Seeing in the Dark

[RichardP]

I thought I would pass on one, of the two best things I have bought this year, no actually there is three things, but anyway, with quick load stopping I guess that means you will have to use dark slides and load them yourself, which I do now in the darkroom.
What as made my life so much easier when loading and unloading film and putting the film into the reel for developing is a pair of night vision goggles which I purchase from a large toy retailers, although they are a toy they do work, and at half or a third or more for the cost of a proper pair of goggles, well having said that they were almost £100 (including battery,s) but I did have a penny change.
I saw the web site of a photographer who used night vision goggles in his darkroom and he said how good they were, so I thought I would have a go, glad I did.
The other two things I got this year was the Maxwell screen very happy, and the third thing was a 450mm telephoto, hum, so that means I have a Nikon W 360mm F6.5 in a Copal 3 shutter for sale.

Richard.

[robinb]

Hi Richard

Nice idea with the night vision goggles
I am sure that you have thought of this but don't they work
with IR light which I would of thought may fog the film

if not then I will have to go shopping ...

Thanks

robin

[RichardP]

Hi Robin,

Happy New Year.

No I do not use the light, there is a red light that you can switch on but it seems to make no difference and I also thought that it might harm the film too, so as I say it is switched off.

I use Velvia 50 slide and Delta 100 black & white, and it works o/k for me.

Remember they are only a toy, and you see though one eye and the lens is not that good (or it might be my eyesight) but at least you can see in the dark.

As for the infrared light there must be loads of it in my darkroom, and I was wondering if this is why I have had not much success with infrared film in the past as I guess it has been fog when loading the film in the darkroom, I don’t know.

Richard

[gari]

Hi Richard, I have been toying with this idea on and off for a while. I just bought some Mido holders from the US and they load a little differently o the ones I already have, which I can do by feel a'la DDs, the new ones would be a little more tricky. Having read some threads a while ago on LFF and APUG about folks using NVGs your post is very pertinant. Where did you get them? as I am in Oban on the west coast of Scotland, the only way I am gonna get some is online, any pointers would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Gari

[RichardP]

Hi Gari,

I got the goggles from Toys R Us, I see they are on offer at the moment, why is it not on offer when I want to buy something .

Sometime ago (few years) I brought a Fuji Quick Change Film Holder and some cassettes, at the time they said you could use the film then reload with your own film, the cassette holds eight sheets of film but it was not easy to reload in the dark, but with the goggles it is easier, so will start to use them again.

Richard