Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I had a Nova Quad processor for RA-4 color prints. It worked just as advertised. However, I sold it and went to a drum rotator and Ciba or Doran drums with AT chemistry because I wanted an easy to do 11X14 and 16X20's. All that stuff cost less than $100 at the swap meet and the Nova sold for $300. I see no good reason for using an expensive Nova tri-mate for 8X10 b&w prints. Just get three trays and some liquid Agfa Neutol and liquid fixer. Working strength solutions will last three or more days if you put Saran Wrap over the dev. Chemicals for a printing session cost under two dollars. It is better to mix the fresh anyway for new sessions of printing. Trays are fool-proof, nothing to break and you just stick them under the counter when you are done. Enlargers are being abandoned at a high rate these days by people who want to go digital. The local store (Seawood) has four Beseler 45's for sale now. Probably any reasonable offer will take one. It's never been so easy to get into a chemical darkroom as now. Mike will tell you, it's a craft to print. I find it a great therapy, as do many others. Someday I will buy a powerfull computer, good scanner, Piezo software, supplies, and a new printer at great cost. After a long learning curve I will probably be making even better prints. Tina and Johnny say so and I believe them. I still think it is a gift to pass the craft of the traditional darkroom on to others while we can. After all, we Leica users aren't exactly at the cutting edge of camera technology either are we? Bill Lawlor