If you are planning on creating a darkroom so that you can develop professional pictures there are few items you will need in order to get started. It's best to visit a camera shop or talk with other picture developers if you want to expand your hobby. Listed below are some of the essential darkroom supplies that will help you establish a darkroom. First you will need some darkroom gloves. You will be handling chemicals that you will need protection from. Also, its best to keep your fingerprints at a minimum and darkroom gloves have the best practical use. Depending on how many you buy in a package they can cost from $5.00 to $13.00.
Black Liquid Print Developer
You will also need some black liquid print developer; this product is generally shipped concentrated. You will need to mix it and 1 pint will make 2.5 gallons. It depends on the brand you buy but it will cost you about $15.00. If you want to buy a less expensive amount you can purchase black & while film powder that comes in a 1 liter package. It costs around $4.00. You can also find brightener solution for increasing the brilliance of a black & while print. A bottle will cost about $19.95.
Sprint Quicksilver Black & White Print Paper
Next you will need some quality paper to produce your prints on. There are several brands available and it might boil down to personal choice. One of the most recognizable brands is Sprint Quicksilver black & white print paper, the grade is good enough to give you soft tones in color and the contrast can be adjusted. The benefit of using Sprint Quicksilver paper is that it does not contain metol, a chemical that can cause skin rashes. It's important to wear gloves when using this print paper even though metol is not present. A new box will cost around $34.00.
SpotPen, Edwal tank, and Tray Cleaner
Since there are other added darkroom equipment you can buy for touch ups and corrections I'll list some extra items you might want to have on hand. SpotPen makes a pen set with 10 different colored pens so you can touch up any photo with a professional touch. They can be expensive at a cost of $27.00, but well worth it if you need to have them. You can also purchase an individual oil pencil for coloring, it only costs $3.50. If you unfortunately get some stains on some of your pictures after development you can fix them easily with Edwal tank and tray cleaner. This comes in a 32oz spray bottle and costs $18.50. It's good to have it on hand in case you need it.
Darkroom Equipment Brands
There are some familiar names such as Kodak and Sprint when it comes to choosing which darkroom supplies you will want to use. Many darkroom professionals use the product they like best; it's all a matter of opinion. You should experiment with a few brands to see which one works best for your developing. Another important ingredient is a fixer or replenishing agent, it costs about $9.00 for 5 gallons. Hardener is also a necessity; it costs about $3.95 for a gallon. Extender is another great product for darkroom developers. You can use it to make color paler but it will not thin it out. It comes in a tube for easy dispensing. It costs $10.49. It allows you to work with just a little bit on a certain area.