When manual film processing is used, which item is required for the darkroom?

• A. The darkroom must be light tight to the dark-adapted eye.
• B. The darkroom must be equipped with a color printer.
• C. The darkroom must have a large skylight.
• D. The darkroom must be kept at exactly 68 degrees.

Answer: (A)

When handling film for manual processing, protecting the film from light is essential because the emulsion is highly light-sensitive. Any stray light entering the room can expose the film and cause fogging, which degrades image quality. Therefore the darkroom must be light-tight to the dark-adapted eye, ensuring no unintended light reaches the film during handling and development. A safelight can be used to provide minimal illumination without fogging, but the room itself must not admit white or ambient daylight. The other options don’t fit because a color printer isn’t part of film processing, a skylight would allow harmful light, and insisting on an exact temperature (68 degrees) isn’t the fundamental darkroom requirement—temperature is important for processing chemistry, not for the darkroom’s light condition.