Finally got around to testing the Arista paper

It has been a long time since I managed to go into the darkroom. I finally managed to test out the Arista paper I got back in November! Not sure what happens with all my time...

I used Arista Private Reserve Paper and printed from Kodak T-max and Agfa APX films.

The paper is very nice. Easy to handle, it sits very flat. Contrast range is very usable, I ended up printing on grades 2 (T-max) and 3 (APX). The base is very white and the paper produces slightly warm toned grays. Overall I would say this paper is excellent value for money.

Now I still need that scanner to get the images from paper to computer.

Nice Touch

Nice Touch
Originally uploaded by M Skaffari

The film and papers arrived. The thank you note was a very nice touch.

Darkroom

I managed to carve few hours to go into a darkroom to develop few pictures yesterday. It was a blast. This time there were other people in the darkroom also, 5 total including me. Occasionally there was a queue to the development trays.

I made 3 prints from my 4x5's and two from 35mm negatives. It really is so much nicer to work with large film. I highly recommend to everybody. The 35mm negatives were shot using Ilford XP2 Super film which is one of my favorite films to print from. It paled in comparison to Ilford FP4 Plus in 4x5 format.

I know the math when enlarging from 35mm compared to 4x5. There are 20 times more data in the 4x5 thus 20 times the details. I'm still amazed by the difference when looking at the prints side by side.

Now I need to get the images scanned so I can show off. Naturally the web presentation won't do any justice to the prints. But at least my parents can see a picture of themselves ;)

DIY 4x5 film developing tank

I seem to have inherited a problem from my father. I think it's unnecessary to buy anything you can build yourself - even if becomes more expensive and not as good when building it yourself. This time I think I have dodged the bullet since I don't have a suitable place for developing film, but just wait until I move to a house with a garage and a pitch dark small room.

Anyway, here are instructions on building the film development tank from PVC tubes and accessories.

The design
In action

Disapontment

I was going to print some images today as my wife was working late. I got to the darkroom hungry and tired just after 5PM just to learn that they are closed on Mondays. Well - back to the couch. I still have bunch of negatives without contact prints and few nice shots I would like to print.

Film loading

I'm getting more and more comfortable with loading film into the holders. I might have a problem though. We are moving to a new apartment and we won't have a room that we can get completely dark. I may have to start loading the film in the public darkroom facility.

Darkroom time

Yesterday I went to my local darkroom Rayko here in San Francisco. The plan was to make contact prints of my recent 4x5s and maybe few proper prints from my older negatives.

I really have to start going to the darkroom more often. I was so rusty and working there wasn't as enjoyable as it once was.

Still got 3 decent prints and all needed contacts done. All this should have been done in less than an hour, but due my rustiness it took almost 2.

I'm still looking for a good scanner so I can start scanning my prints and maybe going digital in processing black and white film into pictures also.

1st print Negative #8, Barn

Barn
First print out of 4x5 negatives. I scanned it in the office and the results are not best possible, but this goes as preview. Now I need a proper scanner - bad.

Regards from darkroom

My first time in the darkroom didn't go quite as I had planned. My goal was to come back with a bunch of really beautiful pictures. I ended up coming back with one decent print.

After getting to know the darkroom and having the personnel help me set up the enlarger properly, different lens plus bellows adjustment needed for 4x5 after working on 35mm or roll film, I started with making contact prints. I got the hang of it on the second paper and managed to do all needed contacts. Looking closer at the contacts I noticed few issues. Some of the pictures were reversed to what they should have been and not all of them were focused properly.

Naturally I thought I just slapped them the wrong way around into the negative protector sleeves. Off to check the negatives and all of them were the same and the right way around. This struck me as strange and after some more fiddling I realized - The films had been the wrong way around in the negative holders when I shot the pictures! Now I have to slap myself since I even have instructions for the film loading. I'm ashamed.

I sorted out the pictures that were shot "from the back" and that also explained the "softness" in few of the shots. I have no idea yet, how did I manage to insert them the wrong way. This kind of things happen when you have to do something in total darkness and you can't really check if everything is OK.

The second realization was that my infinity focus is a bit off. All pictures that have been focused to infinity weren't sharp all the way. Well, I did cheat a bit on the focus, thinking that if I stop down the lens to 22 I can focus to a bit closer than infinity to maximize Depth of Field. I have to take a look at the camera and adjust or stop cheating ;)

This experience makes me want to focus even more, on 4x5 photography that is. Small mistakes cost pictures. Luckily I haven't been shooting any once-in-a-lifetime situations with the camera yet. Working in the darkroom was as interesting as it ever was. I did go to another darkroom here in San Francisco once before and the previous time to that must have been almost ten years ago! I was definitely rusty, but I'm sure I will get the hang of it.

Now I'm off to check the infinity focus on the camera and double check the loaded film holders to guarantee that the film is the right way around. I'll post the picture I managed to print once I get it scanned. That much I can do in the office next week :)

My future darkroom - Reyko Photo Center

I have been looking for an affordable place to rent darkroom to print my new films. There is a city run Photography Center, which is in temporary space until they building is renovated. The cost was 50$ for half a year membership + 5$ for each visit.

My choice though is Reyko Photo Center. They have a cool space and all kinds of cool photo gear to rent also ;). The cost is 8$ / hour no membership fees. Cool!