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Photo Forum / Film Photography / Darkroom / February 2006

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"safe" light?

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airshow1@spammnbnet.nb.ca - 24 Feb 2006 01:38 GMT
Hello all...
I haven't been in a darkroom since high school, and that's nearing 40
years, so there's a lot of re-learning to do... a short series of
related questions if I may;
As I recall, black & white paper is not sensitive to red, hence the
red safelight, right?  What of b&w film, is it similarly insensitve?
And if so, does that mean the paper, and maybe the film would not be
affected by infrared?
Can you see where I'm going with this...? No doubt a question asked
numerous times in the past but I'm back at the beginner stage....
Should a person not be able to work in the darkroom using night vision
goggles???  Not necessarily with the illuminator on the goggles...
that would be much too bright at that close a range, but with a weak
IR source back in a corner somewhere.
The intention is to roll my own minox cassettes and the thought of
fumbling around in the dark is rather daunting after all these years
especially with fingers that are a lot less flexible than they were in
the teens...  
I know, I know... practice practice practice in the daylight...
Thanx muchly for your advice.
David Nebenzahl - 24 Feb 2006 02:14 GMT
airshow1@spammnbnet.nb.ca spake thus:

> As I recall, black & white paper is not sensitive to red, hence the
> red safelight, right?

Right. Actually not red, but closer to orange.

> What of b&w film, is it similarly insensitve?

Simple answer: no. More complex answer is that *orthochromatic* B&W film
isn't red-sensitive, but this film isn't (usually) used for ordinary
photography. Panchromatic (meaning "all colors") film is red-sensitive.
In general, you cannot use any kind of light when film might be exposed.
(There are those who will tell you that you can "develop by inspection"
using a very faint green light, but this is a very weird procedure in
most folk's books.)

> The intention is to roll my own minox cassettes and the thought of
> fumbling around in the dark is rather daunting after all these years
> especially with fingers that are a lot less flexible than they were in
> the teens...  

You need to learn how to fumble around in the dark. As you practice,
your fumbling will improve. (Take it from a certified klutz who knows.)

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Every American is full of Cheney's buckshot.

- Sign on the Grand-Lake Theater, Oakland, CA, Feb. 14, 2006

Peter Irwin - 24 Feb 2006 03:25 GMT
> Hello all...
> Can you see where I'm going with this...? No doubt a question asked
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> that would be much too bright at that close a range, but with a weak
> IR source back in a corner somewhere.

Kodak does make a #11 safelight filter which passes
infrared for use with infrared inspection devices.

This could make a lot of sense in a commercial darkroom,
but for home use, I think that just keeping your space very well
ordered and learning to do things by feel is going to be more
satisfactory than having to wear some sort of contraption
on your head.

> The intention is to roll my own minox cassettes and the thought of
> fumbling around in the dark is rather daunting after all these years
> especially with fingers that are a lot less flexible than they were in
> the teens...  
> I know, I know... practice practice practice in the daylight...
> Thanx muchly for your advice.

The first time in the dark, you might get flustered and forget
where things are and how they go together. It will get easier
each time until you get so good that it seems the easiest
and most natural thing in the world.

I find that listening to music can help me enjoy being in
darkness and make me feel less frustrated when a tricky
operation isn't going smoothly.

Peter.
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pirwin@ktb.net

Lloyd Erlick - 24 Feb 2006 14:09 GMT
>I think that just keeping your space very well
>ordered and learning to do things by feel is going to be more
>satisfactory than having to wear some sort of contraption
>on your head.

February 24, 2006, from Lloyd Erlick,

This is by far the best idea! And by
coincidence, the cheapest, too!

regards,
--le
Signature

________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
voice: 416-686-0326
email: portrait@heylloyd.com
net: www.heylloyd.com
________________________________

airshow1@nbnet.nb.ca - 24 Feb 2006 04:19 GMT
Thanks to David and Peter for the quick replies.
I kinda thought it might be too good to be true... but still might
warrant some experimentation.
Now, for the thrill of klutzy fumbling in the dark..!
Thanks again guys.
Mike King - 25 Feb 2006 16:06 GMT
Welcome back to the darkroom!

Night vision goggles and IR lamps are used in commercial labs but only on
paper production darkrooms.  When they first came out we all heard stories
of people sitting in darkrooms eating their lunch on the clock, goofing off
or, in one case, getting "romantic" in the darkroom, fooling around knowing
the boss couldn't see them, if someone would go through the light trap to
check on them they could just rattle some film reels, etc. knowing they were
safe from inspection.

That all changed after the night vision equipment was purchased!  Production
went up and some people left the industry rather quickly.

Loading film in the dark is not trivial but if you're the type that does
things in a practiced regular series of steps and a meticulous order you'll
be just fine.  And these are skills and habits you should acquire if you're
going back into darkroom work anyway.  Good luck and have fun.

Signature

darkroommike

> Hello all...
> I haven't been in a darkroom since high school, and that's nearing 40
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> I know, I know... practice practice practice in the daylight...
> Thanx muchly for your advice.
airshow1@nbnet.nb.ca - 26 Feb 2006 23:16 GMT
Thanks for the encouragement Mike.
I've gotten some time expired film to use for practice purposes; the
confiedence level is going up... but slowly... but that's all part of
the thrill of experimentation anyhow.

>Welcome back to the darkroom!
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>be just fine.  And these are skills and habits you should acquire if you're
>going back into darkroom work anyway.  Good luck and have fun.
 
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