ULF and Jobo

**Phovsho** · 23-Feb-2018, 09:45

Hi all

Last year I found this forum very helpful with informing my purchase of an 8x10 camera and Jobo set up for developing film etc.

I’m now contemplating an ULF camera. One thing I learned with the 8x10 experience was that the camera is only the beginning and there are a lot of other costs to get from a camera to producing a negative - holders, lenses, suitable tripod, developing tanks.

My question is slightly reversed this time. Given I have a Jobo cpa2 with expert drums, are there any ULFs that can be developed using the Jobo? I ideally want a format which is a reasonable step up from the 8x10 in terms of negative size eg at least or close to a doubling of area.

If not I guess I will need to explore other developing options - hopefully less expensive than my Jobo experience.

Any experience with Jobo and ULF would be appreciated.

Thank you

Murray

**Oren Grad** · 23-Feb-2018, 10:07

I develop 7x17, 11x14 and 12x20 in Jobo 3062 and 3063 drums on a CPA-2, using standard developers like D-76 and Ilford DD-X, with no problems. But others who have tried this with pyro developers have reported uneven results attributed to the ribs in the drums.

Back in the day Jobo used to offer custom-made inserts to hold ULF sheets away from the walls in these drums. However, those are long gone, and I've never seen any offered for sale second-hand. I think some people have made their own, but I've been satisfied with my results just from wedging the film between the larger ribs, so haven't been motivated to pursue it further.

So it's another one of those things where you'll need to run your own tests and possibly tinker with your tools and technique a bit to get the results you want, consistently.

**Phovsho** · 23-Feb-2018, 13:27

Thanks Oren
Very helpful. Out of interest, which drum do you use for 11x14?
Thank you
Murray

**Oren Grad** · 23-Feb-2018, 13:45

Either one is fine. The 3063 lets me do the larger sizes, but having both on hand also means I can do a couple of runs of 11x14 in rapid succession without having to fuss with drying the one I just used.

**Phovsho** · 23-Feb-2018, 15:22

Thank you. I have a 3063.
Murray.

**Lachlan 717** · 23-Feb-2018, 15:42

I do 7x17 in 2xxx tanks on a CPP2. Easy.

**Greg** · 23-Feb-2018, 17:31

Originally Posted by Oren Grad

I develop 7x17, 11x14 and 12x20 in Jobo 3062 and 3063 drums on a CPA-2, using standard developers like D-76 and Ilford DD-X, with no problems. But others who have tried this with pyro developers have reported uneven results attributed to the ribs in the drums.

Back in the day Jobo used to offer custom-made inserts to hold ULF sheets away from the walls in these drums. However, those are long gone, and I've never seen any offered for sale second-hand. I think some people have made their own, but I've been satisfied with my results just from wedging the film between the larger ribs, so haven't been motivated to pursue it further.

So it's another one of those things where you'll need to run your own tests and possibly tinker with your tools and technique a bit to get the results you want, consistently.

Started using 2000 series print Jobo drums to process sheet film. Have read several references over the years that the 2000 series drums should not be used for sheet film processing, but personally used them with a wide assortment of developers including staining developers and never experienced any uneven development. Sold my 2000 series drums to partially pay for a 3010 (10 4x5) and a 3005 (5 8x10s or whole plates). Love them since I can process batches of film instead of one sheet at a time. Also now use a 3062 Jobo Drum to process my 11x14s. It is listed by Jobo as a "print" drum. Have also read that people have reported uneven development because of the ribs, but this has not been my experience. Jobo lists the "Min. Chemical Volume" at 210ml, but I always use 500ml. Maybe using more developer negates the ribs causing uneven development?

"custom-made inserts to hold ULF sheets away from the walls".... Can anyone out there describe what the look like? I would think that they would be easy to fabricate. Over the years I have adapted and modified many a photo thing using plastic model railroad items.

**Oren Grad** · 23-Feb-2018, 20:57

Originally Posted by Greg

Can anyone out there describe what the look like?

Sort of like a plastic screen with buttons spaced around the periphery.

**Keith Pitman** · 23-Feb-2018, 21:52

Originally Posted by Oren Grad

Sort of like a plastic screen with buttons spaced around the periphery.

Here’s a post I made on Apug years ago about fabricating sheets for a 3063 drum and 7x17 film. The plastic sheets and buttons I used held the film well, but I was never happy with the developing results and went back to tray developing. I have a friend who has a set of the original Jobo holders (he’s not selling!) so I got a look at those before making my version.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...or-7x17.33744/

**angusparker** · 24-Feb-2018, 02:53

I use a 20xx tube to develop one sheet of 14x17 or 11x14 using Rodinal and between 500ml and 1000ml. I’ve not had good luck yet with the 30xx print drums when using staining developers like Pyro due to the ribs. But word of caution this is really slow when compared to the 5 sheets of 8x10 I can get done in one run on an expert drum.

I’ve tied making inserts for my 30xx drums but so far it hasn’t worked for pyro. I’m trying to do two sheets of 11x14. What I would do for an expert drum that could do 3 sheets of 11x14!

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