This guy has some good equipment in his darkroom

Michael Firstlight · Apr 24, 2020

Wayyy to much envy from the critics. I worked in sub-standard makeshift darkrooms all my life - a good part of my 50 years since I shot, developed and printed my first roll of Verichrome 126 B&W at age 12. I had to compromise constantly, gear that limited me, quality issues from dust, difficult to achieve consistent temperature for color work, limited in print size, poor dust control having to use basements, attics, and garage spaces, often no running water in the same room, average enlarging lenses that limited print quality, excess waste having to make excessive test prints, poor print mounting options ....the list goes on and on. I will say fighting against all the limitations forced me to improve my processes and technique; I had s no choice, but lack of good gear often made it more drudgery than joy. So excuse me if I am now building a state-of-the-art, fully finished, dedicated darkroom as part of a new home that is nearly completed, It's going to be close to clean room status, complete with a wonderful collection of gear I've been gathering and using in my present - once again a makeshift darkroom in the garage in the home I am leaving. I'm not going to apologize one iota for planning to install a digital Intellifaucet like the one in the video - a nice K375 I got for under $200 bucks; I can't wait to use it. I'm not going to apologize for having moved up to like new-condition LPL 4550XLG and LPL700 enlargers with a collection of excellent enlarging lenses, vaccume easels, a Sidekick 8 programmable film processor that is a joy to use, an Fujimoto CP-32 automatic paper processor, film drying cabinet, heppa air cleaner and ionizer air blower for dust control, color and b&w zone analyzers, and a lot more - some of this and other great gear I have gotten at relatively rock-bottom cost that I could only dream of affording for decades. And even with all of that I've spent only a fraction on my film/darkroom gear over recent years than I've sunk into digital and my portrait studio. Does any of that make me a better photographer or artist? Nope, but it reduces many barriers to quality and efficiency and make the process a great deal more enjoyable. Why shouldn't I? I worked my azz off for 40 years after raising a family, and can now afford to enjoy it in my retirement years. I've earned it - so to all you critics I say go stuff your envy and go work for it and earn it like I did.

Bob Carnie · Apr 24, 2020

The darkroom looks quite functional, I especially like the fact that one can walk around the easel, something I cherish in my darkroom.

I worked at Jones and Morris in 1980 a mural house in Toronto. The lab was equipped with horizontal Durst current model enlargers , with exceptional lenses , it was staggering the investment they made in the equipment. I was producing 4 x 8 ft to 20 ft by 60ft panel murals in five rooms, all equipped with EconoRolls and a never ending supply of paper. They had an 80 inch Hostert processor and yes did 72 inch short dimension Kodak paper as well a Duratrans processor and BW processor... When I asked Tim Morris why so much expensive gear, his simple answer , By doing this I take away any excuses a printer gives me for poor workmanship.... lesson learned.

I have a selection of incredible equipment from 11 x 14 vertical Deveer , Durst Lambda, and Plate Burners,, the most important fact in my current space is it is quite open for work to be spread out during a job, Heating, Ventilation, Humidity and Air Condition is balanced out. All equipment not required is tossed and not collected to make the room look sexy.. I like this new darkroom, the last one I had from 204 - 2019 was in a basement with high ceilings but no control of the environment. Yes I did great work there IMHO, but I feel much more comfort today with the new setup.
I get this good vibe from these people in Russia , I actually have had some online communication with them and of course if I could ever visit them I will.. I think I would enjoy a trip to Russia immensely, some fantastic workers there I would love to converse with.

Paul Howell · Apr 24, 2020

So excuse me if I am now building a state-of-the-art, fully finished, dedicated darkroom as part of a new home that is nearly completed, It's going to be close to clean room status, complete with a wonderful collection of gear I've been gathering and using in my present

Good for you and I am envious. I worked in top of line professional darkrooms, at time had a rather nice darkroom at my house, now a make shift dark room in a master bath, which pending a lottery win, be my last darkroom, so go for it.

Patrick Robert James · Apr 24, 2020

It is somewhat interesting to note that the naysayers and shade throwers in this thread can't be found online. We have no idea what their images look like.....

