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Vick Ko
8-Jul-2012, 07:57
I'm curious, how many of you run your own darkroom for printing and enlargement?

Or, is the way to go "scan the negative and print"?

Vick

Steve Smith
8-Jul-2012, 08:03
Darkroom here.


Steve.

IanG
8-Jul-2012, 08:05
Darkroom preferably although I can scan/print as well.

Ian

Mark Barendt
8-Jul-2012, 08:06
Darkroom.

DarkroomDan
8-Jul-2012, 08:13
Darkroom - When I scan I almost always scan darkroom prints.

Fourtoes
8-Jul-2012, 08:18
Make shift darkroom at home lately..... although have dark room facilities at the studio.

David A. Goldfarb
8-Jul-2012, 08:19
Darkroom here, but I can digitize for web or print publication.

bob carnie
8-Jul-2012, 08:35
Both

Kimberly Anderson
8-Jul-2012, 08:37
darkroom mainly...scanning/printing if I *have* to.

Mark Woods
8-Jul-2012, 08:47
Darkroom for serious prints and scanning for web presentation.

Jay DeFehr
8-Jul-2012, 08:52
I have a makeshift darkroom in my apt, but use a rental darkroom for serious printing. I hope to tackle scanning and digital printing at some point, but don't yet have either a capable scanner, or a printer.

John Kasaian
8-Jul-2012, 09:04
A dark roomy here!

Bob Farr
8-Jul-2012, 10:17
Darkroom. Scanning only for digital distribution.

Greg Y
8-Jul-2012, 10:23
Darkroom, Beseler MXT with Zone VI var. contrast head for med format, Durst 138 w/ colorhead for 5x7, lightbulb for Azo contact printing

Renato Tonelli
8-Jul-2012, 10:43
"Anyone who uses a camera but does not have a darkroom is depriving himself of half the fun of photography. It's a little like owning the leash without the puppy." (Paul Farber) The Amateur Photographer's Handbook, Sussman, 1973

I agree with that statement. I truly enjoy darkroom work.

Heroique
8-Jul-2012, 10:50
Darkroom. Love my Omega D2v + Omegalite head. My spouse.

Scanning. Love my Epson 4990 + Epson Scan. My mistress.

Best? Time in the field, when I can get away from both of them. Neither knows about my Tachi 4x5, an ideal arrangement.

Kirk Gittings
8-Jul-2012, 11:17
Full traditional darkroom and full digital darkroom.

EdSawyer
8-Jul-2012, 11:31
Color and bw darkroom for me.

Leigh
8-Jul-2012, 12:06
Full traditional black&white darkroom (Beseler 45MX) and digital (Epson V750/Canon Pixma 9500), though probably not as "full" as Kirk's. :D

For top quality I do traditional enlargements of 4x5 and contact prints of 8x10.
I use the scanner/printer to enlarge 8x10 negs and when quality is not a paramount concern, and for printing chromes (very little of that).

- Leigh

MIke Sherck
8-Jul-2012, 12:12
Darkroom. Have no facilities for scanning or printing photographs, other than my wife has an Epson all-in-one scanner/printer/fax appliance with her computer.

Mike

BrianShaw
8-Jul-2012, 12:16
No darkroom in current location but still have the equipment. Lightroom capabilities, though.

Paul Bujak
8-Jul-2012, 12:21
Basement darkroom here. Kind of cold in the winter but nice in the summer. Scan on a Microtek M1 for a quick peek but wet is the best.

jon.oman
8-Jul-2012, 12:27
Up until nine years ago I had a full darkroom (D2v enlarger, Jobo CPE2, etc.) for about 25 years. When I move to South Carolina from Michigan, the new house did not have a basement. Everything went into storage. About a year and a half ago, I built a full darkroom in a large shed. It is fully functional, but I have yet to print anything with the D2v. Currently, I process my film, but I scan and print it on an Epson 3880 printer. I'm not sure I will ever use that enlarger again, but it may happen. I do plan to start doing cyanotypes, etc soon though.

jk0592
8-Jul-2012, 12:49
Traditional darkroom, no real scanning capability.

