When did you last test your safelight? Is the filter being used suitable for multi-grade paper? Can you be certain that you are getting the cleanest white in your finished print - and if not, is it because your safelight is not safe?
These are all questions that you have to ask yourself from time to time, especially when manufacturers change specifications or introduce new technology. Most of us are probably guilty of avoiding the tedious job of testing safelights, always putting off to another day a job that should be considered critical in the pursuit of making fine prints, for any safelight fog will take the edge off the delicate highlight that makes a print glow and incorrect safelighting can degrade the contrast of VC papers.
With this in mind, I obtained six safelights from various suppliers and manufacturers with a view to seeing just how they performed with three different VC papers. The safelights tested were, EncapSulite A10 Amber Fluorescent, Kaiser Duka 50, Kaiser Duka 5, Kaiser 4018, Paterson Photax Dome with Orange, VF Brown and Yellow Green Filters and the Jobo Maxilight. The variable Contrast papers used were Ilford Multigrade IV, Agfa Multicontrast Premium RC and Multicontrast Classic Fibre.
The amber A10 tube produced no fogging after 16 minutes exposure. The safelight that I used was a 2 foot fluorescent tube which gave very good illumination in my darkroom which is 18ft long, 10ft wide and 8ft high. Our editor uses one 5ft red R10 in a room 14 x 12ft but does get fogging - so we didn't test the 2ft R10. and I would think that a second 2ft A10 would give good illumination throughout my whole darkroom. EncapSulite manufacture a whole range of safelights to use with photographic materials and list them together with safelight recommendation listings for all of the major manufacturers. The EncapSulite safelight is available in a range of standard sizes for fluorescent fittings, from 2ft to 8ft.
Above: from the left, the Jobo Maxilite, Kaiser Duka 50, and Kaiser 4016
The Duka 50 gave no fogging after 16 minutes exposure. The Duka 50 is supplied with a 10 watt sodium spectral lamp and is fitted with a stepless dimmer which allows the level of illumination to be reduced as required. The level of illumination was again very good and a second unit would be required to light the whole of my darkroom. Filters are also available for colour negative and reversal papers, in addition to a separate filter for both graded and variable contrast black and white paper.
The Duka 5 with an orange filter is recommended for use with all black and white papers and also for high-sensitivity variable contrast papers. My tests suggested otherwise in that Agfa Multicontrast Classic FB fogged at 3 minutes and Premium RC at 6 minutes. Perhaps 6 minutes for Premium is just acceptable but clearly 3 minutes for Classic is certainly not. Ilford Multigrade IV shows no sign of fogging at 12 minutes. This matches the editor�s own earlier findings, where Agfa VC papers fogged in safelights previously used without problems for Ilford materials. We can�t recommend the Duka 5, as it is possible that the contrast of all VC papers is subtly affected by it, although illumination with this safelight was very good.
The Kaiser 4018 showed no fogging after 16 minutes exposure. The 4018 is a very small safelight that can be either free standing or fitted to a wall or ceiling and has a tiltable lamp house. The level of illumination is remarkably good for such a small safelight, but several would be needed to illuminate a darkroom of 10ft by 18ft. Nevertheless, I was surprised at the relative brightness of the unit.
The original Paterson 25W safelight has been dropped in favour of the dome-shaped Photax 15W design. The Photax Orange filter, recommended for graded papers only, surprisingly produces no fogging after 16 minutes exposure (unlike the original Paterson, probably the most widely used safelight in amateur darkrooms) and provides adequate illumination but several would be required to give a good light. Reading text written in red or orange can be a problem...
The VF brown filter dome is designed for use with all single graded papers and most variable contrast papers. My tests show no fogging present after 16 minutes exposure in all of the three papers tested but the illumination in the darkroom was poor compared to the Orange filter. However, labels on photographic materials are more easily read than with the Orange filter.
The Yellow Green dome intended for maximum brightness with graded bromide papers is not recommended for VC, as confirmed by my tests which show that all papers tested fogged after 4 minutes.
For this test I fixed the Maxilight about 3ft above and to the side of the baseboard and found no signs of fogging after 16 minutes exposure. Another feature of the Maxilight is a panel which rotates to allow both colour negative and reversal safelight filters to be clicked into position. Jobo also manufacture the Minilight, a darkroom torch which hangs around the neck and is very useful in numerous situations where you are looking into dark corners for that essential - inexplicably mislaid - item.
All safelights specifically recommended for use with multi-graded papers proved to be safe for longer periods of exposure than would be considered normal, the exception being the Duka 5 where Ilford's Multigrade IV was the only paper not to fog.
The fact that Agfa papers did fog certainly highlights the need for all printers to regularly check the safety of their safelight. The choice of filter should be checked, otherwise you could be using a filter suitable only for single graded papers, like the Photax Yellow Green. No safelight will give safe illumination where materials are exposed for prolonged periods. A good practise when printing, especially where complicated burning and dodging has to carried out, is to switch off the safelight during that part of the operation to limit the paper�s exposure to the safelight.
For bright illumination the EncapSulite and the Kaiser Duka 50 are clearly the best. It is not really a fair comparison because of the great difference in price and specification. The best value for money is the EncapSulite, which retails at about �18 UK for a 2ft safelight. Add to this �6 for the cost of a fluorescent fitting and at �24 you have very good value for money, a safelight that will give good even illumination, and peace of mind in the knowledge that your multi-grade paper is safe from fogging even up to 16 minutes, leaving those lovely delicate highlights just as they were previsualised when the image was first made.
Editor's note: we do not know of any export availability for the EncapSulite series, but will be happy to forward enquiries.