Darkroom Equipment

Michaels especially cater for the darkroom needs of students at competitive prices, with up to 10% discount on many items.  Students receive a warm welcome at our first floor darkroom department.  We are happy to answer any questions you may have on darkroom techniques and requirements.

We have a wide selection of Ilford chemicals and paper, Paterson darkroom equipment, as well as a range of NEW and SECOND-HAND enlargers. Furthermore, we stock an extensive range of Kodak and Agfa products and offer a comprehensive technical advisory service.

• Paper
• Chemicals
• Equipment
• Frequently Asked Questions 

Paper

 Ilford Multigrade IV RC

Multigrade papers eliminate the need to purchase a whole range of different paper grades. To adjust to your different grade requirements simply purchase either Multigrade Filters or use a colour enlarger with a colour head and adjust the filters as required.

Multigrade IV RC is a resin coated paper with a bright base tint. The image colour remains cool-to-neutral whether viewed in daylight or fluorescent light.

All sizes are available in gloss or pearl finish.

 Ilford Multigrade IV FB

Like the Multigrade IV RC, Multigrade IV FB ensures that the image colour remains cool-to-neutral whether viewed in daylight or fluorescent light. It is fiber based with a bright base tint.

Paper Size (CM)	Paper Size (IN)	Pack Size	Paper Surface
20.3 x 25.4	8" x 10"	24 Sheets	Gloss
20.3 x 25.4	8" x 10"	100 Sheets	Gloss
30.5 x 40.6	12" x 16"	10 Sheets	Gloss
30.5 x 40.6	12" X 16"	10 Sheets	Matt
40.6 x 50.8	16" x 20"	10 Sheets	Gloss

 Ilford Multigrade FB Warmtone

Premium quality, warm tone, variable contrast, black and white paper on a fiber base.

Paper Size (CM)	Paper Size (IN)	Pack Size
20.3 x 25.4	8" x 10"	25 Sheets

Ilford Galerie FB

Ilford Galerie FB is a fiber base, graded, black and white paper, suitable for a wide range of applications that require a fine quality paper. Prints made on this double weight paper have deep, rich blacks, brilliant whites and excellent tonal rendition, and these qualities can be relied upon from print-to-print and batch-to-batch.

All sizes are available in gloss or pearl finish. 

Paper Size (CM)	Paper Size (IN)	Pack Size
20.3 x 25.4	8" x 10"	25 Sheets
30.5 x 40.6	12" x 16"	10 Sheets

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Chemicals

We stock a large range of Ilford, Agfa and Kodak chemistry...
Please contact us on 03 9672 2222 with your darkroom chemical order or requests!

We stock:

• Ilfosol S Film Developer 250ml
• Ilford Multigrade Paper Developer 1L
• Ilford Hypam Rapid Paper & Film Fixer 1L
• Ilford Indicator Stop Bath 250ml
• Ilford Wetting Agent 500ml
• Ilford Hardener 500ml

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Equipment

We stock a large range of Paterson darkroom equipment. The following is just a sample of the products we have available.

We Stock:

• Ilford Multigrade Filters 3½" x 3½" set of 12 (Larger sizes also available)
• Enlarging Globes
• Darkroom Safelights
• Bulk Film Loaders: up to 30.5 metres
• Focus Scopes
• Print and Negative Spotting Dye
• Retouching Brushes
• Thermometers
• Jessops Gray Cards
• Kodak Dry Mounting Tissue: 8" x 10"
• Hama 1200ml Chemical Squeeze Bottle
• LPL Printing Easels:
  • 8" x 10"
  • 10" x 12"
  • 14" x 17"
• Novex Students Timer
• Enlarging Lenses:
  • Nikon 50mm f2.8 Enlarging Lens
  • Nikor 80mm F5.6
  • Hansa 50mm f3.5 Enlarging Lens
• Light Boxes (for viewing slides & negatives):
  • 4" x 5" Battery Operated (exc. batt)
  • 6" x 9" Battery Operated (exc. batt)
• Magnifiers:
  • A-P 8x Magnifier
  • Hama 10x Magnifier
  • Nikon 8x Magnifier

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Frequently Asked Questions 

How long will my chemicals last once I've mixed them up?

Once the bottle has been opened, liquid concentrate developer will last about a month.
Diluted film developer should be discarded immediately after use, but will last about 24 hours.
Print developer will last about 8 hours in a developing tray. Other chemicals do not suffer from this oxidation problem, and the concentrate will last about 2 months once the bottle has been opened.

How long do I need to wash my films & paper for?

Films should be washed for about half an hour after processing, resin coated papers 2-3 minutes, and fibre based papers 20-40 minutes, depending on how long the print is to be kept.

Why do fibre based papers have to be washed for such a long time, compared to resin coated papers?

Resin coated papers, as the name implies, have 2 layers of resin.
One on the bottom of the paper base, and another layer between the base and the light sensitive emulsion.
This means that unlike fibre based papers, the processing chemicals cannot soak the base, only the thin emulsion, from which they can be washed out in a couple of minutes. 

What focal length lens do I need for my enlarger?

For 35mm negatives, a focal length of 50mm is appropriate. For 6x6cm negatives you should use a 75mm lens or 80mm lens.

Can I process my film in a different manufacturer's chemicals?

Yes you can. However, the developer instructions may not include the developing time for your film.
A general rule the majority of films with the same I.S.O. speed rating tend to have about the same developing time. Use this as a rough guide.
Incidentally, Kodak D-76 and Ilford ID-11 developers have exactly the same formula, so they can be interchanged.

Is my darkroom safelight O.K. for the type of paper I'm printing on?

If your safelight isn't the one specified for your paper, conduct this simple test:

• Step 1: In total darkness, cut off a small section of paper from one sheet and then close the "light tight" paper packet again.
• Step 2: On the scrap of paper, place a coin (or object) on top of the paper...
• Step 3: Turn on Safelight
• Step 4: Leave for about 3-4 minutes, and then develop and fix the paper as per normal.
• Step 5: Switch on the room light. If you can see the outline of the coins as a pure white on a slightly grey surround, then the safelight is unsuitable. But if the paper has remained completely white, the safelight is O.K to use.
  One further point: never place your paper closer than 1 meter from the safelight.

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