Kind of, you know, put up or shut up.

chris77 · Apr 24, 2020

Michael Firstlight said:
Wayyy to much envy from the critics. I worked in sub-standard makeshift darkrooms all my life - a good part of my 50 years since I shot, developed and printed my first roll of Verichrome 126 B&W at age 12. I had to compromise constantly, gear that limited me, quality issues from dust, difficult to achieve consistent temperature for color work, limited in print size, poor dust control having to use basements, attics, and garage spaces, often no running water in the same room, average enlarging lenses that limited print quality, excess waste having to make excessive test prints, poor print mounting options ....the list goes on and on. I will say fighting against all the limitations forced me to improve my processes and technique; I had s no choice, but lack of good gear often made it more drudgery than joy. So excuse me if I am now building a state-of-the-art, fully finished, dedicated darkroom as part of a new home that is nearly completed, It's going to be close to clean room status, complete with a wonderful collection of gear I've been gathering and using in my present - once again a makeshift darkroom in the garage in the home I am leaving. I'm not going to apologize one iota for planning to install a digital Intellifaucet like the one in the video - a nice K375 I got for under $200 bucks; I can't wait to use it. I'm not going to apologize for having moved up to like new-condition LPL 4550XLG and LPL700 enlargers with a collection of excellent enlarging lenses, vaccume easels, a Sidekick 8 programmable film processor that is a joy to use, an Fujimoto CP-32 automatic paper processor, film drying cabinet, heppa air cleaner and ionizer air blower for dust control, color and b&w zone analyzers, and a lot more - some of this and other great gear I have gotten at relatively rock-bottom cost that I could only dream of affording for decades. And even with all of that I've spent only a fraction on my film/darkroom gear over recent years than I've sunk into digital and my portrait studio. Does any of that make me a better photographer or artist? Nope, but it reduces many barriers to quality and efficiency and make the process a great deal more enjoyable. Why shouldn't I? I worked my azz off for 40 years after raising a family, and can now afford to enjoy it in my retirement years. I've earned it - so to all you critics I say go stuff your envy and go work for it and earn it like I did.

Well, i couldn't be more happy with my darkroom. And no, I don't envy anybody for their equipment, really not
And because the question was raised I show one of my recent prints from 5x7, not yet mounted in the final frame but already dry

Tom Kershaw · Apr 24, 2020

What material is your mural size image printed on? An evocative abstract.

Lachlan Young · Apr 24, 2020

MattKing said:
Just like there just might be a fundamental difference between the expectations and norms of a photographic co-op in Russia, Scotland and British Columbia, Canada.
I know that my home always looks its best when I know that guests are coming - how does anyone know that the darkroom in that video always looks that neat?!
That video isn't about how to keep your darkroom neat, it is about how at least one photographer uses tools and techniques available to them.
Can you blame them for sprucing things up (if they did) before the cameras ran.
I have worked in a couple of darkrooms that were shared by experienced (newspaper) photographers, and were kept clean by people employed for that purpose - they didn't look that different.
The working area outside the darkrooms had a lot more signs of "character".
And as for the print itself - who cares if it doesn't excite some of us? If it was a print of the photographer's child's tenth birthday party, it would be just as capable as a technical illustration.

No, there isn't really any difference. If you use a Deville Bobinoir system for mural printing, you learn exactly how very, very clean parts of it must be (the clips especially so) - but even then, the troughs do show signs of use pretty quickly, no matter how hard you scrub off the silver deposits. I know from years of experience of doing all I can to keep darkrooms and process rooms (be they individual or public access multi-user) meticulously clean in terms of airborne dust and contaminants (and clear of random boxes of paper, shoes and boilersuits!), there are build ups of certain characteristics of use over time. Maybe the camera is making their sinks and trays look more unused than they are.

Bob Carnie said:
The darkroom looks quite functional, I especially like the fact that one can walk around the easel, something I cherish in my darkroom.

I worked at Jones and Morris in 1980 a mural house in Toronto. The lab was equipped with horizontal Durst current model enlargers , with exceptional lenses , it was staggering the investment they made in the equipment. I was producing 4 x 8 ft to 20 ft by 60ft panel murals in five rooms, all equipped with EconoRolls and a never ending supply of paper. They had an 80 inch Hostert processor and yes did 72 inch short dimension Kodak paper as well a Duratrans processor and BW processor... When I asked Tim Morris why so much expensive gear, his simple answer , By doing this I take away any excuses a printer gives me for poor workmanship.... lesson learned.

