Make It Easy (Nottingham) - my 1st visit

[auntiemaryscanary]

Introduction
@StephenM posted about a new to him film lab and @Peter B highlighted a linked organisation in Nottingham with darkroom facilities: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/new-to-me-film-lab-in-leeds.743119/
Within a few days I paid and signed up as a member of the Nottingham operation. Over 3 posts is the detail of my first visit to the Nottingham premises.

Background
1 - Mine: I've had a small shed based darkroom for the last year measuring 4' 3" x 4" which I've mainly used for film developing and slitting and loading Minolta 16 cameras. I have Meopta Axomat (35mm) and Meopta Opemus (upto 6cm x 6cm) enlargers. Although I can sort of make wet prints I was struggling to get good or consistent results solely through lack of knowledge and experience. Hence I jumped at the chance to use these Nottingham based facilities.

2- Take It Easy Lab (Leeds) https://www.takeiteasylab.com/ . Collaborates with the Nottingham organisation but as far as I am aware are independently owned.

3 - Make It Easy Lab (Nottingham) https://makeiteasylab.com/ . The owner Dan started as The Photo Parlour in Derby in 2013 [edit: date corrected 21.11.22] and then later took over the premises and equipment of a closing Nottingham film business and relocated to Nottingham. I had tried to contact the The Photo Parlour just after the lifting of the first Covid restrictions but received no reply. On my 1st visit Dan explained that the pandemic had obviously stopped the operation of his community based darkroom and he had rapidly gone into, amongst other things, mail order developing and printing. He apologised for not contacting me at that time and that about a year ago he re-launched as Make It Easy which collaborates with Take It Easy (Leeds). He had responded promptly to my Oct/Nov 2022 emails and here I was at their premises, so no hard feelings, and lets get on with it! The rest of my posts relate to my first Make It Easy visit on 16/11/22.

The Welcome
I was immediately made to feel welcome by the members, volunteers paid staff and the owner. Throughout my 4.5 hour visit this continued and everyone was friendly and helpful.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

The Premises
I was immediately impressed by the size of the place and the equipment available.


The main open plan area. I assume paid customer scanning etc was going on at the far end. Blue Dip and Dunk machine on right.


Film developing area


Drying cabinet and fridge storage


Studio for hire ( @excalibur2 - modern and Bowens lighting available)


Some of the 8 or so enlargers


The huge print trays (apols for shocking pic - understandably phones/cameras aren't allowed to be used in here when other people are wet printing)


Informal seating area and library


Mysterious to me equipment


Small gallery

My experience and results of my visit to follow in part 3.

 

[Asha]

Thé mysterious to you object is also mysterious to me though I’m wondering if it’s some sort of mounting press for prints.

 

[StephenM]

If I said that Ademco comes from Adhesive Dry Mounting Company, would that serve as a clue? They used to advertise everywhere (if you read the same magazines as I did..).

 

[Asha]

If I said that Ademco comes from Adhesive Dry Mounting Company, would that serve as a clue? They used to advertise everywhere (if you read the same magazines as I did..).

Can I have an extra clue please?!!

I always get stuck with puzzles and I’m finding this one insurmountable.

 

[Asha]

Appologies for my dry humour and poor company !

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Part 3

"Induction"
I'd been asked to bring negs and paper but I honestly thought it would be mainly rules etc with maybe a short time on my chosen enlarger.

Nope. We had a look at my negs on a light box with a loupe - something I'd never done before. Had an explanation about what we were looking out for with the negs, 3 chosen, then straight onto this beauty


DeVere 504 with multigrade head (pic credit: Make It Easy website)

Dan showed me how to set the mask, insert the neg and crucially how to line the easel up correctly on my 10x8 paper and what "borders", well the correct spacing of the white bits that my 6x6 neg would sit in. I never knew about that.

Included was a crash course in contrast (my negs were "punchy" apparently) and how multigrade filters can affect my negs, that it's normal to start on grade 2 for a test print. Using a focus finder, cutting up my new 10x8 paper into test strips, using an enlarger controller, making test prints, viewing them in natural when fixed for a couple of mins - all brand new to me.

Although there we're a few rules it was mainly set up, test strip, view in natural light,make changes and then test strip, full size test print then any further changes even including dodging and burning on the final print. It was more than I ever expected and it was a truly enjoyable experience.

A new employee (though very experienced) took me through print no.2. This time I controlled everything on the englager. A lovely chap and great teacher.

I was offered to do a third print but by this time my brain was fully overloaded and my prints went in the drying cabinet.

The Results

Test strips and test print 1 (all prints scanned on a basic 3-in-1 printer)


Test strips and test print 2


Final print 1




Final print 2



Conclusions
As you can tell I had great time and picked up some valuable knowledge and experience to help me make wet prints. I will be returning to Make It Easy very soon.

If you are in the East Midlands and can make use of these facilities then I would highly recommend joining. Even if you are further afield I would say it would be worth it if you can afford the the time and can travel.

