What do I need to print b&w, C41 and E6 at home?

Hello everyone (apologies for the rather lengthy post)

After 20+ years of film photography, I've finally decided to learn how to print, both black and white and colour (C41 and transparencies). I realise this is a tall order but I feel I need a challenge (and I am tired, absolutely tired, of having to fight with an inkjet printer whenever I want a print, not to mention the fairly insane ink costs).

I've read numerous things online over the past several months, particularly about colour printing (b&w seems straightforward enough), but where I feel that I am fumbling around in the dark is regarding the things I need, thus the equipment.

For instance, I am bewildered by the numerous brands - and types - of enlargers and the various other kinds of surrounding equipment that would be needed.

In particular, I stumble when it comes to which sort of enlarger to choose that can handle all three film formats (I am only going to have space for one enlarger or my wife will have me leave the house).

The largest format I use is 6x6. From reading (incl the excellent but really quite vast Ollinger guide to photographic enlargers), I've come to understand that one should aim for an enlarger that can handle one format larger than the biggest one one shoots, simply because lenses tend to be softer at the edges. This makes sense to me so I guess I should aim for a 4x5 enlarger. But which? There are so many and there appear to be different types too.

And what surrounding equipment will I need? The Internet and friends tell me about grain focusers, pedals, timers etc. Then the chemistry - here I'm very lost unfortunately. For instance, with respect to b&w prints, should I use the same type of developer etc as I use when developing the film (in my case HC-110 and Diafine)? Then the papers...Well you see my problem.

I realise this has been asked probably more than a million times before so feel free to 1) tell me so, and 2) point to online resources instead of writing lengthy replies. I don't want to overburden the forum but just need a few pointers so I can find the rest out for myself.

I am very grateful for any help
Philip

You have some research to do. Are you in the US? Start with Craigslist. Usually you can find "complete setups" for less than buying everything individually.

At a minimum, I think you would need the following for black and white paper developing. (Color is a whole other ballgame -- not impossible and not necessarily "harder," but get comfortable with black and white first. Also, there's currently no off-the-shelf process for printing E6.)

- Enlarger with 50mm (35mm) or 80mm (120) lens. They all kind of work the same, but smaller may be better when starting out. You can read up up on condenser vs. diffuser enlargers. Whatever you get, check all moving parts, focusing, make sure nothing is bent or loose or too rusty, wiring looks good, light comes on, bellows is in good condition (no tears or holes), etc.

- Negative carriers for your film type and enlarger choice. These hold your film in place in the enlarger. If you're lucky, some will come with the enlarger.

- Grain focuser

- Easel

- Timer

- Safelight (amber or red)

- Multigrade filters (Optional if you buy grade 2 paper [see below], but you'll want these down the road to control print contrast.)

- Trays and tongs

- Paper developer: Dektol is a powder that you'll have to mix up. It's probably the gold standard of paper developers. Ilford Multigrade Developer (or PQ) is a liquid concentrate and mixes easily. It's what I use.

- Stop bath: Water, or vingar and water, will work fine.

- Fixer: Ilford Rapid Fixer. It's a liquid concentrate.

- Paper: Try Ilford paper in the size and finish of your choice. I'd start with RC (resin coated) paper, either grade 2 or multigrade.

- A completely dark room -- ideally with running water.

- A good book on print making

Did I miss anything?

Dear Philip,

Where you are makes a huge difference. There might even be people in your area you could meet with. I've tried to attach a Kodak guide that might help. An old Kodak Color Darkroom Dataguide will help as well.

Neal Wydra

Printing from colour transparencies will be a challenge, because no materials designed for that are currently being produced.

The comments above about where you are are very important. If you were local to me, I could get you just about all you need for very little money, because all my friends have stuff they need to "downsize". But shipping is a killer.

I use and recommend a 4x5 enlarger, but a good 6x7 enlarger with a colour head would be an excellent choice.

Get a 4x5 enlarger with a relatively modern colorhead. These are more common and generally more solidly better built than 6x7 enlargers;
and obviously more versatile too, if you ever decide to print something bigger. The colorhead will allow you to easily print VC black and white papers as well as RA4 prints from color negatives, which is fairly easy to learn. But printing directly from slides or chromes is not realistic anymore due to lack of suitable darkroom papers.

Thanks for the detailed replies, I am very grateful. My apologies that it took a while to write back.

I am based the Netherlands. And I'm sad to learn it is not possible to print (not develop) E6 at home. I shoot a lot of it and really like it. Seems I won't be able to get rid of the inkjet then. Sigh.

bvy said:

- Fixer: Ilford Rapid Fixer. It's a liquid concentrate.

- A good book on print making

Click to expand...

Thank you Brian, that's a very helpful list indeed.

Is this the same Rapid Fixer as I use for b&w development? As for books, I have two so far Adams The Print and Lootens Photographic Enlarging (forget the exact title). At least a start I hope.

Neal said:

Dear Philip,

Where you are makes a huge difference. There might even be people in your area you could meet with. I've tried to attach a Kodak guide that might help. An old Kodak Color Darkroom Dataguide will help as well.

Neal Wydra

Click to expand...

Thanks for the guide Neal, I could open it and have printed it out.

MattKing said:

The comments above about where you are are very important. If you were local to me, I could get you just about all you need for very little money, because all my friends have stuff they need to "downsize". But shipping is a killer.

I use and recommend a 4x5 enlarger, but a good 6x7 enlarger with a colour head would be an excellent choice.

Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the advice regarding a 4x5 or a 6x7 enlarger, Matt, and also for your kind offer re equipment but alas I am not in North America.

DREW WILEY said:

Get a 4x5 enlarger with a relatively modern colorhead. These are more common and generally more solidly better built than 6x7 enlargers;
and obviously more versatile too, if you ever decide to print something bigger. The colorhead will allow you to easily print VC black and white papers as well as RA4 prints from color negatives, which is fairly easy to learn. But printing directly from slides or chromes is not realistic anymore due to lack of suitable darkroom papers.

Click to expand...

Thank you Drew, I have been curious about 4x5 (but not larger, though I realise this is a slippery slope haha) so it is interesting to hear that such enlargers are more solidly built.

VC - variable contrast, or?

The stuff I've so far read about colour printing makes it seem quite straight forward. From working a lot with Photoshop (and assuming here the same works in the analog world) I know about colour corrections by adding or subtracting colours so hopefully that will help me.

As for enlargers, what would qualify as a relatively modern one with a colour head?

Best

Get a 4"x5" enlarger [if you stick around here you WILL MOVE to LF] with a dichroic [color diffusion head]. The filters are necessary for variable contrast paper in black & white and necessary for color printing. Lens turrets are nice but not required. You need a 50mm lens for 35mm, 80mm lens for medium format and 135mm lens for 4"x5". The focal lengths are not fixed in concrete and can vary in the range.

Processing color [and can be used for black & white] is much easier with a Jobo processor. The processor handles the agitation and maintains the temperature for color processing.