I have a selection of incredible equipment from 11 x 14 vertical Deveer , Durst Lambda, and Plate Burners,, the most important fact in my current space is it is quite open for work to be spread out during a job, Heating, Ventilation, Humidity and Air Condition is balanced out. All equipment not required is tossed and not collected to make the room look sexy.. I like this new darkroom, the last one I had from 204 - 2019 was in a basement with high ceilings but no control of the environment. Yes I did great work there IMHO, but I feel much more comfort today with the new setup.
I get this good vibe from these people in Russia , I actually have had some online communication with them and of course if I could ever visit them I will.. I think I would enjoy a trip to Russia immensely, some fantastic workers there I would love to converse with.

The thing that I can't shake from my mind is the sense that the 20x24" wasn't originally conceived to enable the making of the best possible prints, but that its format was chosen in order to claim to have the biggest enlarger. If it was 30x40cm format & loaded up with Rodagon-G's etc, then there'd be no doubt that it was intended for optimal quality at mural scale rather than sheer size. It probably would not be much cheaper. What is very interesting is that the same technology could be used to build a UV LED enlarger in the manner of the old carbon arc powered device the Fresson process folk use - and with a custom UV transmitting enlarging lens, it could be quite extraordinary.

Being able to access the sides of floorstanding enlargers in particular should be a non-negotiable, yet it's all too often ignored. How do you find the 515 for working with sub 5x7 formats?

calebarchie · Apr 24, 2020

I enjoyed the video, the colour grading is not so good makes all the colours wonky. Darkroom doesn't look clinical or sterile at all to me, atleast not compared to the one I am building.

I have been following these guys for a while now, great people. Lachlan can be found easily on IG, FB and Tumblr easily if you are curious

removed account4 · Apr 24, 2020

thanks Darko !
great post and great video.
its wonderful watching people do their thing.
my Darkroom is a mess and so is my Lightroom and Dimroom.

Ai Print · Apr 25, 2020

I’m not sure I understand the blowback towards what looks like a clean, tidy and well appointed darkroom. There are even more impressive ones by very talented end users like Early Riser who have expansive setups.

Heck even mine is as nice and as well equipped as the one in this video and I am not out to impress anyone, only to have what I consider to be my ideal workspace for making the best possible final print. I made very nice prints in a closet with no real ventilation, no running water, no drain and hardly any room. It was at times, a pain in my rear especially considering the dust I would have to deal with.

You only live once so if you can and you want to, build your dream darkroom. And if it is to be super clean and uncluttered, more power to you. It’s sure as hell a lot easier to keep clean, that’s for sure.

Bob Carnie · Apr 25, 2020

Lachlan Young said:
No, there isn't really any difference. If you use a Deville Bobinoir system for mural printing, you learn exactly how very, very clean parts of it must be (the clips especially so) - but even then, the troughs do show signs of use pretty quickly, no matter how hard you scrub off the silver deposits. I know from years of experience of doing all I can to keep darkrooms and process rooms (be they individual or public access multi-user) meticulously clean in terms of airborne dust and contaminants (and clear of random boxes of paper, shoes and boilersuits!), there are build ups of certain characteristics of use over time. Maybe the camera is making their sinks and trays look more unused than they are.

The thing that I can't shake from my mind is the sense that the 20x24" wasn't originally conceived to enable the making of the best possible prints, but that its format was chosen in order to claim to have the biggest enlarger. If it was 30x40cm format & loaded up with Rodagon-G's etc, then there'd be no doubt that it was intended for optimal quality at mural scale rather than sheer size. It probably would not be much cheaper. What is very interesting is that the same technology could be used to build a UV LED enlarger in the manner of the old carbon arc powered device the Fresson process folk use - and with a custom UV transmitting enlarging lens, it could be quite extraordinary.

Being able to access the sides of floorstanding enlargers in particular should be a non-negotiable, yet it's all too often ignored. How do you find the 515 for working with sub 5x7 formats?

I actually just got a mint condition 5 x 7 deverre that sits on table for smaller films, I am sure I could make the 11 x14 work with masking material ( we did this with 8 x 10 ) need to find direct center for this .. but the deverre's only bad point IMO is the neg stage which moves around a lot on the 11 x 14.. I am going to figure out the 5 x 7's capabilities to lock in position easy for the small formats.

warden · Apr 25, 2020

Lachlan Young said:
.....there are build ups of certain characteristics of use over time. Maybe the camera is making their sinks and trays look more unused than they are.