DKirk
8-Jul-2012, 13:02
Currently languishing stuck in analogue capture and digital process, but if things go to plan should have one sorted within the next two years. . .

ljsegil
8-Jul-2012, 13:07
Years of digitally scanning and printing commercially processed film. Finally put in a darkroom so I can begin to learn how to make photographs. So far, haven't learned, but the process is wonderful.
Larry

Jim Noel
8-Jul-2012, 13:15
Darkroom only

Vick Ko
8-Jul-2012, 13:17
Oh, me,....
...have darkroom equipment.
...don't have a nice basement - it only has a 6 foot ceiling with ducts in some areas that are lower than the ceiling. And the ceiling consist of open rafters

Vick

Andrew O'Neill
8-Jul-2012, 14:05
Darkroom.

lenser
8-Jul-2012, 14:48
I haven't had my darkroom set up in nearly four years due to space, but I can't wait to get it up and rolling again. AS another member said, shooting is only half the equation. The rest of the joy is in actually bringing forth the original vision in the field, from those trays of chemistry.

Kodachrome25
8-Jul-2012, 14:49
Full darkroom for black and white, 45MXT, Aristo Cold Light Head, all RH Designs devices, Jobo CPP2 for souping.
Full 28TB raid and dual SSD monster Mac with a 9000ED and V750 for color and digital work, outsource the printing to several good labs.

prettypariah
8-Jul-2012, 15:14
darkroom

ic-racer
8-Jul-2012, 15:42
Since the question is posted in the "Darkroom" section, I suspect all the answers will be "YES." :)

Leigh
8-Jul-2012, 15:57
Since the question is posted in the "Darkroom" section, I suspect all the answers will be "YES." :)
But d/r wannabees read this section too. :D

- Leigh

xavier deltell
8-Jul-2012, 16:12
Both, full darkroom and full scaning, print

jwaddison
8-Jul-2012, 17:01
B&W Darkroom (L1000), rudimentary negative scanning capability (Canon 9000F) that I play with sometimes.

Winger
8-Jul-2012, 17:13
Darkroom. Scan for web or small prints maybe (just have an epson 4870 and no real printer).
Beseler 45Mx and a Beseler 23CIII for the small stuff.

Eric Biggerstaff
8-Jul-2012, 17:45
Darkroom

hmf
8-Jul-2012, 18:29
Darkroom, but hope to scan eventually, for gallery submissions and to create some web presence.

DennisD
8-Jul-2012, 18:33
Have a full darkroom for traditionally printing up to 5x7 -Omega E series enlarger with Aristo cold lite head. Recently, (about 2years ago), became captivated with digital medium format and have devoted most of my time to really mastering digital photography. I've also been scanning many old negatives (mostly B&W) and printing them digitally. I find that digital gives remarkable control over the printed image (beyond what I could accomplish in the darkroom) and the recent wave of pigment printers and choices of fine papers provide a quality of print that almost rivals a silver gelatin print.

For all those die hard darkroom fans out there, please note the qualification above, "almost rivals" ! That said, many photographers who have seen some of my framed work would not believe the prints were done digitally. And please understand, I am not claiming to be a great printer. It's just that the state of the art has advanced a remarkable degree in recent years.

It's wonderful that, as photographers, we have so many options and choices and can please all tastes.

As a final note, I plan to continue B&W large format using traditional film and scanning for digital output or printing traditionally as I see fit in addition to using digital.


traditionally as I see fit, though I believe most of my work will be digitally printed.

mike rosenlof
8-Jul-2012, 20:04
Darkroom. The only film format I can scan is 35mm.

Vick Ko
8-Jul-2012, 20:12
Intriguing reply, Dennis

I wonder if I have it in me to learn / relearn the skill necessary to do really good wet prints. Combine that with struggling with inadequate floor space, and lack of time.

Maybe time is better spent, these days, to work with negatives but scan to print digitally.

Darkroom enlarging maybe is a dream whose time has passed, for me anyway.

Vick



Have a full darkroom for traditionally printing up to 5x7 -Omega E series enlarger with Aristo cold lite head. Recently, (about 2years ago), became captivated with digital medium format and have devoted most of my time to really mastering digital photography. I've also been scanning many old negatives (mostly B&W) and printing them digitally. I find that digital gives remarkable control over the printed image (beyond what I could accomplish in the darkroom) and the recent wave of pigment printers and choices of fine papers provide a quality of print that almost rivals a silver gelatin print.

For all those die hard darkroom fans out there, please note the qualification above, "almost rivals" ! That said, many photographers who have seen some of my framed work would not believe the prints were done digitally. And please understand, I am not claiming to be a great printer. It's just that the state of the art has advanced a remarkable degree in recent years.

It's wonderful that, as photographers, we have so many options and choices and can please all tastes.

As a final note, I plan to continue B&W large format using traditional film and scanning for digital output or printing traditionally as I see fit in addition to using digital.


traditionally as I see fit, though I believe most of my work will be digitally printed.

