View Full Version : Lighting the darkroom
Probably should have thought this through, but while strolling through Home Depot today I saw a 4 foot light kit that would be perfect for my darkroom. I got a few daylight bulbs and before long, I could see every nook and cranny in my small darkroom. Problem is, after I switch off the light, the bulbs glow, albeit dimly, for what seems like forever. So any suggegstions as to what bulbs may work, or do I take it down and get back to the drawing board?
Cheers
Get a Thomas Duplex safelight. Bright as day and completely safe for paper including VC.
Fluorescent bulbs have a long after-glow. Nothing you can do to change that. Definitely the wrong choice for a darkroom.
If you want worklights use tungsten.
- Leigh
Leigh, I should have mentioned that I have a Thomas safelight, but I wanted a light to use to evaluate prints and replace the small Ott light I have been using, as well as lighting the room when I am not actually printing. But yes I agree, wrong choice for a darkroom.
What colour are the walls painted in your darkroom?
Go with white, or as light as possible, and use the Thomas safelight.
I've only used regular tungsten bulbs when I need to see everything.
Yep, white, like mine:
http://www.mayadate.org/pix/Darkroom3.jpg
Note the two tungsten lamps near the ceiling at the far end, pointing up. There's an identical fixture next to the door on the left.
Also note the accent light above the wash tray. It's a clamp lamp with a switch on the power cord. Works great for viewing prints.
The Thomas is hanging from the ceiling at top right. You can just see the vane chain and pull ring.
This shot was available light with just the four 60-watt tungsten lamps for illumination.
- Leigh
I love the amber LED lights - super bright and yet completely safe since they emit almost entirely on a single save wavelength.
...completely safe since they emit almost entirely on a single sa[f]e wavelength.
That's an excellent rationale, when it's valid.
Yellow LEDs were historically constructed by putting one red and one green LED in a common package.
When both LEDs are on, the resulting emission appears yellow to the human eye, but it's really not.
I just checked the datasheets for a couple of modern high-intensity amber LEDs, and they are indeed monochromatic.
So the datasheet for the product of interests should be checked to confirm monochromaticity.
- Leigh
That's an excellent rationale, when it's valid.
Yellow LEDs were historically constructed by putting one red and one green LED in a common package.
When both LEDs are on, the resulting emission appears yellow to the human eye, but it's really not.
I just checked the datasheets for a couple of modern high-intensity amber LEDs, and they are indeed monochromatic.
So the datasheet for the product of interests should be checked to confirm monochromaticity.
- Leigh
Which goes along with the oldest reminder of darkroom work ever: always check your safelights!
I think the OP is talking about general lighting, not safelights. Yes, some fluorescent lights have an afterglow. Tungsten or white LEDs are better. Why not go all out and put in a chandelier ... ;)
patrickjames
10-Jan-2012, 17:09
I am curious about this too. I just replaced mine with Reveal tubes and they definitely glow after they are off. I decided to just get a small clamp reflector for a light bulb instead of wasting time searching for a solution to the glowing fluorescent bulb problem. If anyone knows of any tubes that don't glow......
Way back at the dawn of time, when fluorescents were invented, they had an annoying flicker because they used medium-persistence phosphors.
The industry eliminated that problem by developing long-persistence phosphors that give nice uniform light.
The problem with these is that they're long-persistence.
- Leigh
I just installed a "growlight" flo panel over my "work" desk and they do indeed glow but only faintly and for a short period. I seriously doubt that the glow can really affect papers after 20 secs have passed.
My problem is that once in a while, when the light is off, there's occasionally a flicker of light. This happens about every couple minutes or so. Not sure why.
Larry Gebhardt
10-Jan-2012, 20:33
I use tungsten bulbs. 4ft tubes would be way to bright in my darkroom for print evaluation, and as you've noticed they all seem to glow and flicker. My light box does this too, so I need to not be near it when I'm loading film.
My problem is that once in a while, when the light is off, there's occasionally a flicker of light. This happens about every couple minutes or so. Not sure why.