The darkroom is clearly being used now, so perhaps in a few years they can grace us with a patina tour and we can all finally be impressed.

warden · Apr 25, 2020

Patrick Robert James said:
It is somewhat interesting to note that the naysayers and shade throwers in this thread can't be found online. We have no idea what their images look like.....

Kind of, you know, put up or shut up.

I don't have an issue with it. Often the best critics aren't artists after all and it would be unreasonable to expect them to be because criticism and art are two different talents. If the critic is just saying "this work sucks" then that's not criticism, it's childish lashing out and no more. Put some meat on the bone.

Now if the critic is constantly boasting about how wonderful their work is and then refuses to show any of it perhaps they need to get over their fears. I've seen several excuses for not sharing work online citing the impossibility of sharing the full majesty of their work, which is of course bullshit, and the fear of their work being stolen, which is comical. A watermarked scan or pic from your phone will suffice, thankyouverymuch.

chris77 · Apr 25, 2020

jawarden said:
I don't have an issue with it. Often the best critics aren't artists after all and it would be unreasonable to expect them to be because criticism and art are two different talents. If the critic is just saying "this work sucks" then that's not criticism, it's childish lashing out and no more. Put some meat on the bone.

Now if the critic is constantly boasting about how wonderful their work is and then refuses to show any of it perhaps they need to get over their fears. I've seen several excuses for not sharing work online citing the impossibility of sharing the full majesty of their work, which is of course bullshit, and the fear of their work being stolen, which is comical. A watermarked scan or pic from your phone will suffice, thankyouverymuch.

Hahaha . You can keep it in your pants. I just posted a pic, scroll up
Now awaiting your critique.
Or do you consider yourself an .... artist ?!?

wyofilm · Apr 25, 2020

chris77 said:
one of my recent prints from 5x7, not yet mounted in the final frame but already dry

What is going here? It looks like fabric. Is that right? If so, then emulsion applied to the fabric? Anyway, looks great.

Mike Crawford · Apr 25, 2020

Patrick Robert James said:
The only thing that matters is the print. It doesn't matter if you can eat off the floor of your darkroom or you can't even see the floor of your darkroom. Only the print. If you prefer it one way or another that is fine, but don't dis others because they have a different process.

I remember a while back there was an English photographer that took images of all the professional darkrooms left in London. Went and found it- http://www.richardnicholson.com/projects/last-one-out/

You'll notice that every darkroom is different. Different enlargers, different setups, different levels of chaos. Doesn't matter.

I was amongst the printers to be featured in Richard's project. Interestingly, all the publicity and press about it at the time was concerning the death of the darkroom. So good job we proved them wrong! Though out of the 22 featured in this selection, I think 14 are still printing though several of these are in different darkrooms, or now working from home or for different companies.

As to the question of how clean and tidy a darkroom should be, I'm all for as much cleanliness as possible. I think it was on this forum about 10 years ago that this photo of my darkroom was criticised for being too clean. That's a lot of bullshit as if you look at the photo, you will see the tins of paint under the DeVere. I'd just built it and moved in so of course it was clean! Since then I've moved but it looks the same but in reverse. My darkrooms are always built around the need to have it 11 feet long for my wet bench. The enlargers take up the opposite space. Which side which goes on depends on power supply, water and drainage and ventilation placing. Many years later, it's still relatively clean and tidy, though definitely has the 'patina' of time with various wall decorations and far too many boxes of paper and bottles of chemicals. And lots of other necessary / unnecessary items! But am very careful to make sure nothing is permanently stained by chemistry. I spend 100s of hours in there every month so it would be depressing if it was a dank chamber. (Not printing just now due to the Covid 19 situation. Missing it!)

That one in Russia looks great. Good luck to them and hope it stays clean. Incidentally, since Richard Nicholson worked on this series of London labs, he has expanded the series to New York, Tokyo and I think some German labs. Maybe more. Hopefully one day it will be a book.

chris77 · Apr 25, 2020

wyofilm said:
What is going here? It looks like fabric. Is that right? If so, then emulsion applied to the fabric? Anyway, looks great.

