Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
Gra-Lab timer and a small (back-up) battery operated Sur la table LED kitchen timer after one time placing the film in the developer tray and having a power failure which rendered the Gra-Lab useless. Ended up having to count up to 900 slowly to approximate the 15 minute developing time.
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
I use a Gralab timer, Zone VI Compensating Development Timer, or CompnTemp software on a laptop, based on my needs.
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
I need a windup kitchen timer
When I count, I count to 60 and add the minutes in my other 1/2 brain
My Apple SE can be used if laid face down on something very flat, which then shows no light
I recently bought a battery timer for the blind, pure junk
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
For the total time I use a kitchen timer. Agitation goes on counting to thirty, or for more complicated regimes (or when I'm tired) I use a darkroom app on an old Android tablet which beeps at the appropriate times and that stays out of the way, inside an empty black bag from a paper-box.
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
I remember processing my first roll of film (probably 620) using the "seasaw" technique with trays. As soon as the film went into the developer, I realized I couldn't read my watch! (In my defense, I was only an eighth grader at the time.)
I was doing this in the basement sink and yelled at my dad who was upstairs. Had him time it and yell back when the time was up! I was amazed when I turned the lights on and actually had a roll of negatives.
I've hated standing in the dark ever since; one of the reasons we've invented the SP-445 and now our 8x10 solution: https://shop.stearmanpress.com/blogs...otos-and-video
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
In my apartment in Vienna, I had no dedicated darkroom for almost 30 years. I tray-developed film in a darkened bathroom using a metronome and a digital kitchen timer. The kitchen timer was set for the total developing time plus five seconds (to get the film organized to start immersing in the tray). The metronome beeped once per second so I could easily time my agitation. I like to agitate once through the stack of film every 30 seconds (e.g., six sheets = one flip every 5 seconds). I counted too, just to see how close I could come to when the timer went off; nailed it almost every time.
In my darkroom here in the States, I have a Zone VI compensating timer. The red LED readout is set to low intensity and shielded so as not to shine directly onto the development tray
Best,
Doremus
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
I have several options. The most common method is the Zone VI compensating development timer, which can be set for real time too, and beeps every 30 sec in addition to red LED readout per second. For emergency use, I have one of those old Gralab clock-like timers with luminous hands. I haven't used it in decades. All such devices need to be on a shelf below the sink where the film in the tray can't "see" them. Film fogging is not a hypothetical risk, but a real one, no matter how dim the luminosity of these devices might seem to your eyes. For very fussy technical applications I also have fancier options not necessary to discuss here. If you do simple drift-by temperature control using a water jacket, an inexpensive little kitchen timer works fine.
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
Talking Timer purchased off Ebay. Nice electronic voice. Counts down minutes and seconds with a choice of alarm sounds at the end.
Re: Keeping Time tray developing film
Gralab pointed away as others have mentioned - but I like the idea of a voice...like that female voice on my iPhone that tells me when to turn right or left when I'm driving - would be great if she could be in my darkroom to tell me exactly what I need to do...and when!