News

Our buddy Tim Layton (https://timlayton.teachable.com/) was working on an 8x20 project and asked if we could build him a super-sized version of our SP-8x10 tray.  It sounded simple: just cut the ends off of two SP-8x10 trays and glue them together. Here's the first prototype: It worked great (https://timlaytonfineart.com/additional-uses-for-my-ultra-large-format-daylight-tray-by-stearman-press/) Turns out he wasn't the only ULF photographer who wanted one!  So we had to refine our process if we were going build more. Thus we designed a couple of "splices". These are 3D printed parts that glue the two tray halves (and lid halves) together.  It also allowed us to...

SP-645 The original SP-445 wasn't even in production and people were asking for a higher capacity version! We had requests for systems that could process six, eight, ten and even a few asking for twelve sheets. Anything past eight gets really complicated, really fast. Even an eight sheet version gets a bit bulky and would require a serious redesign of both the tank and the lid. Over the years, the inquires have converged on six or eight sheets. Frankly, six sheets seems like the right number: It's a 50% capacity increase over the current version. Requires only 600 ml of...

Nineteen years ago we tossed a piece of carpet in the corner of our hangar and setup my desk. While it's been rearranged several times, I doubt it's migrated more than three feet over that time. I shouldn't admit it, but the original carpet is still under it. But tomorrow it will move ten miles to the northeast (the desk, not the carpet). For today is the last work day at the Stearman Court location. We've already moved all the heavy equipment and tomorrow the movers will take the rest. Including the desk. (My PC will travel with me tonight.)...

We just ran another Density vs Exposure test on the SP-Ultra 4LF that's been sitting on the shelf since last October. Here's another breath-taking graph: Again, no significant change. Indeed, the results are well within the expected limits given the variables of our test equipment, shutter accuracy, opening a new box of film etc. We've got enough of this batch of SP-Ultra to run several more tests and update you again in a few months.

SP-FastFix Let’s start by acknowledging that Fixers are seriously underappreciated. If not for the ability to “fix” our negatives and prints, “photography” would have remained nothing more than a laboratory curiosity. The term “fix” is a bit odd. We’re not really fixing anything, we’re actually removing the unexposed, undeveloped silver ions from the emulsion. Which, if not removed, would eventually “develop” on their own into opaque solid silver and ruin the image. So what's the problem that needs "fixing"?  Typically, fix either came in a slow acting but dusty powder or an awkward to ship, but fast acting, liquid. We...