Thank you very much.
It's silver gelatin on paper.

Tom Kershaw · Apr 25, 2020

Mike Crawford said:
That one in Russia looks great. Good luck to them and hope it stays clean. Incidentally, since Richard Nicholson worked on this series of London labs, he has expanded the series to New York, Tokyo and I think some German labs. Maybe more. Hopefully one day it will be a book.

A 'book of darkrooms' has potential.

Lachlan Young · Apr 25, 2020

Bob Carnie said:
I actually just got a mint condition 5 x 7 deverre that sits on table for smaller films, I am sure I could make the 11 x14 work with masking material ( we did this with 8 x 10 ) need to find direct center for this .. but the deverre's only bad point IMO is the neg stage which moves around a lot on the 11 x 14.. I am going to figure out the 5 x 7's capabilities to lock in position easy for the small formats.

The Mk II neg carrier frames aren't as good as the Mk I for staying put - but I think the Mk I carrier existed only for the 504. I've attached the De Vere instructions for the 504 pin reg carrier - the 507/ 5108/ 515 are all essentially variants of this. The pin bar was Kodak register punch spacing/ pins & external taped on register strips. Not a big undertaking to modify a regular carrier as you can see.

warden · Apr 25, 2020

chris77 said:
Hahaha . You can keep it in your pants. I just posted a pic, scroll up
Now awaiting your critique.
Or do you consider yourself an .... artist ?!?

Yes I saw you did that. Adding pics is always appreciated.

CMoore · Apr 25, 2020

It seems OK to me.
I wish my... near future... darkroom would have some of this stuff.
On another forum a member pointed out, or thought that this was a Communal Room.

Anyway......i watched the video and got some decent Tips and Info from it.

Bob Carnie · Apr 26, 2020

Lachlan Young said:
The Mk II neg carrier frames aren't as good as the Mk I for staying put - but I think the Mk I carrier existed only for the 504. I've attached the De Vere instructions for the 504 pin reg carrier - the 507/ 5108/ 515 are all essentially variants of this. The pin bar was Kodak register punch spacing/ pins & external taped on register strips. Not a big undertaking to modify a regular carrier as you can see.

Thanks dude, I will look into this for the 5 x 7 ..

Bob Carnie · Apr 26, 2020

CMoore said:
It seems OK to me.
I wish my... near future... darkroom would have some of this stuff.
On another forum a member pointed out, or thought that this was a Communal Room.

Anyway......i watched the video and got some decent Tips and Info from it.

If I am correct the building of the huge enlarger captivated the internet for a year or two , I would love to see the machine in operation, the only one I know( personally) using 20 x24 film camera is Monty McCutchen and I would love to do a project with him and then go to this facility to make prints. It would be interesting to see 2 x enlargements from his film.... But with that said I own a 11 x14 Devere Enlarger and have never put a 11 x 14 sheet of film in it... I am not a camera knob and never really felt the need to work with a camera that large, I get intimidated when I haul out the 8 x 10 I gave (courtesy Vindaloo Dave Wooten). Someday I may rent one and see the types of prints I could make with them.. I really do want to go to this facility some day, Its on my bucket list. Also drinking a pint of beer with Mike Crawford and his buddies.

ic-racer · Apr 26, 2020

Bob Carnie said:
But with that said I own a 11 x14 Devere Enlarger and have never put a 11 x 14 sheet of film in it
I would love to do a project with him and then go to this facility [20x24 enlarger] to make prints

Is your 11x14 enlarger available? I'd think there might be someone that thinks "I would love to do a project with [11x14] and then go to this facility [Bob Carnie's darkroom] and make prints [with the 11x14 enlarger]...

Bob Carnie · Apr 26, 2020

ic-racer said:
Is your 11x14 enlarger available? I'd think there might be someone that thinks "I would love to do a project with [11x14] and then go to this facility [Bob Carnie's darkroom] and make prints [with the 11x14 enlarger]...

Maybe a few years ago , but now I reflect on the bad and good experiences I have had with letting people into my darkroom, I think the right person yes and it would have to be a serious project with confirmed gallery showing as well a rental negotiation between me and the person.

Edit.. I should post I am not really looking for this ... it would have to be the right situation.

This guy has some good equipment in his darkroom

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