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Dave miller
28th January 2009, 08:17 AM
A question arose in discussion with one of our members the other day over the use of the Paterson / Photex globe amber safe lights, I think they were marketed as suitable for variable contrast papers and able to give a brighter light than the red version. I think I remember reading that they were withdrawn because they were found to be unsuitable, allegedly fogging some papers rather too quickly.
Has anyone else experience of them? Is anyone using them in their darkroom?

RH Designs
28th January 2009, 08:41 AM
I have an amber dome for my Photax but haven't used it for years. I bought the specifically variable contrast dome which is a sort of brownish colour, and that works fine - at least with Ilford and Agfa papers. I also have the cylindrical Paterson one with a red filter and that is also OK.

Steve Smith
28th January 2009, 12:41 PM
I have some very bright amber LEDs at work. They are used for the indicator in the TVR rear light cluster which we make the flexible circuit for.

I'm going to try these out as a safelight one day.

I also have the red LEDs from the same cluster. I should try those too.



Steve.

Trevor Crone
28th January 2009, 01:53 PM
I've had problems (fogging) in the past with amber safelights with Fote's Polywarmtone paper and Bergger's WT/VC paper. Thus I only use red these days.

All I can say is test them thoroughly with the various papers you use.

Bob
28th January 2009, 03:16 PM
Can't address these specific units but amber (~ 590nm) is quite close to the end of many VC papers sensitivity (usually around 525-550nm from looking at manufacturers' data sheets). This implies that any amber safelight had better be quite narrow-band and as such, not emit much light below it's nominal wavelength. I have doubts how effective coloured plastic will be at this...

Amber LEDs do quite well however and I can get amber light that appears much more pleasant than the usual red or red/orange. Exactly how much this is helped by the fact that our eyes are more sensitive to colour as you go away from red and towards green I'm not sure, but I suspect it is quite significant.

Mike O'Pray
28th January 2009, 08:51 PM
A question - just for clarification. I am presuming that the Ilford 902 isn't amber? I have one and very good it is too with MG paper but to tell the truth I don't know how I'd describe the colour of it when illuminated. The glass looks brown when it's off but a kind of "amberish" when lit. All I can say with confidence is that it isn't red.

That's one of the problems on the internet. We can see what the other describes. One man's amber is another man's .......

pentaxuser

Dave miller
28th January 2009, 08:56 PM
A question - just for clarification. I am presuming that the Ilford 902 isn't amber? I have one and very good it is too with MG paper but to tell the truth I don't know how I'd describe the colour of it when illuminated. The glass looks brown when it's off but a kind of "amberish" when lit. All I can say with confidence is that it isn't red.

That's one of the problems on the internet. We can see what the other describes. One man's amber is another man's .......

pentaxuser

No, not at all. I'm asking about the round ones made by Paterson in which you could see the the lamp filiment glow when lit, sort of amber/brown. The Ilford 902 unit is among the best.

Barry
28th January 2009, 09:01 PM
Ilford's definitions: -

902 Light Brown
904 Dark Brown
906 Dark Red
907 Dark Green
908 Very dark Green
914 Sepia
915 Light Red
916 Dark Green

Ilford recommend the 902 for most Ilford paper including Multigrade. Adox recommends the use of a Dark Red safelight for their VarioClassic Paper.

Dave miller
28th January 2009, 09:05 PM
No, not at all. I'm asking about the round ones made by Paterson in which you could see the the lamp filiment glow when lit, sort of amber/brown. The Ilford 902 unit is among the best.

It's the "VF" model on this (http://www.patersonphotographic.com/patersondarkroom-details2.htm#middle) page. As it's still listed, I assume it's still sold.

RH Designs
29th January 2009, 08:44 AM
It's the "VF" model on this (http://www.patersonphotographic.com/patersondarkroom-details2.htm#middle) page. As it's still listed, I assume it's still sold.

That's the one I use. Seems OK. I haven't tested it lately but when I last did it was fine.

B&W Neil
29th January 2009, 10:06 AM
I concur with Richard on this one. I too have both but haven't use the amber one in my new darkroom as I found the Patterson red light enough for my needs but the amber one is fitted alongside the red one ready to use if required. I had no problems with the amber one when it was in use in my old darkroom (with a good variety of papers).

Neil.

Dave miller
29th January 2009, 10:44 AM
I concur with Richard on this one. I too have both but haven't use the amber one in my new darkroom as I found the Patterson red light enough for my needs but the amber one is fitted alongside the red one ready to use if required. I had no problems with the amber one when it was in use in my old darkroom (with a good variety of papers).

Neil.

Thanks for you replies, they squash that rumour rather comprehensively.

I had one of these lights five or more years ago, and threw it out after being told, or having read that they were being withdraw due to fogging problems with some papers. So when I saw a new darkroom being equipped with a number of them at the weekend, I voiced my concern, a concern that is obviously without foundation; so that’s another happy member.Or he will be when he reads this. :)

Andrew Bartram
1st February 2009, 06:36 PM
No, not at all. I'm asking about the round ones made by Paterson in which you could see the the lamp filiment glow when lit, sort of amber/brown. The Ilford 902 unit is among the best.

I found the so-called VC safelights (both the domed one you refer to Dave and an Encapsulite one) did not give me enough "safe time" in my darkroom.
Now use Encapsulite R10 amber tube and no fogging up to 10 minutes before switching the enlarger on and 10 minutes after exposure.
Thorough testing always recommended

Victor Krag
2nd February 2009, 07:16 PM
Kodak OC, which looks amber to me, is also factory recommended for Ilford and Oriental VC papers.