Bill Burk
8-Jul-2012, 20:39
I maintain my darkroom for black and white film developing and for silver gelatin FB printing.

DennisD
8-Jul-2012, 22:52
Intriguing reply, Dennis

I wonder if I have it in me to learn / relearn the skill necessary to do really good wet prints. Combine that with struggling with inadequate floor space, and lack of time.

Maybe time is better spent, these days, to work with negatives but scan to print digitally.

Darkroom enlarging maybe is a dream whose time has passed, for me anyway.

Vick
Vick, learning the digital workflow is time consuming, but I've found it enjoyable as well as challenging.

The cost of computers, scanners and software is also something to be considered. My only frustration with the technological / digital realm is the rapid obsolescence and recognition that today's investment will soon be replaced by the next greatest "thing".

Traditional photography is quite different - not much has changed - I'm still enjoying the use of the same cameras, lenses, darkroom eqpt. Purchased many years ago.

Based on your comment and my recent experience, consider whether it will be more rewarding to perfect an old skill or whether you want to delve into something entirely new considering the investments of time, energy and money.

dasBlute
8-Jul-2012, 23:10
darkroom, well,... dark-closet :)

still learning to print, still getting better,

on a good day, a good print on ilford warm tone is starting to look
like I always hoped they could. For me, it's been worth the
time and effort. I've been doing 5x7 contact prints, but am
beginning to look for a 5x7 enlarger for those and my 4x5 work...

Jim Andrada
8-Jul-2012, 23:21
Years and Years of darkroom and I love(d) it - but time moves on and I donated my L-138 a couple of years ago and am now 100% scan and print with Epson 750/4880. Might talk myself into a drum scanner though someday.

Price of a set of eight 220 ml cartridges is astounding, it might be cheaper to go back to the darkroom. And the newer printers use 10 cartridges!

I remember doing everything I now do in Photoshop with wet process - Photoshop is easier by far. to say nothing of the consistency it gives in printing multiples. But I do miss the smell of the chemicals. Maybe someone can come up with a PS plug in that makes the room smell like the old darkroom.

neil poulsen
8-Jul-2012, 23:34
Both. There's nothing quite like a good silver print.

polyglot
9-Jul-2012, 01:03
Both. I struggle to get good colour accuracy or low enough contrast from RA4 though, so my colour prints tend to be hybrid and always so when they're from chromes.

Len Middleton
9-Jul-2012, 02:45
Wet darkroom (L184 with condenser head, D5 with colour head, Jobo processor), but purchased a V700 for scanning.

In an unusual twist, the enlargers are set up, but looking for space and time to set up the scanner...

Cor
9-Jul-2012, 06:24
Only wet darkroom (more a closet, but permanent, can do up to 40*50 cm), a L1200 and a set Componon S lenses (both more than 25 years old) to do 35 mm up to 4*5, 8*10 contact print only. Almost always with a 20*25 cm NOVA set up; filled and ready to go.

best,

Cor

tgtaylor
9-Jul-2012, 06:49
Full B&W and color traditional darkroom (Beseler 45MXT with 45S dichroic head and Beseler 23CII-XL with condensor head) and Jobo CPA2.

An antiquated digital darkroom (Epson 2200 printer and Epson 3200 scanner), LaCie electron blue IV, MonacoOPTIX colorimeter - all running on an ancient Dell Pentium IV machine. I really need to upgrade all aspects of the digital side - including adding a drum scanner - but the monitor is still running like new:)

Thomas

Jody_S
9-Jul-2012, 07:37
Darkroom gear in storage for space reasons. I do have the space now, I just have to move a small wall and build a table and stuff. However, in the last 3 years it's been in storage, I've learned a lot about digital, so I don't know how much wet printing I will do once I get the energy to rebuild.

Ken Lumbis
9-Jul-2012, 08:16
Darkroom with a 4x5 enlarger. I do have a scanner but I just haven't been able to nail the same blacks with the subsequent prints. Will have to do more work on that. I do enjoy the darkroom more...not necessarily the cleanup though!

Dennis
9-Jul-2012, 08:46
Darkroom. Scanning only prints for web.
Dennis

al olson
9-Jul-2012, 09:27
Darkroom, I develop negatives, both B&W or color, and make prints up to 16x20. Most of my photography these days is with LF and MF, my Nikon F100 hasn't been out of its bag for over two years. Right now the loft where my darkroom is located is so warm from the heat radiating out of the insulation that I am a couple of months from developing my inventory of exposed films.

I use digital but not for exhibition prints. I am currently using a Kodak Z990 for personal work and for preparing digital slides to project for presentations.

