Setting up a darkroom again

JamesD · Jan 5, 2018

Looks like I'm getting into 4x5 in the darkroom after all. After all these years.

Found an Omega D3 for impressively cheap, and it looks pretty clean in the photos. Pending confirmation and shipping. Probably will have to make some adaptations, based on what I'm seeing about the focus mechanisms and the fact that it's only coming with a 3rd party 50mm lens.

Derrel · Jan 6, 2018

One of my earliest cameras was a 1938-1940-ish Argoflex...would like to see a photo of yours.

webestang64 · Jan 6, 2018

Another darkroom printer......WOOHOO!

Most all my enlarging lenses are Rodenstock for my main enlarger (up to 4x5) but I do have a few Nikkor's for my second enlarger (35mm only).

480sparky · Jan 6, 2018

Ahhhh..... the smell of fixer first thing in the morning!!!!!!

JamesD · Jan 6, 2018

Well, the shipper is now saying that the cost of shipping may be too high, even though it was estimated the same for shipping to my Colorado proxy address as to my house here in Alaska. Usually, that's about correct, too, with the shipping method they indicated.

I've told him that shipping to Colorado is fine, and I can have a family member arrange shipping from there to here. When you live off the corner of North America, it's not unusual to have to jump through hoops to get large items that aren't available locally.

Or small items. I once tried to order a 3-foot HDMI cable for my TV on Amazon. The item was $0.99; shipping was over $80.

ac12 · Jan 7, 2018

I think even worse to Hawaii.
There is NO UPS brown (ground), only blue (air) . . . $$$

Gud Luk with the darkroom.
I find darkroom work to be relaxing, unlike photoshop on the computer.

vintagesnaps · Jan 7, 2018

If this one doesn't work out, have you tried places like Pittsburgh Camera Exchange, Adorama used dept., Central Camera in Chicago, KEH's outlet on ebay? I'm trying to think of places that might ship to you (or maybe they won't! I don't know). Odd thing is, I bought darkroom and vintage camera stuff from a guy in Alaska but he since moved.

Or what about Samy's Camera, being west coast maybe the shipping wouldn't be so much, although I don't know if they carry much darkroom stuff.

480sparky · Jan 7, 2018

I say we all have a meet n greet next month in Hawaii. And we all bring the JamesD some of our extra darkroom gear.

Of course, he'll need to supply the clambake. :azzangel:

JamesD · Jan 7, 2018

ac12 said:
I think even worse to Hawaii.
There is NO UPS brown (ground), only blue (air) . . . $$$

Gud Luk with the darkroom.
I find darkroom work to be relaxing, unlike photoshop on the computer.

Yeah, I hear a lot of muttering about shipping from the mainland for Hawaii, too. Alaska at least has ground (if through Canada) in addition to air and barge.

I work with computers a lot, and digital workflow is fine by me; but there's definitely a certain magic in watching prints develop, and it's definitely relaxing to shut everything out.

vintagesnaps said:
Odd thing is, I bought darkroom and vintage camera stuff from a guy in Alaska but he since moved.

It's kind of funny how those of us who live here have no problem shipping out, it's only getting things shipped in that's a hassle. Enough so that sometimes, it seems like moving is worth it for just that reason.

On the plus side, it looks like this is going to work out. Having it shipped to a family member in Colorado, then I'll arrange to have it shipped up here. It's a big parcel, 20" square and four feet long, seventy pounds. This'll be fun...

JamesD · Jan 8, 2018

Woot. Enlarger is now in the custody of Fedex.

JamesD · Jan 10, 2018

Shipment is in Denver. Last intermediate leg is to Colorado Springs. Then it'll probably be a week or two until it gets up here. Time to start building counters.