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(No Longer) Looking for Darkroom Equipment
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I’m looking for darkroom equipment. I’d be looking for everything, however the enlarger, lens and timer are the obvious priority. I think I can source everything I need for about €500 from some English and Irish sites, and that would come with a warranty. That means I’d be willing to spend less on a private sale, with no warranty on the equipment. Also I figure there might be people looking to offload their stuff, so I’m hoping I can help someone recoup on their investment, as well as myself doing well out of the deal.
I’m based in Cork. And I’m relying on getting either public transport or a lift from family so I wouldn’t be able to travel very far.
If anyone is looking to sell their darkroom equipment, maybe you’ve upgraded or gone all digital, well then I’d love to take your stuff of your hands.
Nice to see your getting hooked after one day in the darkroom Philip :D
I’ll keep my eyes open for you.thefizz wrote:
Nice to see your getting hooked after one day in the darkroom Philip :D
Absolutely. I loved it.
To be honest the developing of the negatives was a little boring. But I figure that just goes with the territory. There’s not much you can do to engage with a process that’s completely hidden from you. When I got my hands on the developed film though, it turned amazing. From looking at the negatives and trying to see what I’d print (I need to learn how to judge them though, I want to print everything.) Then messing with the enlarger and setting the focus, seeing your grain come into focus. To blasting the paper with light and seeing a faint version of your soon to be picture. And then finally seeing the print come out in the developer, and having to wait ’til after the fixer to see it in proper light. I was enthralled by it all. Even moreso when I was developing Philip’s negative that he leant to me, and I managed to bring out the detail in the highlights a little by burning them. A magical experience.
I’ve always like the craft side of hobbies, building and painting models as a kid, writing scenarios for games and things. I like getting into the process and seeing something you work on emerge as a something that could be great. That never clicked with me with the digital photography. The printing process made me really engage with my photos though, in a way that Photoshop never has. So much so that I’ve been eye’ing up the negatives I didn’t print from, and going over the process in my head to make sure it sinks in for when I do get to do it again.
I’ve sent out a few e-mails this morning to a few darkroom suppliers. And I’ve contacted a couple of people on Adverts.ie. I’m sure something will turn up for me.
Hi Buceph
durst-m605-enlarger-with-hauck-timer-t44098.html#p270754
Durst enlarger is NOT complete however the missing negative carrier is available on eBay.
I have just relisted some darkroom pieces which I had advertised some months ago.
It was not all sold so you may be interested in looking at what remains.
List is attached.
Regards
Beeker40 aka GerFYI, good enlarger that. I have one myself. There’s nearly enough of us in Cork now to
get a dedicated darkroom space now ;) lol :)Cheers Beeker. I appreciate the response. But at the moment I’m not confident enough with all the equipment and everything to be sourcing bits and pieces from different places. I looked for that carrier negative and while there was one exact one, they would only post it within America. And there seems to be conflicting talks on the searches I did about what replacement part is proper. If this was a second enlarger or something I was looking for it’d be different, but I don’t think this is for me. I’ll keep it in mind though.
Mark: I wish there was a darkroom available in Cork. I signed up to do a film photography course that included development in the St. John’s darkrooms but I was the only person who wanted to do it. So I’m talking the digital course isntead. I talked to the night class co-ordinator today about getting access to the Darkrooms, but I think she was under the impression that I was asking on behalf of the Digital Course’s instructor, so she said she’d get on to him. I imagine he’s in for a strange conversation when she asks him if he wants to bring us into the darkroom for a digital photography course. :lol:
Buceph wrote:
thefizz wrote:
Nice to see your getting hooked after one day in the darkroom Philip :D
Absolutely. I loved it.
To be honest the developing of the negatives was a little boring. But I figure that just goes with the territory. There’s not much you can do to engage with a process that’s completely hidden from you. When I got my hands on the developed film though, it turned amazing. From looking at the negatives and trying to see what I’d print (I need to learn how to judge them though, I want to print everything.) Then messing with the enlarger and setting the focus, seeing your grain come into focus. To blasting the paper with light and seeing a faint version of your soon to be picture. And then finally seeing the print come out in the developer, and having to wait ’til after the fixer to see it in proper light. I was enthralled by it all. Even moreso when I was developing Philip’s negative that he leant to me, and I managed to bring out the detail in the highlights a little by burning them. A magical experience.
I’ve always like the craft side of hobbies, building and painting models as a kid, writing scenarios for games and things. I like getting into the process and seeing something you work on emerge as a something that could be great. That never clicked with me with the digital photography. The printing process made me really engage with my photos though, in a way that Photoshop never has. So much so that I’ve been eye’ing up the negatives I didn’t print from, and going over the process in my head to make sure it sinks in for when I do get to do it again.
Wow, I love the way you have described your first darkroom experience, can I use it on my web site? :D
Sure, go for it.
Anything you think will help get more people into film. :)
Just to let people know, I’ve ordered some equipment from http://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk so presuming that works out, I don’t think I’ll be looking for any other equipment.
I’ll also post back here after I receive the equipment and after using it for a few weeks, just to let people know how dealing with the site worked out. So far they’ve been very helpful and honest when talking to them through e-mail.
Have purchased some gear in the past from them and never had any problems, good company to deal with.
All my stuff has arrived.
The equipment:
The paper and chemicals:
I got the paper, the film and the Kodak wetting agent from Peter (thefizz.) The rest of the stuff I got from Second Hand Darkroom supplies in England.
Now I just need to black out the window in the room and find a desk to perch everything on.
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