Darkroom Books

[StephenM]

Resin coating is new - or at least I can recall it coming in and stated to be new - but variable contrast paper has a longer history. It gets a mention in the Ilford Manual of Photography, 5th edition, 1957 (but isn't in the Ilford advertisements in the 1953 BJP). So it's been around as long as I've been printing,

 

[StephenM]

Having just had my lap vacated by a cat, I looked at the Variable Contrast Printing Manual. In the historical introduction, it states that the first VC paper was Variagam announced in 1939, making it even older than I am...

 

[jjdoyle]

I've heard rumours that there is a new edition of this coming out early next year though for the most part I doubt much has changed in the last 20 years.

That would be still good though I think, even if not much had changed in the new edition. It would be an indication that publishers still saw a market in film photography books and, with luck, seeing it out there would continue to inspire the next generation to stay involved with analog photography.

 

[Stuart M]

You want to be looking for some of these on the 'Advanced Book Exchange' if they are old and out of print. Sometime it's the only place you'll find them.

 

[Woodsy]

Think you might be a little late for the op, but yes, that is a useful site for sure.

 

[steveo_mcg]

This looks interesting but a bit steep once you add the postage.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1800609722/darkroom-secrets?ref=category_popular

Darkroom Cookbook4 4th Edition is also available now,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkroom-Cookbook-Alternative-Process-Photography/dp/1138959189

 

[StephenM]

I wonder how much is in it that I don't have in other sources. My copy of The Compact Photo Lab Index looks thicker and certainly has a lot of formulae (but also film data as well). Where the Index will fall down in comparison is on "independent" formulae - those not connected to a manufacturer. I've got a number of old books with formulae in - far more formulae than I suspect I'll live to try even if I was minded to. Still, it's good that the information will be printed, if only for posterity. The price however, is, as you say, steep.

The new edition of the Darkroom Cookbook is another matter. Thanks for the info.

 

[steveo_mcg]

The new edition of the Darkroom Cookbook is another matter.

Yeah going to order that once we're done moving.

 

[StephenM]

I don't know if it's a good price (it's £24.27), but I just looked at the Black Friday deals from Amazon and it's there. Highlighted because of my browsing history...