I was just wondering if anyone out there could shed some light on weather or not digital photography has taken over the dark room and its 35 mm. I would love to hear what you got to say

I think all pros have a digital camera these days. Those who had analogue large and medium format have bought or are renting a PhaseOne digital backpiece and use that in addition to analogue.
The quality, availablility and cost of digital is no doubt a sign of what is ahead. Analogue requires increasingly more ressources to handle and is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.
Like the record, I don't think 35mm will die any time soon, but it's use will no longer be mainstream. It will be kept alive for sentimental reasons as well as visual imperfections like grain.
20-30 years and we will be the only generation who remembers 35mm.
That's my take:)

So hear is my other question,
I was given an enlarger and a start up kit(bins, trays,ect.) and I have my trusty 35mm and I was thinking about getting back into photography but I am trying to decide if its worth the cost of setting up a dark room and getting a hold of the chemicals, or should I just put that money to geting a digital camera. Any thoughts?!

Depends what kind of photography you are doing and what kind of money you have.

I would like to have a darkroom for 4x5 large format black and white for example where right now I shoot digital but I wouldn't shooot 35mm B&W

I assume you are probably talking about black and white as colour is hard to develop yourself. So for chemicals you are probably looking at $30-40, paper really varies, the more you buy the cheaper it is, same with film. I you do a google search you should be able to find info on developer and fixer and the process if you are not familiar or try Kodak or Ilford which both make film, chemicals and paper.

For digital camera you would probably be looking at entry level DSLRs from Nikon or Canon for around $1000 or a bit less. This will give you more detail than you could capture with 35mm film.

If you are taking lots of photos then digital works out quite a bit cheaper in the end and faster to produce a final print. If you are a methodical photographer who takes few pictures because they know what they want and how to get and are willing to spend the time to get the right print then film would be a good choice.
:)

Well as a photographer, I was trained in traditional photography... 35mm etc. I work with digital now but only because of the cost and ease of use.

In my opinion I feel Film is much better than digital. I know alot of people want detail that digital offers, but I feel the quality of the picture is just not there. I have seen might of digital where it just looks bad. Color clarity and richness is really lost. The colors look artificial. Now on some of the higher end Digital Camera such as the SLR's are getting much better in capturing color and calrity. It's still different. I believe the grain of the film is what really adds to the richness of the photo. Using a low grain slower speed film such as 100iso is just phenominal compared to setting your digital camera to capture at 100iso. Even as I type this I'm looking at 2 pictures I took with the same settings one is a manual the other digital. The manial just looks better in it's color and clarity than the digital.

But if you are looking for something more cost effective and crisp then I would say digital. If you want just a nice colorful and beautiful picture and money cost doesn't matter then go film.

Setting up your own darkroom is also costly, but it looks like you already have the most expensive things. I would try it out first, setting up a dark room is quite a task, but there is nothing like developing your own work.

So take this with a grain of salt, it's my opinion. I might be one of those "methodical photographers" but I feel film just is better. Digital is nice but lacks in many areas.

On a side note, detail. Digital captures so much detail that it's annoying. Digital will capture the dust in your house while a film camera will not. Call that great but I rather not have dust in my pictures.

Well I want to first say thank you to all of your thoughts, its funny but I was up all night thinking about this and my gut kept telling me to go with film, so its nice to know that there are people out there who feel similar. I think I going to try to set up a dark room in my attic, I let you know who it goes. Thank you again.
Enjoy the beauty that is summer

There are few things that compare to the magic of seeing your image come alive in the developer. I was trained traditionally as well. I like film but have come to appreciate the insurgence of digital. Digital SLRs are capable of very high quality images even the 1000 dollar ones like Freaky says. The one thing that digital photography perpetuates is poor photographers. It makes taking pics far too easy. There is litte or no cost penalty for shooting hundreds of frames of crap.

That is not to say that there arent alot of bad photographs taken with film...heck alot of those bad film photographers are now using digital. ;) Anyways what I am getting at is that learning to compose and shoot with film is a great way to learn all the aspects of photography so that you can take it to the Digital realm when you need to.

If you haven't made your own prints before or developed your own negs then you are in for a treat, its a very satisfying craft when you get the hang of it.

Chemicals are relatively cheap, you only need Developer, Stop bath, and the Fixer.

Good luck with what ever route you choose :)

I haven't worked in a darkroom since highschool, and I really miss it. There's a lot to be said about getting in there with your hands. It's almost like taking the photograph again. Doing adjustments and manipulations in a darkroom is a lot of fun as well.

Memories . . .
All alone in the Darkroom
I can smile at the old days
Film was so much cheaper then.
I remember the time I knew what Ilford was
Let the memory live again.

Memories . . .
All alone in the Darkroom
I can smile at the old days
...

Oh yeah and what kind of activities where you really doing in the darkroom. :wink3:

Oh yeah and what kind of activities where you really doing in the darkroom. :wink3:

It's funny that you would mention something like that, our Photography teacher wasn't allowed in the darkroom alone with female students, apparently there were some allegations made.

Photography was the ONLY class that I took notes in, ever. I still have them and reference them from time to time. Photography class was probably the only class I took in high school where I still use what I learned. I suppose if I bought a metal lathe every other class I took would become useful.

I guess what I'm saying Katherine, is forget the digital equipment, sell your darkroom equipment and buy a metal lathe. Then I can put my metal working knowledge to good work and help you make a ball-peen hammer, or even a ratcheting screw driver!

Oh man don't get me even started on Dark Room Adventures. I've encountered and heard some really odd stuff in there.

Dose anyone know the time span for the chemicals before they go bad?
And hey no one is perfect.

The one thing that digital photography perpetuates is poor photographers. It makes taking pics far too easy. There is litte or no cost penalty for shooting hundreds of frames of crap.

I can't say that I have nearly as much as photography experience as everyone in this thread but Quoted. For. Truth.

I gota say there is nothing in this world that can replace the excitement of watching your photo come to life. If you have never developed your own picks its an experience I would highly suggest.

I was in the darkroom but nothing came to life, probably not doing things teacher said but going my own way.