Anyone use the B&W King 5x7 (or 4x5) developing reel & tank (Nikor-like)?

[David Aimone]

does the 5x7 tank also work for 4x5? or do i need to buy separate tanks? (ouch)

Yes, it would work for 4x5" sheets, but you will use a LOT of developer, ~1300ml or more for 6 sheets of 4x5. If I have four or five sheets of 5x7, I'll often fill the empty slots with 4x5".

[David Aimone]

BW-Man, question: I have bee using the 5x7 tank with great results after some trial and error, but I am having one small issue. The back of the sheets are not washing perfectly where the supporting metal band runs down the center, resulting in a faint dark streak down the middle of the negative. Otherwise, development is very good and quite even on the emulsion side.

What do you suggest to eliminate this streak? For reference, I'm using mostly Pyrocat-MC (in glycol) with Arista EDU400 (Fomapan) and pre-washing in the tank.

[Alan9940]

David,

I had that faint dark streak in my 4x5 negs and contributed it to my agitation technique. I use inversion agitation with my BW King 4x5 tank and, once I settled on a very gentle twist along with a gentle inversion the streak disappeared. I, too, use Pyrocat developers. Hope this helps.

[David Aimone]

I use the built in rotation. It's too leaky for inversion from my experience. Maybe I should just try inversion when prewashing?


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[Alan9940]

I use the built in rotation. It's too leaky for inversion from my experience. Maybe I should just try inversion when prewashing?


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Yep, I started with using rotation, but found that I got uneven development; tried rotating slower/faster, but nothing worked for me. I tape the seam all around with electrical tape...never noticed any leaking. And, with pyro developers you'd notice a leak! That said, however, I don't have any experience with the 5x7 tank.

[David Aimone]

Do you tape around the top as well each time you fill/empty?

Yep, I started with using rotation, but found that I got uneven development; tried rotating slower/faster, but nothing worked for me. I tape the seam all around with electrical tape...never noticed any leaking. And, with pyro developers you'd notice a leak! That said, however, I don't have any experience with the 5x7 tank.

[Alan9940]

Do you tape around the top as well each time you fill/empty?

No, and I've not noticed any leaking from the lid. As these tanks are rather large and heavy when filled I place my palm on the lid to act as a rotation point when I invert. Therefore, I have one hand gripping the bottom and the palm of my other hand "holding" the top/lid. Then, I invert and give a little twist; I do this one direction then the other each agitation cycle. Once you get used to doing this sequence in a gentle way, the dark streak across the middle of the neg will become a non-issue. It will take a bit of practice, though.

Good luck!

[David Aimone]

Interesting, if the faint dark streaks are on the non-emulsion side of the film (since that's where the offending bar is), wouldn't a good pre-wash using your method be sufficient for eliminating those marks (not helping uneven development)? I do notice some blueish anti-halation evidence still on the negatives (mostly along the edges and the in the water dripping when hung) after going through the development with the tank due to the contact that the negative has with the holder. I don't get that from my 4x5 JOBO reels...

No, and I've not noticed any leaking from the lid. As these tanks are rather large and heavy when filled I place my palm on the lid to act as a rotation point when I invert. Therefore, I have one hand gripping the bottom and the palm of my other hand "holding" the top/lid. Then, I invert and give a little twist; I do this one direction then the other each agitation cycle. Once you get used to doing this sequence in a gentle way, the dark streak across the middle of the neg will become a non-issue. It will take a bit of practice, though.

Good luck!

[Alan9940]

David,

I do use a pre-wash for all films (including Ilford, though they don't recommend it) regardless of processing style--tanks or Jobo. Back when I had the 'streak issue' with the B&W tank, it was a single thin streak of what looked like more density on the neg along where the bar is. No amount of pre-wash, hypo clear, or final wash would remove it. I know it sounds odd to talk about increased density when the bar is on the base side of the negative, but the solution was to modify my agitation technique; nothing changed in my processing steps. To my mind, if it was leftover anti-halation coating it should have come off with the hypo clear and/or final wash, right?

[bw-man]

BW-Man, question: I have bee using the 5x7 tank with great results after some trial and error, but I am having one small issue. The back of the sheets are not washing perfectly where the supporting metal band runs down the center, resulting in a faint dark streak down the middle of the negative. Otherwise, development is very good and quite even on the emulsion side.

What do you suggest to eliminate this streak? For reference, I'm using mostly Pyrocat-MC (in glycol) with Arista EDU400 (Fomapan) and pre-washing in the tank.

Dear David Aimone
Your question, I have recently took 5x7, using Chinese lucky film, B&W KING 5 x7 developing tank flushing.
1, D-23 developer, 20 minutes, 2 turns, suspended for 2 minutes, upside down, suspended for 3 minutes, upside down, suspend 3 minutes.....(End).
2, F-5 stop bath , 10 minutes, upside down again.
I the above operation, film washing did not appear uneven, also did not appear the problem you encountered.
We are manual operation, the development of the film have their own habits and methods.Will encounter all sorts of problems, also is very normal.Need us to question myself to grope for, this also is the charm of black and white photography.
I can't speak English very well, this is the computer translation, I do not know whether accurate.
Response time is a bit late, please forgive me.
Thank you all for photographers to B&W KING's trust and support!