Scott Walker
9-Jul-2012, 12:18
Wet darkroom only.
Durst 184 with cold light head, Beseler 45VXL with cold light head, Beseler 45MXT with 8x10 conversion & cold light head.
Black & White only.
I use photoshop for drawing and illustrating not photography

vinny
9-Jul-2012, 13:43
darkroom with 10x10 and 4x5 enlargers. jobo for my b+w, e6, and c41 processing.
screen drum scanners for doing color print workflow. output to someone else's chromira for ra-4 prints.
I'm 35, have two freezers full of film, and often feel like I was born 20 years too late.

Brian Ellis
9-Jul-2012, 15:06
Had a darkroom for about five years at one point and about 15 years at another, later point. I stopped using the darkroom for printing when I decided to learn how to print digitally. That was about 8 years ago. I haven't had or wanted a darkroom for printing since then.

Gordy
9-Jul-2012, 18:51
Darkroom for B&W. Digital for color.

Robbie Bedell
9-Jul-2012, 20:03
I have always had darkrooms in the many apartments and a couple of houses I have rented through the years. I am now more settled and have two D2s and an old Leitz Focomat. When I worked for newspapers I did many 'remote' assignments where I set up crude makeshift darkrooms and then, to meet deadlines, transmitted my photos over the telephone with Associated Press wire transmitters which were very heavy to carry around. (This was in the '80s) I prefer printing the traditional way but find myself more and more scanning negatives. Silver paper is getting expensive! Robbie

http://robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

Gary Tarbert
10-Jul-2012, 06:26
Sold my 5x4 enlarger about 6 years ago , Since then only digital to print stage , some regrets , but i have to admit dodging & burning is far easier in a digital workflow, No tracing paper ,no masks ,cumbersome tools etc, I would have to say i am producing as good on digital(if not better) as with wet but far easier.Cheers Gary

Robert Hall
10-Jul-2012, 06:47
I have both a darkroom and a digital darkroom which I call the light room. I use both as income comes from both but I would prefer to have only the darkroom. :) ...except to chat with you all. :)

Scotty230358
10-Jul-2012, 23:55
Darkroom and very happy with it. I have a rudimentary scanner for uploading prints. I never scan negatives and have no desire to invest in or learn photoshop.

Dinosaur and proud of it.

csant
11-Jul-2012, 01:35
Printing room - which, given the fact that I almost exclusively work in "historical" practices, is in fact not "dark"… But on occasion I can turn off the lights to make the odd lith print… And yes, I love it "wet" - would be missing more than half of what makes photography's enjoyment for me!

redrockcoulee
11-Jul-2012, 10:28
Wet darkroom with a 4X5 MX and a B22Xl which was the first real present my wife ever gave me. Also have a 5X7 Elwood need to set up some time once I have some negs to use it for. Digitally I can scan up to 6X9 on the Nikon and my wife has a Epson 3880 (I think or 4880) printer. The digitial darkoom is not quite totally set up yet. Plans are to be able to go from an anologue image to digital and from a digital image to analogue. I enjoy working in the darkroom although it some times requires more mental effort to go up there and set up as opposed to doing a couple images on the computer however once a session begins I ask myself why is it an effort. As long as I have space and enjoy the process I will wet print. I need to become better at the digital printing though.

In our house I think I am a film photographer who also shoots digiital and my wife is a digital photographer who also shoots film. In reality she is printmaker so we also have a bit of a printing studio with an etching press and in the garage next door we have a large plate table (NuArc) which may work. So that is the reason for being able to go either direction as the wife wishes to do photogravre in the future as well as photoetchings which she has done in the past. I can also ride two types of bikes, mountian and road and used to have both cats and dogs :)

SpeedGraphicMan
11-Jul-2012, 11:32
Darkroom for me...

Both B&W and Color printing!

I only scan if I need to post online, which I don't very often.

I never can get a scan to look as good as a print...

Here is an example, the print is lovely, the scan is ugly!

77039

Rafal Lukawiecki
11-Jul-2012, 15:55
Semi-permanent (permanent Jun-Oct) wet 4x5 darkroom that gets used a fair amount, but can also scan MF on Coolscan 9000 that gets almost no use, just as the V750 that works as an office scanner 99% of the time. :( Intention was to use those scanners for colour, but I just seem to do B&W all the time.

Silver prints get occasionally (way too rarely, must catch up) photographed digitally, with studio lighting, for inclusion on the web site.

