Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It depends on what kind of room you've got at home and what you are going to be printing. I'll tell you what I've got and why I bought it. Leitz V35 with a 40mm Focotar and a variable contrast head. The autofocus really works if you set it up correctly and saves a lot of time when you are composing the print on the easel as you don't have to keep refocusing and checking grain. You still need to check focus when you change negatives though. This only does 35mm so I've just bought a Fujimoto VR 70 -for 100 GBP! Digital is great for lowering enlarger prices. I bought this in order to print from Xpan negs so I'll probably sell the V35 as I haven't really got the room for two enlargers An RH Designs analyser Pro. This is a combination f stop timer and exposure meter that allows you to take measurements and place tones exactly on a greyscale. Unless the print is one I really want to work on a lot, this has allowed me to stop making test strips. A Nova deeptank processor. This takes up about the same worktop space as a single 8x10 processing tray and the chemicals last for ages so you don't have to throw them out at the end of each session, you just replenish them and they are ready when you need to print next time. Also, it keeps the chemicals at a constant temperature so you get consistent results. I keep mine in the garage and it gets very cold in the Winter so chemicals in trays would get cold very quickly. If your room can be kept at a constant temperature at about 20c you could get away with a Nova monochrome processor which doesn't have a heater in it. The narrow openings mean that fumes are greatly reduced and you don't get the horrible humidity that turns your lens into a cloudy blob of mould. I'm going to buy a Jobo drum processor soon to do Ilfochromes I think but it won't replace the Nova. Two big buckets (there's no water supply in my garage), both with lids to keep the humidity down. I wash prints in the first one for a minute, then wash them in the second one for two minutes. After a session, I wash all the prints in the bath in the house for another two minutes. This is fine for RC prints but not sufficient for fibre ones which need proper washing in flowing water. On the odd occasion when I do fibre prints, I wash them under a hand shower in the bath for 20 minutes (still probably not enough). 20m of general purpose blackout fabric off eBay in a fetching burgundy colour. The stuff you buy from darkroom suppliers is preposterously expensive and no better. I didn't bother with a fan, I just open and close the door vigorously every 15 minutes or so. A fridge (for beer not paper). A radio. That's it. Neil -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+nbeddoe=lehman.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+nbeddoe=lehman.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of GREG LORENZO Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 4:01 PM To: Leica Users Group LUG Subject: [Leica] OT: Darkroom Equipment? In light of the recent discussion on the LUG regarding setting up a home darkroom, what equipment (excluding enlarger and lenses): sinks, fans, lighting, etc, do you recommend as best for workflow? Regards, Greg _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipient(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. This communication is for information purposes only and should not be regarded as an offer to sell or as a solicitation of an offer to buy any financial product, an official confirmation of any transaction, or as an official statement of Lehman Brothers. Email transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free. Therefore, we do not represent that this information is complete or accurate and it should not be relied upon as such. All information is subject to change without notice.