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  #1  
Old 31st December 2008, 01:19 PM
davidpopely davidpopely is offline
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Default Greetings from Somerset

Greetings from Somerset, in the South West of England.

I am a newly registered member, so i thought I would post this brief (I hope!) intro in the way that most discussion forum seem to like!

I'm returning to my old hobby of photography after two (or more!) decades away....in the meantime having been interrupted by having kids, ergo being broke, having no time, etc etc etc. I have found that the digital format/methodology which has obviously taken hold in the intervening period just doesn't interest me as much as the analog methodology I was brought up with.

This time around, I want not only to get back into my picture-taking, but also to get some knowledge of processing, with a view not only to saving money on the heinous price of commercial processing, but also to get a greater control over the process as a whole. This might happen by joining a camera club which would give me access to darkroom facilities, or by setting up a limited facility at home - I don't really know the answer to that one yet.

I now find I own two SLRs - a Minolta X-300 with a 28-200mm Vivitar zoom lense (bought for £30 on Ebay) and a Canon AE-1 with Canon 50mm and a Tokina 70-200mm lenses, which was a gift from my brother and which probably requires servicing before I risk outting a film in it! Long-term, I plan to keep one for mono and the other for colour use, which I think will give me a good range of options.

I prefer print formats to slides, and I favour Fujicolour over other films (the colour pallet just appeals to me), and I enjoy shooting at high ASA speeds 200-400) because the light very often isn't too good, especially in the winter months, and using apertures about f8 seems to get me into difficuties with the longer folcal lengths I find I like to employ for a lot of what I enjoy doing, which is landscape-based, but using close-up techniques.

I'm looking forward to benefitting from the advice and experience of those who have been 'at it' for longer (and more importantly, more continuously) than I have, and will probably be posting a series of banal questions as time goes on - so apologies in advance!

All my personal info is in my profile, so please, feel free to be in touch if you want to!

David Popely
Somerset, England
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Old 31st December 2008, 01:24 PM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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Welcome David, and thank you for a comprehensive introduction.
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Old 31st December 2008, 01:40 PM
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Trevor Crone Trevor Crone is offline
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Hi David and welcome. Hope all goes well with the darkroom, which I hope isn't too far off?
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Old 31st December 2008, 01:42 PM
davidpopely davidpopely is offline
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I hope so too

I'd really like to find a shared darkroom if at all possible, but I've only just started looking.

David
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Old 31st December 2008, 02:13 PM
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Welcome from a cold and dismal Devon.

I think you'll be lucky to find a camera club with a darkroom, especially one which can handle colour processing. But you never know. A jobo rotary processor may be your best bet for C41 film development. It can do colour prints too and all in daylight.
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Old 31st December 2008, 10:23 PM
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Hello David. Welcome aboard!

A small home darkroom is probably going to be your best bet. Local colleges may have evening courses and there are still a few rental darkrooms about in major cities but that's about it these days I'm afraid

Anyway, ask as many questions as you like

Have fun, Bob.
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Old 1st January 2009, 06:38 AM
davidpopely davidpopely is offline
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Hi Bob

Thanks for the response. However, the problem is that I can't dedicate a room, even a small room or closet, to this. Is it possible to adapt a room that is in use for other purposes most of the time, using portable equipment that can be brought out and stored away afterwards?

David
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Old 1st January 2009, 08:04 AM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davidpopely View Post
Hi Bob

Thanks for the response. However, the problem is that I can't dedicate a room, even a small room or closet, to this. Is it possible to adapt a room that is in use for other purposes most of the time, using portable equipment that can be brought out and stored away afterwards?

David
Yes is the short answer, many people work this way. The largest item to move is an enlarger, if just this item can be left permanently set-up in will be a great help. The room in which the enlarger is used must be blacked out as you will require total darkness for the printing. The chemical side of the operation can be carried out in room light if either a drum or tray processor such as the Paterson unit is used, these being light tight. So it's possible to take an undeveloped print in one of these into another room, such as a kitchen to develop them. A little planning and lateral thinking is required to make the most of your available facilities.
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Old 1st January 2009, 08:39 AM
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If you have only a small bathroom it may seem impracticle. But just placing a piece of mdf on top of the bath instantly provides a work surface big enough for 4 12x16 developing trays or a plenty big enough surface for a rotary processor to sit on.
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Old 1st January 2009, 10:00 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davidpopely View Post
Greetings from Somerset, in the South West of England.

......control over the process as a whole. This might happen by joining a camera club which would give me access to darkroom facilities, or by setting up a limited facility at home - I don't really know the answer to that one yet.

Hello David and welcome to FADU.

If Tiverton is near you it might be worth checking out the Tiverton Camera Club as they used to have a well-equiped permanent darkroom at their premises for club members to use. However, my last visit to this camera club was a few years ago and when I was there I formed the impression that DI ruled, but the darkroomk may still be there if they have not turned it into a computer room

Cheers,

Neil.
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