[pure-silver] Re: safe light
- From: Mark Blackwell <mblackwell1958@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 21:08:31 -0700 (PDT)
Questions for the beginner is what this list is for, and for that matter the
seasoned vet. IF you ever get to the point in your photographic projects that
you stop asking question of others and most importantly to yourself, its time
to quit.
Some papers will tolerate different things, but you need to check the
information that came with that particular paper. Papers should have an
information sheet with them that should tell you what safelights are safe.
Most papers are not sensitive to the red spectrum of light. It isn't just the
intensity that makes the light safe, but the wavelength. Most papers are not
affected by the red. There are some others, but in my experience red is the
safest for most types of papers.
Now for a way to test it. Here is a suggestion. First pick a spot not too far
from your safelight, one near your enlarger, and one near where your developing
trays are placed. Set a sheet of photo paper there and put something on top of
a part of the paper. I use a quarter. If your budget allows a silver dollar
would work too grin. For most accurate results place the sheets and the money
on the paper in total darkness. Some can do this all at one time and others
might prefer to test each location individually. Turn the safelight on and
leave everything there for about the same amount of time that it would be there
while doing the actual work.
The next step is to develop the blank paper normally. IF your safelight is
really safe, the paper should remain white. If it isn't, the outline of that
quarter should appear and the rest of the paper should have some sort of change
depending on how safe it isn't. Solid black with a quarter outline is real bad
grin.
If it passes the working test, I will when using a new darkroom take it a step
further and set up several more and leave them for a more extended times. What
I am looking for is to find out just how much time I have before it becomes an
issue.
The other suggestion I would have for a new beginner is to remember that light
leaks with a darkroom usually don't show up as soon as you turn the light off.
Go into your darkroom with an Ipod (and Id probably cover the display too) and
sit there for 15 minutes or so in total darkness. It takes time for your eyes
to adapt. In my case after 5 eye surgeries and an additional eye procedure, my
eyes do not react nearly as fast as they once did. If you are older give it a
little more time, but you can tell when its happening. As the pupils open up
and try to use what little available light is there, light leaks will appear.
In a completely light tight room, you will not see that change because no
matter how wide your eyes open, there is no light for the eye to use. They
will not always show with the safelight on. Id do this before I tested my
safelight.
--- On Sun, 6/8/08, ERoustom <eroustom@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> From: ERoustom <eroustom@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [pure-silver] safe light
> To: pure-silver@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Sunday, June 8, 2008, 9:19 PM
> Here's an ignorant beginner question:
> If my safe light has been working with older graded Agfa
> papers, and
> all sorts of VC papers, will it work with papers like
> Fotokemika
> Varycon that specifically ask for a RED light?
> Even though to my eyes it's a an orange light? Do I
> really need to
> spend the money on a red light? Or are there economical
> options?
>
> E.
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