Currently available developing tanks for daylight 4x5 B&W developing?

[7mmMauser]

I have a couple of Patterson tanks that I use for 35mm and 6x6/6x7 B&W film developing in my kitchen.

Any recommendations on similar daylight tanks for 4x5 development?

I do not have a darkroom and use a Harrison tent for loading my film.

John near Seattle

[dpn]

"Taco Method" https://www.flickr.com/photos/digi-film/sets/72157627864733730/

The "SP-445" is coming soon. Fingers crossed it'll work well. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1653453089/sp-445-compact-4x5-film-processing-system

[Taija71A]

The Paterson PTP116 Multi Reel 3 Tank and MOD54 Large Format Film Processor...
Are both currently available.

[howardpan]

If you have a 1L Patterson tank, you can buy the Mod54 device - holds 6 sheets max.

http://largeformatphotography.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MOD54-Press-Images-Mk27-Side-Eleveation.jpg

Alternatively, there is also the user bw-king's stainless steel device which holds 10 sheets and has the option for you to do 5x7.
http://www.bw-king.com

I just bought one but I have not used it yet. I have used the Mod54 and like it a lot.

Both are about the same price.




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[ac12]

Look for an old Honeywell Nikor tank. Rather hard to find but they are out there.

[Ironage]

I have the bw King and am impressed with the quality and ease of use. Mine is for 5x7 and is huge.


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[Bill_1856]

They ALL suck! Tray is still best way to go.

[Kyle M.]

I almost never started shooting 4x5 because I have no rooms anywhere in the house that I can make dark. And I can't be bothered to wait until it's completely dark outside. So I bought a MOD54 and it was the best $60 I've ever spent, now I shoot almost nothing but 4x5. When I only have 2 sheets I will just put them in a 2 reel Paterson tank so they follow the curve of the interior emulsion facing in, then I fix them in the MOD54, never had an issue using that method either. Not all of us have a dedicated space we can make completely dark, and we shouldn't have to avoid LF just because of that.

[Alan9940]

Here's another vote for the B&W King tank. I have the 4x5, and though it took me a few trial runs to work out a good agitation regime, I'm now very happy with the results I'm getting. And, it also enables me to do alternative agitation techniques such as minimal or semi-stand.

[Duolab123]

Not sure what your budget is. Trays work, Nikor SS tanks work. Hard rubber tanks and hangers work.
I used 1/2 gallon kodak rubber tanks and hangers for 30 years. I had the SS Nikor tank worked bit of a pain. I've used Jobo expert tanks super easy and expensive.
I currently am using Jobo 2509n reels, in 2500 series tanks. I use IR goggles, I don't think I could load without. Works great on a roller for b&w, I have a Jobo CPP2, processor, love it.
The Mod 54 is very easy, you use a lot of chemistry, but you can replenish and make 5 L of XTOL last forever. This is your best cheapest easiest option for daylight.
The Jobo is a fabulous machine but you have to be able to justify the cost.

[jnantz]

FR tanks can be bought for less than a song and dance
sometimes i use them when i am bored

[koh303]

Jobo still makes two versions of 4X5 tanks.

[John Kasaian]

I've used a Nikor tank for 5x7. No issues.

[AtlantaTerry]

I have a couple of Patterson tanks that I use for 35mm and 6x6/6x7 B&W film developing in my kitchen.

Any recommendations on similar daylight tanks for 4x5 development?

I do not have a darkroom and use a Harrison tent for loading my film.

John near Seattle

I use two methods:

(1) an HP Combi-Plan that I found used (out of production but parts are available). Find them used on eBay or Craigslist.

(2) Kodak #4A stainless steel racks in 110 ounce plastic tubs from the dollar store.

Both are done in my bathroom at night after I block out any stray light.

I figure since I have to work with the film in total darkness, why not just develop it too?

Since you are using your kitchen, then the HP Combi-Plan would work well for you.

Freestyle has it on their website:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/459809-HP-Combi-Plan-T-4x5-Film-Developing-Tank-with-Lid

[koh303]

They ALL suck! Tray is still best way to go.

How do you do daylight tray developing??

[Stephen Thomason]

How do you do daylight tray developing??

Unsuccessfully!! But you have to admire the determination!

[Bob Salomon]

How do you do daylight tray developing??

Practice, lots of practice.

[fishbulb]

I have a couple of Patterson tanks that I use for 35mm and 6x6/6x7 B&W film developing in my kitchen.

Any recommendations on similar daylight tanks for 4x5 development?

I do not have a darkroom and use a Harrison tent for loading my film.

John near Seattle

If you've already got a Patterson Tank, then it's pretty much a no-brainer to get a Mod54. Assuming it will fit in your particular tank anyway.

[jnantz]

How do you do daylight tray developing??

i do daylight tray development all the time,
either the daylight is not where i am doing it,
or for some reason it ends up for some reason
my shutter must be sticky and over exposes all my film

[Duolab123]

How do you do daylight tray developing??

I never liked tray development of film. I nick the emulsion, I don't even like trays for photo flo. This is why I like the 2509n reels. Yes I commit the sin of exposing my reels to Photo flo. I have a shallow tank that I put the reels in for 30 seconds. Don't try to do this on a processor.

