, still in shutter from a Kodak Reflex II, as my 80mm enlarging lens. Cost me ten bucks, as I recall.

 

[MattKing]

My modern 50mm Componon S came with a current model variable contrast LPL 6x7 enlarger for $65 CDN - the result of a Craigslist ad.

 

[radiant]

I have wondered, from time to time, why enlarging lenses don't have quick-set apertures

All my lenses have steps for apertures too. My method of measuring aperture is "stops from full aperture" because I cannot remember from which aperture the lens start. Usually I print with "-2 stops"

 

[winger]

I have wondered, from time to time, why enlarging lenses don't have quick-set apertures -- like the white light lever on color heads. A quick flick to get bright light for focusing, and another to close down for exposure. Of course, you'd still have to remember to flick the lever.

I have Componon S lenses - believe me, it's still possible to forget to close it down after focusing. I frequently don't open up to focus if I'm using a grain focuser. That way I don't get blinded and I can't forget what I didn't move.

There will always be ways to mess up. I've been printing for a decently long time and still screw stuff up.

 

[Donald Qualls]

There will always be ways to mess up.

This is a universal truth.

 

[Sirius Glass]

There will always be ways to mess up. I've been printing for a decently long time and still screw stuff up.

Since large format cameras lack the interlocks of the smaller formats, I can always find innovative ways to screw stuff up. If one uses a press camera with a lens shutter and a focal plane shutter the world of screw ups has no end. Set lens shutter open, focus, set aperture, pull dark slide, crank focal plane shutter and voilà ==> a diagonal fogging across the whole sheet of film!