Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Joe, If it's an allergy, it's slight. I can still work in a darkroom. However, I ran my first Piezo prints earlier this evening. First impression leads me to believe that I won't be spending much time with wet trays in the future. I'm absolutely amazed at the output. I printed some 8x10s from Neopan 1600 negs (scanned on a Coolscan III). I've never had prints from N1600 look so good. And I spent minutes, not hours printing. No mixing and waiting. No cleanup. No mess. No test strips. The prints looked fantastic right off the bat. Rich blacks. Excellent tonality. And nothing to spot. I made my initial prints on Heavyweight Matte and the profiles were right on target. Printing color is always a challenge, regardless of how much I try and calibrate. But the Piezo prints matched my screen extremely closely. I'm still thinking there must be a catch somewhere. It shouldn't be this easy. Dave At 11:38 AM 11/8/2001 -0800, you wrote: >David, > >it may very well be that you have developed (no pun intended) an allergy to >your darkroom chemistry. The fact that you are careful means little, the >fumes are pervasive. > >To prove it (or disprove it) desist from processing or entering your >darkroom for a month. If the symptoms you describe disappear, then you know >that digital photography (shudder) is in your future. > >I too have developed an allergy - to wine, or the chemicals in it. It is >unfortunate as I made two to three different wine each year (Cabernet, >Chardonnay, Pinot, Zinfandel, Merlot), award winning wines at that. Now I >have to limit my intake to no more than one half glass per day or I suffer >the consequences, which can manifest themselves as severe headaches and >wanting to spend more money on camera equipment. >Worst of all, I have over 1000 bottles in storage ranging in vintage from >1987 to 97. Anyone interested? > >Best wishes, > >Joe > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "David Rodgers" <drodgers@swiftnet.com> >To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 9:20 AM >Subject: [Leica] Darkroom exposure (was digit stuff) > > > > Guy, > > > > I am very careful when it comes to chemicals. Even those considered to be > > relatively benign. Still, over the last few years I've noticed some >changes > > when I spend time over trays. Started out my lips became very chapped >after > > printing. (My lips never get chapped otherwise.)Yet I never touch any part > > of my face in the darkroom, nor do I ever put my hands in chemicals. > > > > If I inadvertantly come into contact with anything -- and it always seems > > to happen regardless of how careful I am -- I wash with soap immediately. > > > > Recently other things have occured. Not serious mind you. But I know it >was > > a result of working with darkroom chemicals because it only happened when >I > > spent time there. And I have to spend less and less time for it to happen. > > And the affects seem to be getting worse. I'm in my mid-40s and I've been > > printing and developing film for 20+ years. Maybe it's an age thing. >Maybe > > it's an exposure thing. Maybe it's just me. > > > > My darkroom, BTW, is extremely well ventilated and I never use exotic > > chemicals. OTOH, perhaps because I never used more dangerous chemicals, >and > > therefore took less care over the years, I've built up some allergies to > > certain ingredients. I suppose there could be issues with ink, but I don't > > think it's in the same league. > > > > Dave > > > > At 09:44 PM 11/7/2001 -0800, you wrote: > > > > >And as for the toxic chemicals, if you're not splashing around in them >and > > >your darkroom is well ventilated, the potential danger to your health is > > >minimal, ferricyanide notwithstanding. And while we're on the subject, > > >hours and hours spent working on the computer can also cause physical > > >damage. > > > > > >Been there, done that. I'll take the darkroom. > > > > -- > > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html