If you start with a "system" tank, as you grow everything is compatible, You can buy new, or occasionally get a heck of a deal on used.

There is nothing easier than going into a proper darkroom with a 8 foot sink and using hard rubber tanks, Having said this I have all kinds of room, sinks etc. And I use the 2509n and a CPP.

I have an old FR tank, they are Bakelite, brittle, impossible to agitate etc etc. But I think I have 2 bucks in mine so there is that.

My recommendation is buy something that you can use going forward, color capable, expandable etc.

MHO, Mike

[koh303]

i do daylight tray development all the time,
either the daylight is not where i am doing it,
or for some reason it ends up for some reason
my shutter must be sticky and over exposes all my film

thats the way to do it.
I have had the same kind of problem until i switched over to latent image based art.
Basically, there is no need to use any liquids in the trays, i just take the sheets out of the holder, place them in the trays, run the entire process, then hang to dry (which happens almost instantly) and all this in full daylight. The resulting image is almost always very close to what i had envisioned originally.

[Shula]

Where did you buy the b&W King? I went to their website and don't see any way to buy the tank and reels. Do you just email them?

Thanks

[Alan9940]

Where did you buy the b&W King? I went to their website and don't see any way to buy the tank and reels. Do you just email them?

Thanks

On eBay.

[tim48v]

The first production run for our SP-445 is finished and product is on the way to the distribution center in Hong Kong.
We accidentally sent a few too many units and rather than pay to air freight them to the USA, we're having a "Warehouse Special". Visit https://shop.stearmanpress.com/ for details.

Here's a short video: https://youtu.be/QpWt88sju7M

[R.K]

B&W King selling his tanks only on Ebay. They don't do sales from Web site.

[Two23]

Has anyone used either of these yet? How good are they? I'm looking for something to process small batches in and either of these might do it. Is there anything else out there that might also do 5x7? I mostly shoot FP4 and HP5 at rated speed.


Kent in SD

[Pere Casals]

I have a couple of Patterson tanks that I use for 35mm and 6x6/6x7 B&W film developing in my kitchen.

Any recommendations on similar daylight tanks for 4x5 development?



A nice possibility is using a paper safe. $30 new. Then you get daylight tray development

Like:

Doran Paper Safe for Film and Paper 8.5 x 11" , I use that straight for 8x10, with custom selfmade separator (trivial) to process 4 sheets in a cooking.


Not suitable for sheet high volume process, but ideal to cook a single sheet in a perfect way.



Tray development has 2 great advantages:

1) You can use developer one shot without innecessary waste.

2) You have a wonderful degree of control with agitation.

With trays you can use reduced agitation or stand process with minimal risk of bromide drag. With diluted developer and careful agitation you can control highlights in case of challenging scenes.


Tips:

Place emulsion up to not damage it with agitation.

Once I drop developer I close lights to throw stop bath, I close the safe and I open lights again, after 10 sec of stop bath you can open the safe because developer is not active, you can fix the sheets with light open and see how quick it is working, so you know the fixer's state.

Even you can let light light arrive to the film while you are pouring the stop bath with no fog added to the negative as newly exposed grains need an activation time with before its development starts, and by then developer is completely deactivated by stop bath. Anyway just test that effect with your film and dveloper to know what margin do you have.

I always fix lights open, this is perfectly safe. I you want to know if it is safe just develop negative, apply stop bath, and let it exposed to light 1h before you fix it, and then compare with reference.



Regards.

[Tim Meisburger]

Has anyone used either of these yet? How good are they? I'm looking for something to process small batches in and either of these might do it. Is there anything else out there that might also do 5x7? I mostly shoot FP4 and HP5 at rated speed.


Kent in SD

BW King makes a 5x7 tank. The Patterson Orbital will do 4 sheets of 4x5, two sheets of 5x7, or one 8x10.

[blue4130]

I just looked at the B&W system today in person. It looks quite well made. I'll probably get one within the next month. I'll report my findings.

[stawastawa]

regarding Cassais's methods,
be cautious mixing the chemistry directly together without discarding the previous bath first, often toxic gases are released when they mix. Use Local ventilation if you must do it.

[Alan9940]

I just looked at the B&W system today in person. It looks quite well made. I'll probably get one within the next month. I'll report my findings.

I have the BW King 4x5 tank and it is fairly well made; I say "fairly" because spinning the reel with the lid is a bit finicky. But, since I evolved to inversion agitation for more even development I don't really care about spinning the reel. If you get one and once you've had a chance to run some development cycles I'd be very interested in hearing about your agitation technique and results obtained. I took me several runs using different agitation methods and techniques before I finally decided inversion worked the best, for me. But, I will say that I've yet to obtain a perfectly developed negative; my last remaining bugaboo is an ever so slightly greater amount of density near where the center bar runs across the length of the neg. Once you see the reel, you'll know what I'm talking about. Not sure if the 4x5 and 5x7 reel are the same design.

[Pere Casals]

be cautious mixing the chemistry directly together without discarding the previous bath first, often toxic gases are released when they mix. Use Local ventilation if you must do it.

Sorry, I had to write Dump instead Drop...