Video taping a WOW moment in darkroom

tkamiya · May 29, 2013

Hi, everybody.... I'm looking for an idea on what is seemingly (and maybe so) impossible to do.

One of the "magic moment" in darkroom processing is when exposed paper hits the developer tray and the image shows up slowly. It's usually a WOW moment. Can anyone think of a way to video tape this moment? I don't have anything like night-vision type equipment.

I'm thinking this just isn't possible but I'm posting here just in case someone knows a way to pull this off.

Bill Burk · May 29, 2013

Really bright red safelight, and just know that your highlights will be a little degraded on that print... Just hope that's not noticeable on the video.

ME Super · May 29, 2013

It's paper, so it shouldn't be IR sensitive. Ditch the safelight try the video with a camcorder in "nightshot" mode. No fogging worries since the paper is at best blue-green sensitive.

Not sure if it will work or not due to the print being wet - doesn't water absorb some IR? Oh well if you already have a camcorder that can do this, you lose nothing but your time.

Other option: Develop and fix the print as normal, wash it, then use a ferricyanide bleach on it. Rewash, then redevelop with the lights on while you take your video.

tkamiya · May 29, 2013

ME Super said:
Other option: Develop and fix the print as normal, wash it, then use a ferricyanide bleach on it. Rewash, then redevelop with the lights on while you take your video.

Woooo..... that's interesting! I'm gonna try this.

hoffy · May 29, 2013

ME Super said:
It's paper, so it shouldn't be IR sensitive. Ditch the safelight try the video with a camcorder in "nightshot" mode. No fogging worries since the paper is at best blue-green sensitive.

Not sure if it will work or not due to the print being wet - doesn't water absorb some IR? Oh well if you already have a camcorder that can do this, you lose nothing but your time.

Other option: Develop and fix the print as normal, wash it, then use a ferricyanide bleach on it. Rewash, then redevelop with the lights on while you take your video.

I have often thought that this would work, but keep on hitting the stumbling block of 'if it did work, why is no-one doing it'.

I would like to hear if anyone has actually tried either video via IR light or even using night vision glasses in the dark room.

Colin Corneau · May 30, 2013

Use a DSLR to make the video - quality models film well above EI 3200.

mesantacruz · May 30, 2013

^^yup... a dslr works... great. at iso 3200... with a one of those jr safelights, really close... tons of 'noise' in the final video, but it works... also i think i used a 50mm 1.8 lens... set it up on a tripod, and worked with that. as was mentioned before, i'm pretty sure it wasn't perfect in the highlights, but not very noticeable unless next to another print, and then only if they are next to each other.

mesantacruz · May 30, 2013

what i wanted to say was that it works, not great, but it does work.

tkamiya · May 30, 2013

Thanks, but I don't own a DLSR late enough to have a video mode. Best I can do is to borrow a consumer grade video cameras.

mesantacruz · May 30, 2013

hmmm, maybe talk to a friend who might enjoy watching it actually happen, and learn a thing or two, in exchange for documenting it. Or you rent one out. sorry, someone else might have a better suggestion, i don't know if a video camcorder will have the sensitivity or the lens, with an 'aperture' large enough for the low light.

Mike Crawford · May 30, 2013

tkamiya said:
Woooo..... that's interesting! I'm gonna try this.

This works very well but even better if you shoot through a deep red filter, maybe even underexpose a slight bit. Even if you use very strong bleach, there will still be a faint image on the print but through a filter, it should not be visable on screen.

Best to also use a very diluted developer so it comes up a bit more gradually.

Many years ago, I was in an advert for a client on teacher training. (OK my hand was!) It actually was processed for real with under red light on a film set, though was shot on top range equipment. Here's my three seconds of fame. Only time I've not worn rubber gloves in the darkroom! Was fun to see it in the cinema before the main feature!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEKxsI7i0tc

Stephen Frizza · May 30, 2013

Yes There is a process where one can expose the print, develop it and then bleach it and re develop it in water in daylight. the image appears like magic.

Shawn Dougherty · May 30, 2013

Ask "Sergey", that's his APUG handle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77QHDub-DYM

Noble · May 30, 2013

Wow! People still use videotape?!

DSLR... welcome to the future.

mwdake · May 30, 2013

Use a DSLR to make the video - quality models film well above EI 3200.

What is this DSLR thing with EI 3200 and how would I develop video from it, would I have to push process?

mesantacruz · Jun 13, 2013

just posted this,

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

and remembered this thread... you could buy 4 or 10 of these bulbs, and have enough light to film, as it would not fog your paper.

DannL · Jun 13, 2013

ME Super said:
. . . . .

Other option: Develop and fix the print as normal, wash it, then use a ferricyanide bleach on it. Rewash, then redevelop with the lights on while you take your video.

Bleaching would be the easiest method to accomplish the task. But, my question . . . How does one "fake a WOW moment" in a dark room?

clayne · Jun 14, 2013

Old Fart said:
Bleaching would be the easiest method to accomplish the task. But, my question . . . How does one "fake a WOW moment" in a dark room?

With pot-ferri bleach! Just bleach it back to utmost faintness and then redevelop. Full light if one wants (although obviously that would be a continuity error!).

DannL · Jun 14, 2013

clayne said:
With pot-ferri bleach! Just bleach it back to utmost faintness and then redevelop. Full light if one wants (although obviously that would be a continuity error!).

The potassium ferricyanide for bleaching was the obvious part. But, my point was. . . knowing in advance that a "WOW moment" was approaching while taping, sounds somewhat contrived. At the moment the image appears do you throw your hands up in the air and yell . . . "It's alive! It's Alive!" ;-)

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 14, 2013

If you want to record stuff like this, rent a high quality HD camcorder that has low light capacity. Most shops that have rental gear can rent you something far better than what you might have on your own or could borrow from a friend.

I'm going to give this a shot as I have a high-end consumer HD camcorder (Canon Vixia HF-G10) that will record high quality video in as low as something like 0.1 lux. That "magic moment" is something that not a whole lot of young people into photography have experienced, and I think it's a strong selling point for analog. You just don't get that "wow" watching a print spool out of an inkjet printer. I'll post my results if it works, and respond in the negative if it doesn't.

jp498 · Jun 14, 2013

I've got LED safelights, and it's bright enough to shoot with my cellphone camera in the darkroom. If it's bright enough for cell phone shooting, any digital video system should work.

Cell phone snap:

Gerald C Koch · Jun 14, 2013

Other option: Develop and fix the print as normal, wash it, then use a ferricyanide bleach on it. Rewash, then redevelop while you take your video.

This trick has been used many, many times in films and videos over the years. Very simple and effective. You don't really need a safelight per se just a red filter over the lens.

Dr Croubie · Jun 14, 2013

mesantacruz said:
hmmm, maybe talk to a friend who might enjoy watching it actually happen, and learn a thing or two, in exchange for documenting it.

This.
Find a friend with the latest $3000 dslr and a fast f/1.2-1.4 lens. Ask them to film the entire process, while you 'teach' the camera, but you're really teaching the guy behind the camera. If all goes well, at the end of the shoot you have another digital->film convert to swell our ranks. muahaha.

jp498 · Jun 14, 2013

[video=youtube;-psmDgTu1Xk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-psmDgTu1Xk[/video]

with my cell phone cam.

marciofs · Jun 15, 2013

I recorded once with my Nikon D90 with normal settings and exposure in automatic. I covered all the lights from camera.
It was easy and worked just fine. It was possible to se the image comming up on the paper but it wasn't very clear to identify the image on the paper until I showed it again on normal light.

Video taping a WOW moment in darkroom

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