A thoroughly enjoyable visit with great staff, volunteers and members.

No.2 framed

 

[Peter B]

Sounds great!

 

[AshleyC]

Looks great, I moved up here a year or so ago and could do with something like this as I'm struggling to sort a darkroom out in my house. The only pain is that they have 2 subscriptions for colour and b&w. it would be nice if they had a single sub for dev and scanning and that's all, or even a single sub for both types of developing. Not really bothered about printing.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Looks great, I moved up here a year or so ago and could do with something like this as I'm struggling to sort a darkroom out in my house. The only pain is that they have 2 subscriptions for colour and b&w. it would be nice if they had a single sub for dev and scanning and that's all, or even a single sub for both types of developing. Not really bothered about printing.

I would suggest contacting them and see what they say. Also see if you can arrange a visit and then you can ask whilst there especially as you are local - the premises is just 1 min walk south of the train station.

Of course you don't need a darkroom for film developing. Lots of people load the film onto the spirals and insert the spiral into the daylight developing tank inside a changing bag. After that all chemicals can be added in daylight. I've never got on with doing that in a changing bag most people with practice get proficient at it.

Film scanners can also be picked up cheapish but they tend to be the older models and you may have connection issues to, say, a Windows 10 computer. An Epson V600 can bought new (approx £299) and will scan 35mm and 120. I have the previous V550 model however I find scanning a chore.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

@AshleyC - may be what you are looking for?

Scanner Hire (Coming soon)

Prefer to scan yourself? We operate two community Fujifilm SP-3000 scanners available for dry hire here at Make It Easy. Fujifilm’s SP-3000 has been used for many years as professional lab scanners. We’ve recently retired ours from the day-to-day and made them available for you to hire on an...

makeiteasylab.com

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Just a brief update on my 2nd visit, I promise I won't give a blow by blow account every time!

Did a range of contract prints on some old but unopened Ilford MG III and then 3 final prints with on new 8x10 paper with the image at 6x8. The neg was 135 half frame and I was pleasantly surprised that the grain, although there, wasn't overly prominent.

Again a great experience with helpful staff. This time I got on with it but asked for assistance on a couple of occasions. The 4 hour slot flew by.

 

[Asha]

nd then 3 final prints with on new 8x10 paper with the image at 6x8. The neg was 135 half frame and I was pleasantly surprised that the grain, although there, wasn't overly prominent.

Bear in mind that will have been about a 12x enlargement !

I generally try to stay close to 4x so with a 5x4 negative that comfortably offers a 20x16 inch print.

6x6 negs usually see a 5x enlargement to get a 30x30cm ( 1 sq ft print)

Nothing wrong with going much much larger if the negative allows …. I don’t have a strict restriction to what print size to make …… the 4x is simply a personal preference that I keep to if possible.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Bear in mind that will have been about a 12x enlargement !

Thanks, I'd not thought about all that. The enlarging head was a long way from the paper! I'm even more impressed with the prints now. I only did my 16mm negs (small ones 13x10mm image size, large 17x13mm) as contact prints - maybe next time I will try and get those onto 8x10 paper!! Not really... I've some 5x7 paper, cut in half to 3.5 x5 will be more than enough. Or my 3x3 paper.

I think as wet printing is mainly all new to me I don't have preconceived ideas about what may or not work. I quite like that really.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Further visit today for wet printing. They have had this donated by the local university:




It's a beast! Even has a vacuum table. Looks right up @Asha 's street

 

[Flighter]

That looks a serious bit of kit!

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

That looks a serious bit of kit!

Yes! It's a Durst 10x8 condenso It's was the Uni's spare and their more modern model is still in use.

The darkroom managed - just - to get it up to their premises on the 4th floor with stairs the only option...

 

[Flighter]

The darkroom managed - just - to get it up to their premises on the 4th floor with stairs the only option...

That must have been fun!

 

[joxby]

Final print 1
View attachment 373997

Been trying to figure out that whacky roll in the oof background.
Running through my head lenses that do that, I've been coming up with all sorts of obscure cold war soviet glass and vintage LF petzval stuff on 6x6.
That was before I read further and realized it was half frame.....
So, you are indeed correct, it don't look half bad for a half frame neg.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Been trying to figure out that whacky roll in the oof background.
Running through my head lenses that do that, I've been coming up with all sorts of obscure cold war soviet glass and vintage LF petzval stuff on 6x6.
That was before I read further and realized it was half frame.....
So, you are indeed correct, it don't look half bad for a half frame neg.

No that pic (final print 1) wasn't half frame - have done half-frame on their Durst 504 but it was of a friend's child so I haven't posted that image. It was from a Lubitel 166b so you were right. That camera broke, was sold on the classifieds to @Sangoma who repaired it and was being used by one of his family.

As well as using the Durst 504 today to make 2 prints from 6x6 taken on a Mamiya C3 I also made a wet print from a Minox neg (8x11mm) on the same enlarger. Not at home now so will post the Minox print tomorrow.