Corran
11-Jul-2012, 16:05
Just put down some money on a quaint house with a big outbuilding with *gasp* running water so I'll be setting up a more serious darkroom! :D :D :D

Right now my "darkroom" is a 1/2 bath and part of my office only at night :(

Martin Dake
13-Jul-2012, 17:36
I turned the daughter's bedroom in to my darkroom after she went off to college.
Before that I was using my laundry room as a temporary darkroom.

Cletus
14-Jul-2012, 04:48
Darkroom. Omega D5XL, Durst M605. Print B&W only, no color, up to 16x20. Shoot 4x5, 6x6 and a little bit'a 35mm. Ability to scan, but can't bring myself to actually do it. No digital printing whatsoever. Probly should think about getting that capability one of these days.

Arne Croell
14-Jul-2012, 09:16
b/w darkroom with enlarging up to 5x7, for 8x10 I make contact prints. I have a scanner but usually scan prints for the web site.

UlbabraB
14-Jul-2012, 10:21
mainly darkroom printing, sometimes I scan and "enlarge" 6x7 and 4x5 negatives on pictorico ohp for printing Kallitypes

Bill Kumpf
14-Jul-2012, 19:48
Only darkroom............

BetterSense
14-Jul-2012, 20:34
Darkroom. Have very limited facilities for scanning, and none for digitally printing.

Gary L. Quay
14-Jul-2012, 21:17
Darkroom for B&W. Negative scan for color. Although, I aspire to print color in the darkroom if I can learn to color correct.

--Gary

largeformatguy
15-Jul-2012, 11:37
B&W only darkroom. Enlarge 4x5 and contract print 5x7 and 8x10 negatives.

Alan

Darryl Baird
15-Jul-2012, 22:04
Darkroom, with the ability to scan and print... but little digital printing done except for enlarged negatives for contact printing large alt-process prints.

Frank Petronio
16-Jul-2012, 05:08
I made a small film-loading and -processing only darkroom, I prefer to scan and print these days. But I have had full darkrooms in the ancient past.

Blair Ware
16-Jul-2012, 05:11
Darkroom... nothing quite like it. After all these years it is still magic.

wskmosaic
16-Jul-2012, 09:50
I do both, exclusively. Will scan a negative sometimes to see the detail, if my proof sheets aren't adequate.
Warren

chris6869
16-Jul-2012, 11:07
Darkroom only. So far I don't own a scanner.
I'm just begining to think to buy one just for the web and family.

Christian

Dave Langendonk
16-Jul-2012, 19:58
Darkroom only. B&W and color. Enlargers for formats up through 8x10. RA-4 print capability to 30"x40"

Greg Blank
17-Jul-2012, 11:41
I've had a darkroom since I was 17. First one was in my bedroom of my parents first house set up on a card table - I had a Durst 2-1/4 enlarger, 810 trays and 500 sheet box of metalist paper. Second Darkroom in parents second house dedicated 10x6' space, Besler MXT 4x5 enlarger w/45S Color head, Jobo CPP2, 16x20 trays then a Fujimoto 11x14 table top processor and Arkay drier. Last darkroom I have now still is in progress of completion is 14x14 next to my office in my house: 4x5 enlarger (see above), CPP2, ATL3, 20x24 trays, 8x10 Enlarger. I am working on a remote focus system for the 810 enlarger, desired result is to have the capacity to do 24x30 prints and have a dedicated tray for that size. Over the years I have acquired lots of stuff. I also scan using the V750.

MDR
17-Jul-2012, 12:42
Mostly darkroom. B/W Enlargers up to 4x5 and print capability up to 3 feet+ unfortunately no colour darkroom yet also have to get an enlarger for 13x18cm negs.
I do scan but I prefer the Darkroom.

Dominik

Scott Davis
19-Jul-2012, 12:29
I've got an alt-process darkroom set up for developing film and contact printing in just about anything from platinum to gum to salt and even albumen (haven't done that one yet, but it's in the plans). I'm also kitted out to scan and print digitally, but that's done mostly for either web presentation or working in color.

Steve Nieslony
19-Jul-2012, 12:48
Darkroom... to be more precise in the process of building a new one since I moved. Image making is on hiatus for another couple of months.

Steve

Bob T
19-Jul-2012, 15:43
Darkroom for serious work, scanner for not so serious work.

dsphotog
20-Jul-2012, 15:33
Darkroom since 1972.
Processing b&w, c-41 & E-6 film, 35mm up to 11x14.
Enlarging negs up to 8x10.
Contact printing larger negs .
The only use I have for a scanner is to post prints to internet.