Spring 2026 updates

Greetings to PIRA users around the world.
This spring we’ve introduced a number of upgrades to the Darkroom Helper.

Although small improvements have always been added incrementally, on this occasion we decided to bring them up simultaneously to avoid having some customers getting only a handful of them.
Here’s the list of hardware and software changes for this season:

  • Revised Heater button and LED indicator.
Toggle switch and color led

A new miniature toggle switch has replaced the previous push-button design.
This will help with long-term reliability and also enables the use of a multicolor LED.
The light now turns green when the heater is at the right temperature and will flash red/orange when warming up.

  • Improved heater insulation.

Inside the machine the heater is now wrapped with fiber ceramic, thicker than the PE insulator used before.
It should enable quicker warm up times and less energy use.

  • Step labels for custom programs
LCD step label

When creating a custom process you can add a label to each of the steps.
This will come handy for those using chemicals that require very specific set of instructions for agitation and timings.

Choose between any of these:
– Developer
– Wash
– Timer
– Stop
– Bleach
– Fixer
– Blix
– Stabilizer
– Color developer
– Remjet
– Reversal

The label will show when running the program, before the start of each step.
It reduces the chance of accidentally using a chemical in the wrong order.

  • Set previously developed rolls
Update rolls

It’s now possible to directly set how many rolls have been processed in a specific program.
Previously this could only be cleared to 0, but now you can input any number and the machine will compensate for chemistry reuse in the next run.

  • Easily clear programs in memory
Program reset

Reset the program values to default by cycling up or down in the chemistry selection screen and selecting “Reset to default”

  • Some minor bug fixes

All PIRA units shipped from March 1st onward have these changes implemented already. It’s easy to identify just by looking at the heater button, which is now the toggle switch.

Questions, comments? Reach out via the contact page or through Instagram

Publish date: Apr-2026