Tank or tray

[Turner Reich]

All sizes in tanks with hangers, trays for just one or two. It takes quite a commitment to obtain the Kodak hard rubber tanks and the stainless steel hangers, perhaps a reason that many use trays. Ever try semi stand in a tray?

[Paul H]

A "daylight tray" works for me - a Paterson Orbital in other words.

Very economical with the chemicals, and very easy to use.

[Gary L. Quay]

I use tanks and hangers mostly. I recently picked up a Jobo CPP, and I have been giving that a try, but I like dip and dunk tanks because I can decide what level of agitation to use based in the chemical or desired look.

--Gary

[cjbroadbent]

Kodak 3 gallon tanks with D76 - for 30 odd years. Mostly because of the steel hangers for sheets and the basket of spirals for rolls. I always regretted not laying out for gas agitation. Despite all the mumbo-jumbo around manual agitation, I never achieved an 8x10 without turbulent edges.
Nowadays I get perfect edges in a Patterson Orbital over the kitchen sink. Added benefit to one-sheet-at-a-time development: You tend to think before you shoot. (I got some ten/eight Tmax today. $290 for 50 sheets)

[climbabout]

This is for all the 4x5 film folks out there. What do you prefer tank or tray developement? I've tried both and I'm trying to increase the resolution of my b&w negs. I used to use HC110 Del b with my 120 Panatomic X and liked the results. I never got the same type of resolution from my 4x5 negs.

I use homemade pvc tubes and pyrocat hd developer - 1.5/1/175 dilution for about 40min with initial agitation of 1.5 minute and 2 or thre short agitations at 1/3 or 1/4 intervals in the development cycle. You might want to do a search on apug - this development method has been well documented and discussed there. the mid tone local contrast from this method is remarkable, which gives the effect of greater detail and resolution.
Tim

[reellis67]

Ever try semi stand in a tray?

Bingo!

[Merg Ross]

My preference is for tray development by inspection. I tried tanks and hangers, but could never get a negative to match those done by tray development.

[John Kasaian]

I prefer trays for 4x5 and a Unicolor Processor with a print drum for 5x7 and larger. Why? For me, 4x5 is an easy format to shuffle (with some practice) and I've found the clippy thingys you need to do 4-up in the Unicolor drum kind of a hassle. All my ortho regardless of format gets souped in trays and developed by inspection under a red light.