Any radar systems or leaky microwaves nearby? Could also be static electricity.
joselsgil
10-Jan-2012, 23:05
I have noticed the afterglow in CFB, that I installed in my windowless bathroom/loading room. While I was loading some film, I realized that my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could see the afterglow of the bulbs even behind the frosted light fixture.
One suggestion, besides switching to tungsten bulbs, would be to use a dark cloth to drape over the light fixtures (if that is possible).
Jose
Brian Ellis
10-Jan-2012, 23:06
Kodak used to recommend that you wait ten minutes after turning fluorescent lights off before using film in the darkroom. If you don't turn the lights on and off all the time you could wait that long without creating a problem. But I also think it depends on how far the lights are from the film. I never had a problem with the glow from mine, which were mounted in a 10 foot ceiling. Before getting rid of yours you might at least test a blank sheet of film to see if the glow actually creates a problem.
I'll try some 3200k kino flo tubes at work to see if they glow. I've never noticed that they do but never tried them in a darkroom either. They're about $26/each and come in 2ft, 4ft, and 8ft lengths.
SamReeves
11-Jan-2012, 09:23
Kodak used to recommend that you wait ten minutes after turning fluorescent lights off before using film in the darkroom. If you don't turn the lights on and off all the time you could wait that long without creating a problem. But I also think it depends on how far the lights are from the film. I never had a problem with the glow from mine, which were mounted in a 10 foot ceiling. Before getting rid of yours you might at least test a blank sheet of film to see if the glow actually creates a problem.
I've never pulled out film under fluorescents, but never had a problem with RA-4 paper after flipping them off. Print and be happy.
Eric Woodbury
13-Jan-2012, 13:38
I've got a couple of tracks in my darkroom with low wattage halogens. Works great for general white lighting. Then red LED christmas lights for the general safe lighting.
Kevin Crisp
13-Jan-2012, 14:24
I have two overhead shop lights with florescent tubes. My print viewing light is a compact florescent. I could use an incandescent bulb for the pring viewing, but I like the even light that the CF puts out in the fixture.
If you wait even 30 seconds after turning off either you aren't going to fog film.
I just installed a "growlight" flo panel over my "work" desk and they do indeed glow but only faintly and for a short period. I seriously doubt that the glow can really affect papers after 20 secs have passed.
My problem is that once in a while, when the light is off, there's occasionally a flicker of light. This happens about every couple minutes or so. Not sure why.
Does it have a base like CFLs do? There could be some capacitors in its circuitry, or something in the unit that has some capacitance, that's discharging after the light is off.
jeroldharter
18-Jan-2012, 23:08
Simple incandescent bulbs or halogen bulbs.
The halogen bulbs are hot and can quickly heat up a small room. Flourescent tubes or cfl's have an afterglow which can fog photosensitive materials. I tried to replace my halogen bulbs with cfl's and t did not work due to the afterglow.
Black Lightning
5-Feb-2012, 07:27
I don't know if this has been recommended yet but a fluorescent light can be made into a safelight. I do realize this is not what you are looking to achieve but this seems tangentially relevant to this thread.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/15763-REG/Delta_35420_48_BrightLab_OC_Amber_Fluorescent.html
Colin Graham
5-Feb-2012, 08:40
Leigh, I should have mentioned that I have a Thomas safelight, but I wanted a light to use to evaluate prints and replace the small Ott light I have been using, as well as lighting the room when I am not actually printing. But yes I agree, wrong choice for a darkroom.
These are a little on the costly side, but after 2 years I'm still on the same set of bulbs. I spend between 4 and 12 hours a day in the darkroom and it was worth spending a little extra to have some decent task and print-viewing lighting. There is a slight filament glow after shutting the lights off (I have mine on a dimmer) but it only lasts a second or two. The only problem I have with them is they are an extra source of heat in the summer. https://www.solux.net/cgi-bin/tlistore/colorproofkit.html
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