Equipment & Facilities
Video Tour
Take a video tour of the photography facilities at The Greater Manchester Centre for Photography
Equipment
- Nikon full frame DSLR's
- Large format 5x4 studio and field cameras
- Medium format cameras: Hasselblad, Rolleiflex, Mamiya and Bronica
- 35mm film cameras: Pentax, Nikon and Canon
- A variety of digital and analogue lenses for all camera formats are available
- Location flash units and flashguns
- Industry standard studio lighting
- Various studio and location lighting accessories (beauty dishes, softboxes, snoots, octoboxes, ring flash unit, travel battery, etc.)
- Tripods and heavy duty studio stands
- Phase One digital backs and Capture One software
- Mosaic panels for constant lighting
- Photo mounting to gallery standards (Drytac roller, Rotatrim cutters, Keencut mount cutter)
- 19x Durst enlargers for 35mm and 120mm format enlargers, and 7x large format Devere enlargers
- A2 UV light for alternative and historical experimental photo processes
- iMac computers and EPSON scanners provided with Adobe software
- EPSON large format digital printers up to 44 inch (Gallery quality pigmented inks)
Studios
- You will learn photographic studio techniques
- We have 4 separate photographic studios in total
- Two medium size studios for still life shoots and two large studios for portraiture and fashion shoots
- Studio flash and continuous lighting shoots
- A range of paper colour background rolls 2.72 m and 1.20 cm
- All studios are equipped with sets of Manfrotto background roll systems
- Studio lights operated via remote radio triggers
- High glide railing system
Darkrooms
Large Darkroom
- Black and white darkroom for tray processing
- 13 Durst enlargers for 35mm film
- 4 Durst enlargers for medium format film
- 4 DeVere enlargers for 5x4 film
- Adequate for resin coated and fibre based printing
Specialist Large Format Darkroom
- Black and white tray processing
- 3 DeVere enlargers for 5x4 film
- Adequate for resin coated and fibre base printing
Experimental Darkroom
- Cyanotype, liquid emulsion and other alternative processes
- A2 size UV lamp
- Large sink for toning and processing
- Adequate ventilation
Black and White Processing Rooms
- 2 black and white film processing rooms
- Deep tank film processing (35mm, 120mm, 5x4)
- Daylight tank processing is also available
Finishing Areas
Wet finishing area
- Equipped with one large film dryer
- Print dryers
- Final wash sinks for resin coated and fibre-base prints
Dry finishing Room
- A1 Drytac table-top roller for print bonding
- A1 Self-healing cutting matts
- Rotratrim paper trimmers
- A2 Lightboxes
- Keencut window cutter for print framing
Digital Suite
Mac suite / Scanning and Printing suite
- Photography dedicated suite
- Equipped with 16 Apple desktop computers
- Complete Adobe suite and Office software
- Three Epson V700 / V750 scanners
- Ability to scan negatives, slides and reflective materials
- Lightboxes to view negatives and slides
Printing
Students are provided with a number of prints free of charge to meet module requirements. Any printing outside of their allowance is charged at a very low cost.
Digital printing facilities on site are not for profit, meaning that they are provided at a reduced cost. Our quality complies with archival professional exhibition and portfolio standards. Screens and printers are calibrated regularly to match a variety of papers on offer. Our knowledgeable technical team, who are photography professionals, are able to assist students and provide personal one-on-one advice.
Professional Printers
- EPSON 4880 prints up to 420 mm
- EPSON 7880 prints up to 600 mm
- EPSON 9880 prints up to 1000 mm
- Self-service plotters
- Photocopy machines
- Cross -department resources: 3D, screenprinting, riso printers, fabric digital printers and laser cutters
Standard Papers
- Photo Stain
- Photo Matte
- Photo Gloss
Specialist & Fine Art Papers
- Photo Metallic
- Smooth Cotton Rag
- Textured Cotton Rag
- Photo Warmtone
- High quality Acetate
- Photo Backlit
- Phototex
- Canvas
- Vinyl
