The Darkroom Cookbook 5th Edition

[Don_ih]

I don't believe the DCB is the place to do it

Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would publish it on its own. It's not of wide-enough general appeal.

 

[Steve Anchell]

Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would publish it on its own. It's not of wide-enough general appeal.

Perhaps. But if anyone would do it, it would be Routledge, the owner of the Focal Press imprint. Routledge is the largest publisher of textbooks, and the titles they publish are so obscure and niche-based that this might be just up their alley.

 

[Don_ih]

Routledge is the largest publisher of textbooks

A textbook has a definite market, normally. Almost no one will set out to replicate the DR5 process commercially. Frankly, he should probably put a book together and publish it as a print-on-demand book. That would get it into the hands of those who want it and no publisher would be taking any risk.

 

[Steve Anchell]

A textbook has a definite market, normally. Almost no one will set out to replicate the DR5 process commercially. Frankly, he should probably put a book together and publish it as a print-on-demand book. That would get it into the hands of those who want it and no publisher would be taking any risk.

I suggested that to David as well.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Perhaps. But if anyone would do it, it would be Routledge, the owner of the Focal Press imprint. Routledge is the largest publisher of textbooks, and the titles they publish are so obscure and niche-based that this might be just up their alley.

Where is the "magic" located in the DR5 process? Standard black & white film reversal works well.

 

[ChrisGalway]

Where is the "magic" located in the DR5 process? Standard black & white film reversal works well.

That's the question we want answering!!!

Both from David Wood's own reversal results, and from many accolades from customers (who are willing to pay for this expensive service), there is wide recognition that the dr5 process has produced better results than any other reversal process, in particular deeper blacks, wider tonal range and reduced grain.

Yes, standard B&W film reversal works "well", but many of us would like to do better than "well". I'm happy with my own results (Rollei Superpan 200, 120 format, in the Adox Scala kit) but they certainly could be improved.

My suspicion is that is that dr5 involves chromogenic development at some stage, like colour processing but with a black/neutral dye. This is only a guess, nothing concrete to base it on, but it would be consistent with the deeper blacks and lower grain.

Whilst it's clear that the inventor of dr5 believes it is the best that can be done, the process is apparently complex and "requires" bespoke machinery. As a scientist, I don't believe any piece of work is ever completed, and if dr5 were published, I'm confident that other clever people will be able to build on it for "home" use. That's how progress works. Publication of dr5 would be a huge contribution to the community.

 

[BobUK]

Two Suggestions.

I own a few modern scientific textbooks that have links printed in them, leading to the website of the author or publisher.
There you can find a list of up to date errata.
I have no idea of the difficulty or time consumed keeping such a list up to date, but it would be a very much appreciated addition for purchasers of your book.


Too late to research this for inclusion, but a list of available dry mounting materials, with suggested times and temperatures would be nice.



Good Luck with the project.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

My suspicion is that is that dr5 involves chromogenic development at some stage, like colour processing but with a black/neutral dye. This is only a guess, nothing concrete to base it on, but it would be consistent with the deeper blacks and lower grain.

Whilst it's clear that the inventor of dr5 believes it is the best that can be done, the process is apparently complex and "requires" bespoke machinery. As a scientist, I don't believe any piece of work is ever completed, and if dr5 were published, I'm confident that other clever people will be able to build on it for "home" use. That's how progress works. Publication of dr5 would be a huge contribution to the community.

Yes it is frustrating coming up against a black box of technology / process.

 

[moggi1964]

The DCB makes a great stocking stuffer for all of your loved ones. What? Your daughter is only 3? Just think how happy she'll be when she turns 16 and realizes she loves photography more than boys and Lo! there's the copy of DCB Dad bought her all those years ago!

 

[Crysist]

Thank you for bringing this up, Chris. I arranged with David Wood to publish the complete Dr5 process in the fifth edition. When David finally shared the process with me, I realized it was too advanced for the home darkroom, beside taking up more space than was possible in the book. Even though I hand-processed Ektachrome E3 and E4 in my pro lab in the 1970s, this is a process I would not personally attempt. IMO it is only appropriate for a pro lab, preferably with a dedicated machine processor.

Excuse me for popping in here as I just went on a dr5 journey, found the original instagram posts about publishing the recipe, then delaying the publishing, then that it's "not happening", and then this thread with your most recent update. Neat how it happened to be just 9 days ago!

The way you describe it here makes me wonder: was the machinery vital to it? Is it some desitometry-sensitive process that required highly specialized tools to be able to develop properly? I mean, the way it promises to work with nearly all b&w films while b&w reversal seems dependent on trial and error for a particular film makes it seem some aspect of this is carefully controlled by his machinery. Almost to the level of Kodachrome processing minus the long-dead required chemistry.

Whether or not we end up seeing, the process itself begs the question of how he ever developed something that is apparently so complex that it can't be done by hand...

Thank you for your work in keeping these techniques alive through your books!

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I don't have a darkroom. So your book seems to have very limited application for me. I use outside labs to process my 4x5 film (both color chromes and BW). Could I ask if you'd have any recommendations that would provide better methods for photographers without darkrooms to get the best results? Thanks. Good luck with the new edition.

 

[BobUK]

I don't have a darkroom. So your book seems to have very limited application for me. I use outside labs to process my 4x5 film (both color chromes and BW). Could I ask if you'd have any recommendations that would provide better methods for photographers without darkrooms to get the best results? Thanks. Good luck with the new edition.

