Darkroom Equipment

A darkroom is a room, any room, which is completely devoid of light in order to successfully process delicate light sensitive film. Once the photographer decides on an area or room to use, the next course of action is to bring in the darkroom equipment.

This part might seem daunting for photographers beginning to use darkrooms. What goes into a darkroom once it is ready? Here are a few ideas.

The first thing to consider is the lighting. Regular light will destroy or diminish a film. Safelights made specifically for darkroom use allow enough light to see by without destroying the photographer's work. Not all safelights are the same though. Each light may only work with certain bulbs and papers, at a set distance and processing time.

Every dark room needs to include film processing tanks. Photography shops sell daylight tanks, stainless steel tanks, plastic tanks, reels and spirals. Use a daylight tank for developing 35mm film. Daylight tanks allow the film to be loaded in the dark and then capped. After this, the photographer may choose to do the rest of the work in light without worry of destroying the film.

Darkroom easels come in many forms and photo sizes to accommodate any photographic development solution. These are a must when developing photographs onto photo paper. Buy easels to make one size, such as five inch by seven inch photos, or find multi sized easels that include adjustable bars for up to four different photo sizes.

Of course, every darkroom needs a work table. These can be anything from portable and foldable metal tables to a simple kitchen table set up. Just remember that spilled chemicals can damage wood. So, avoid using Grandma's antique cheery dining table for photo processing.

Include a sink, whether fixed or portable, into a darkroom for both photo processing and afterward clean up.

Paper trimmers help size down the paper to standard photo sizes when multi sized easels are unavailable. Good ventilation is a must. Include an air purifier and a filtered fan to remove unwanted chemicals and dust from the air. Ask other photographers what they use to keep their darkroom air safe.

Photography magazines and books often list essential darkroom equipment along with reviews and new must-have tools. Search online for more information about basic darkroom equipment and accessories.