Equipment needed for a darkroom

Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!

"Torchiest" wrote:
Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!

Designing your own darkroom work environment is great fun. Let
*her* do it! She is the one who knows what type of enlarger she
likes, what kind of chemical trays she likes, etc. etc. etc. If
you go out and select whatever is recommended here, you'll very
likely come up with a very nice setup... but unless you ask
*her* what she wants, it won't be the *right* setup for her.

You might get loads of ideas here, and make up a couple of lists
of possible items... and then pop the idea on her and ask her
which ones to go for.

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)

Start out with an enlarger (with timer, lens, negative carriers), a couple
trays, a paper developer and fixer, and a safelight.

That will get you started. Then you will figure out what else you need.
Not everybody needs a fully decked out darkroom. I'm a minimalist and I
do fine. I did however eventually get myself a small dry-mount press...


Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!

"Torchiest" wrote:

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.

Oy! As if you need yet another reason she's in the bathroom for so long!

On 25 Nov 2006 11:09:53 -0800, "Torchiest"
wrote:

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.

Here ya go !

http://cgi.ebay.com/OMEGA-B-22-ENLAR...QQcmdZViewItem

Just add a safelight and she's ready for B-&-W developing and
printing. If she would like color then consider :

http://cgi.ebay.com/OMEGA-PRO-LAB-B6...QQcmdZViewItem

Personally I'd steer her away from color. It works but it's not nearly
as much fun as B-&-W. Another considering is space. If you're tight on
space or just want something you don't have to setup/teardown much and
she's using RC papers anyway, then look at the Nova "processors".
They're really just dip-'n'dunk tanks. Unfortunately I see that both
Calumet and B-&-H no longer carry them. They are available direct at :

http://www.novadarkroom.com/mjb_pop/index.html


==
John S. Douglas
Photographer & Webmaster
Legacy-photo.com - Xs750.net

I've just blocked off most of the light and waited for nightime. You need
more room than a bathroom.

Ray
"Torchiest" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!

"Torchiest" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!


Check out The Darkroom Handbook by Micheal Langford.

TTFN

Torchiest a écrit :

Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!

I too suggest you ask *her* what she wants.

A good book on darkroom building:
"The New Darkroom Handbook, Second Edition" by Joe DeMaio, Roberta
Worth, Dennis Curtin - Focal Press (ISBN: 0240802608)
http://minilien.com/?vODY3ekCcY

There are various examples of setups in small places (toilets,
bathrooms, etc ...) and many tips to make such darkrooms operational
despite the limited space.

Claudio Bonavolta
http://www.bonavolta.ch

1. Digital photos do NOT need a darkroom or an enlarger. They are not
made on film, but in memory, and the lens and camera determine the
'quality and enlargement' capability of the image.

2. FILM, such as 35mm, is NOT digital, and does need to be developed,
and then the prints need to be created, via an enlarger, in a
darkroom.

To develop the film, the chemicals, a light proof transfer bag and a
film tank for the film itself. I have one for roll film and another
for sheet film up to 4*5" in size in storage.

To develop prints, trays and the correct chemicals, AND a very good
timer, OR, for colour prints, the correct 'rolling' tank into which
chemicals are poured, the tank rotated to develop the image, then the
chemical is poured out and replaced by the next chemical, etc.

If using variable contrast print paper, the correct filters to use
with the enlarger to get the various contrasts you want out of the
paper.

The print paper and the correct chemicals for that print paper.

A fine electronic scale accurate to .01 of a gram if you are going to
mix your own chemicals, or need to, as the mixes disappear from the
market.

To expose paper in the enlarger, the enlarger, the correct size lens
for the enlarger and the size prints you want to make, and a good
timer that the enlarger gets plugged into. I recommend Greylab, and
have one of those as well.

Also needed is at least one good thermometer, as temperature control
is vital for colour, and nice to use for black and white. Most
solutions work best at specific temperatures.

I've had a full darkroom with a durst 606 enlarger, greylab timer,
variable contrast filters, tanks, etc. packed away for years... Too
hard to set it up and take it down...

FWIW

RsH
------------------------------------------------------------

On 25 Nov 2006 11:09:53 -0800, "Torchiest"
wrote:

Hi everybody,

My girlfriend is a photographer, and I want to buy her all the
equipment she would need to set up a darkroom in our bathroom.
Unforunately, I don't know a lot about photography and darkrooms. I've
done research, and "helped" her develop a set of prints once, so I know
the basics. What I've been looking for, and unable to find, is a
clear, concise list of exactly what all the equipment I'd need to buy
for a basic setup would be. I know I need some tanks or trays to hold
the chemicals, an enlarger, and the chemicals themselves, but I'm sure
there's more, both in terms of equipment and parts of equipment. If
anyone could either give me such a list, or point me towards one, and
or make specific recommendations about which brands to buy, I would be
extremely grateful!