Without being facetious.

My simple idea is.
If at all possible, set up a darkroom of your own, and enjoy getting into darkroom work.
Personally being in control of your final results, and not being at the mercy of Professional Labs that churn out results like an assembly line, is very rewarding indeed.


I realise some peoples circumstances may not allow for home processing, but well worth making the effort if at all possible.

 

[MattKing]

I don't have a darkroom. So your book seems to have very limited application for me. I use outside labs to process my 4x5 film (both color chromes and BW). Could I ask if you'd have any recommendations that would provide better methods for photographers without darkrooms to get the best results? Thanks. Good luck with the new edition.

The one big advantage you might be able to get from having this book is that it could aid you in understanding some of the posts on Photrio or other sources which discuss the effects of the various chemicals.
Whether that will help your photography, I'm unsure.

 

[albada]

I don't have a darkroom. So your book seems to have very limited application for me. I use outside labs to process my 4x5 film (both color chromes and BW). Could I ask if you'd have any recommendations that would provide better methods for photographers without darkrooms to get the best results? Thanks. Good luck with the new edition.

Ilford offers a "pop-up darkroom" which is a small light-proof tent. Here it is.
Also, without a darkroom, you can still develop film using a changing bag.

Mark

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Without being facetious.

My simple idea is.
If at all possible, set up a darkroom of your own, and enjoy getting into darkroom work.
Personally being in control of your final results, and not being at the mercy of Professional Labs that churn out results like an assembly line, is very rewarding indeed.


I realise some peoples circumstances may not allow for home processing, but well worth making the effort if at all possible.

The one big advantage you might be able to get from having this book is that it could aid you in understanding some of the posts on Photrio or other sources which discuss the effects of the various chemicals.
Whether that will help your photography, I'm unsure.

Ilford offers a "pop-up darkroom" which is a small light-proof tent. Here it is.
Also, without a darkroom, you can still develop film using a changing bag.

Mark

Thanks for all the suggestions. But I don't shoot enough to even set up a portable dark room. My chemicals would probably expire between processing sessions and be more costly than sending film to a pro shop top develop. I do a lot of home scanning, however. I'm in the analog-digital camp here.

 

[Kino]

The pre-order has been pushed back to December 9th, 2024 and the price is now $64.99 USD.

The Darkroom Cookbook

The fifth edition of this comprehensive guide to darkroom photography is fully revised and updated, placing analog and traditional methods into the context of a digital world and contemporary workflows. Including invaluable analog photography techniques, chemicals, and equipment, supported by...

www.routledge.com

 

[titrisol]

today amazon said it will be delivered in February

 

[frost242]

The book is 20% off directly at Routledge : https://www.routledge.com/The-Darkroom-Cookbook/Anchell/p/book/9781032404868
Will ship on 30th April.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Congrats to Steve and all contributing writers/artists featured in the book. Nice to see the addition of print techniques of master printers and silver gelatin emulsion making in the latest edition. Disappointed to notice the omission of reversal processing as there are probably more people interested and doing reversal processing today than, say, ten years ago. Mixed feelings about digital negatives and POP as there are dedicated books available for these topics.

Interestingly Iflord ID-3 is listed under Divided Developers in the latest edition whereas in the 3rd eidtion is was presented as a single bath low-contrast developer for panchromatic film. Does anyone have experience using ID-3 as a divided (two bath) developer?

 

[darkroommike]

Could I suggest you go back to the "lay flat" ring binding if at all possible?

Personally, I would pay more if that is what it requires to get this binding!

Buy TWO copies and take one to Fed-Ex Kinkos and have it rebound with a comb binding. (I have a binding machine so I could do my own but I am not offering to do it for anyone else.) Ideally you would also laminate every page before you punched it.

 

[Kino]

Buy TWO copies and take one to Fed-Ex Kinkos and have it rebound with a comb binding. (I have a binding machine so I could do my own but I am not offering to do it for anyone else.) Ideally you would also laminate every page before you punched it.

IF it actually ever ships, I might do that.

 

[darkroommike]

My only question would be: is there any reason to buy a new edition of this book if you already have any of the other editions? It seems that any additional information (i.e., not in previous editions) would either be too esoteric or readily available from any number of websites.

I have all the "cookbooks" and each edition has new content, about 25% depending on edition, and corrections for the rare error or typo from previous editions, the First Edition was pretty close to the Morgan and Morgan Darkroom Jokebooks, but Mr. Anchell has gone back to original sources in all subsequent editions. It also supports the tremendous amount of work that Steve has done over the years. It's also fun to look at the author photo on the cover and reassure myself that I am not the only photographer getting older (sorry). My Fifth Ed. is supposed to ship this month after several hiccups and I look forward to reading it cover to cover.

 

[darkroommike]

I bught the the 2nd ed a long time ago
I'll have to make a good bonfire after receiving the new book, and burn the old one after transferring my side notes

Just keep it as a historical reference, that's what I've done.

 

[darkroommike]

IF it actually ever ships, I might do that.

According to Amazon it will ship the end of this month April, 2025, and I'll believe it when I get it in my hot little hands.

 

[Gregory_Nolan]

A big book store in Austria says it will be available by May 1st.