Re: Darkroom light

> I put a yellow-green darkroom bulb in the existing wall socket and =
> placed pieces of photo paper where I intend to have the enlarger as well =
> as the developer tray, and covered one half of each paper (one =
> vertically and the other diagonally in order to be able to identify them =
> later on). Then I turned the darkroom light on for five minutes. =
> Thereafter I developed the pieces of paper in total darkness. =
> Unfortunately the papers had been affected by the light. Then I covered =
> the lamp bulb by a milky-white glass globe, tested once more, and the =
> papers came out shining white from the developer tray. So, as long as I =
> keep the globe on everything will probably turn out fine.=20
>
> Finally, here comes what I am wondering about. Does the globe work like =
> a filter reducing one colour and enhancing another? If so, which? Or =
> does the milky-white globe just function like a dimmer reducing the =
> existing yellow-green light without adding or deducting anything?
>
> Dennis

    Some of the other replies have given you some good ideas already, but I
    would like to add that you really need to test every safelight with every
    paper. Different papers respond in different ways. For example, graded
    papers respond differently than variable contrast papers. The VC papers
    have two emulsions, one sensitive to blue and one to green. That's why you
    see some papers that recommend the OA safelight and others that recommend
    the OC safelight. The OC cuts out more of the green. And has been pointed
    out, intensity is also an issue. If the safelight does have some effect on
    the paper, it is minimized by low intensity and short exposure. Many
    safelights recommend that they be kept at least 4 feet from the paper and
    that the wattage of the bulb be kept to a certain level.
Received on Mon Jan 21 10:06:20 2002