[Leica] Advice needed: Should I set up a darkroom or not?

[tarek.charara at pix-that-stimulate.com (Tarek Charara)]

De Richard <richard-lists@imagecraft.com>, le samedi 20 novembre 2004 ? 
01:30 GMT :

>How many people are still printing their B&W using a wet darkroom? I 
>understand the look of wet printed B&W is very different from the inkjet 
>printed B&W, so any particular strong reasons to do wet prints any more? 
>The used enlarger must be fairly cheap now? Don't Leica make some B&W 
>enlarger too? I know I will have to remove dust and all that by hand. I am 
>thinking that I can develop the film by hand as the Jobo probably isn't 
>helping much there but using the Jobo to develop the prints. Anyone has 
>experience with that?

Hello Richard,

Many people still do their own darkroom work. I feel it's a privileged 
moment of creativity. I also use the scanner (5000ED) and Piezo or the 2200 
for digital printouts. It just isn't the same. Just as digital and analog 
photography aren't the same.
I hate B&W scanning. The ICE facility for colour film is something of a 
blessing! I have the feeling that the light of the 5000ED brings out every 
tiny bit of scratch on any B&W film (except the C41 ones, of course) that I 
don't get with enlarging on classical photographic paper. Just for info: the 
same negative comes out pristine on a drum scanner and on a high definition 
flatbed scanner with fluerescent lighting.

Back to the endresult. A good digital print, made by a pro will look 
stunning. A silver gelatin print will look stunning if made by someone who 
knows his trade. It will have more perceptual contrast too if you use glossy 
paper. If I take into account spotting, photoshop work etc. it is faster to 
get one or two wetprints done, if you're doing a series (100 prints of a 
picture) it will be faster with the digital route...

Costwise: The initial investment is probably cheaper when you go the wet 
path. I bought a pristine V35 for 500$ 3 years ago. They'll be cheaper today.

Many people use a JOBO for developing prints... I don't, I like seeing the 
print develop in the tray. Nostalgia, I guess.

Hope that helped, all the best,

Tarek