Here's some pics of the darkroom I use at MIT's Student Art Association. They offer classes (and independent study) that includes use of the darkroom all year (http://arts.mit.edu/saa/photography/)
The small enlarger:
The big enlarger:
The rest of the paper room:
The film room:
(This is one of three operating darkrooms on the fourth floor of the student center...)
I did my first "dark" test the other day - having blocked up a couple of windows and added a new wall and door to the space where I'm building my darkroom. A faint leak near one of the windows was easily dealt with with a few dabs of painter's caulk.
I was a bit surprised by the GFCI receptacle above the sink. I knew it's green LED needed covering so I covered it with a small piece of black electrical tape. But a photo taken with my little digi-snapper at max. sensitivity (wide open, longest shutter speed and highest ISO, 2.8, 15s, and 3200) showed the whole bottom outlet glowing green. A close look reveals a single layer of tape isn't enough to totally block the LED.
So, I'll either keep something plugged in the whole time or the outlet will wear a "hat" when I'm working with film "in the open".
Ah, love the stacking of enlargers and just the sight of a Fotar makes mine feel better, but alas, my Fotar is still headless, but I am working on that.
I had to build my darkroom after getting spoiled years ago with a 24/7 college darkroom.
Looks great!
Originally Posted by sdynes
Here's some pics of the darkroom I use at MIT's Student Art Association. They offer classes (and independent study) that includes use of the darkroom all year (http://arts.mit.edu/saa/photography/)
The small enlarger:
The big enlarger:
The rest of the paper room:
The film room:
(This is one of three operating darkrooms on the fourth floor of the student center...)
You can also instal a GFCI 'fuse' box breaker that will cover all the circuits on that breaker.
I keep a roll of gaff tape handy for all those pesky modern devices and their little lights, amazing how bright they are in a darkroom.
I did my first "dark" test the other day - having blocked up a couple of windows and added a new wall and door to the space where I'm building my darkroom. A faint leak near one of the windows was easily dealt with with a few dabs of painter's caulk.
I was a bit surprised by the GFCI receptacle above the sink. I knew it's green LED needed covering so I covered it with a small piece of black electrical tape. But a photo taken with my little digi-snapper at max. sensitivity (wide open, longest shutter speed and highest ISO, 2.8, 15s, and 3200) showed the whole bottom outlet glowing green. A close look reveals a single layer of tape isn't enough to totally block the LED.
So, I'll either keep something plugged in the whole time or the outlet will wear a "hat" when I'm working with film "in the open".
I looked at the breakers... $$$$$ !!! and went with the outlet (1st in a series). The price differential will buy a lot of black tape.
I spent a good while in the dark in there today and I could not see the green glow by eye, even with averted vision, so I'll just slap part of an empty film box over it when I need to.
I bought the GFCI breaker for $37 delivered, Amazon. I live inside my darkroom so I am constantly checking the actual darkness, it's a new setup. I used to sleep with the red LEDs burning, but now if it's full dark after I wake up, I start checking and need my gaff tape in lot's places I missed. The tighter and darker you get it, the longer it takes to find the light leaks. I used to wait 20 minutes, now after sleeping in the dark, I am finding the rest. Those Nikon battery chargers glow like the Sun when they are the only light source.
And that's one of the huge differences between our nations...Amazon Canada, $110 before shipping. Home Depot, down the road in Nanaimo, $102...outlet was $19.
Same stuff, way more "middlemen" having their piece of the pie... And then there's the exchange rate too.
But it's almost a completed darkroom...I can hardly wait.
You go to extraordinary lengths. What do you suppose this amount of light will do to your film or paper?
Best,
Michael
That is a good question and one I have not tested yet.
I am getting a little goofy, as when I wake to as dark a darkroom as I can make, the first 2 seconds of sight reveals details of the room I lose with the first blink.
It is almost as if I can see in the dark for just a moment, happened again this morning.
Then there are also those false light flashes your mind and eyes create in really dark places.
I was just asking because I have loaded film holders in many crude make-shift darkrooms (hotel rooms, tents, bath rooms, etc.) with enough light to watch myself handle the 400 ASA sheet film. I never found any bad effects on the negatives. If a darkroom appeared light tight after 20 minutes in the dark, that would be more than sufficient for me.
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