No, it doesn't scratch the emulsion. Be sure your sheets are secured in your coffee mug somehow, or they'll end up lapping over each other, and that's no good. Processing one sheet at a time is one solution, and the taco method is another, which might allow you to process three sheets instead of two. Good luck!
I use tanks and hangers for 4x5 with good results. No problem with surge marks.
Ron McElroy
Memphis
I use an insert for a Paterson 3 reel tank manufactured by a fellow in the UK. Each insert holds 6 sheets of 4x5 and uses 1 liter of chemical. He is currently selling the inserts on **bay. Do a search on that site for Paterson 3 reel 5x4. It works very well for me.
Dave
I used to know someone who did astrophotography and she said that the only method that gives truly even development is brush development. I think she used a paintbrush, like for painting houses and furniture.
Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.
--A=B by Petkovšek et. al.
BTZS tubes. Consistently even negs (so far). Economical (60ml/developer per 5x4 sheet). Can simultaneously develop 5 sheets of film with each at different dev times if required. Can use different developers e.g PMK/ID11 on the same run. No contact with chemicals. No scratched negatives. No temperature fluctuations. Once tubes are loaded all work is carried out in the light. Would never go back to fussing with trays in the dark.
How do you switch from developer to stop to fix?Originally Posted by kev curry
- Leigh
When a tube has reached dev time its uncapped. The dev get dumped and the tube is then placed into the tray of stop bath and spun for ten sec's or so, then intermittently thereafter until all the tubes are in the stop. The film is then removed from the tubes and placed into an open tray of fix and shuffled by(gloved) hand until done. Only the loading of the tubes is done in darkness, thereafter the whole procedure is done under weak incandescent light.How do you switch from developer to stop to fix?
- Leigh
For me, the BTZS-type tubes are best used for intermittent agitation of a single sheet. If I remember correctly, the ones I made used 200ml of solution to completely cover a 4x5 sheet. Using a very concentrated developer, like hypercat, I would use 2ml of concentrate per sheet, which is only a little wasteful. If I'm developing more than one sheet per batch, or using rotary agitation, I prefer to use the taco method in a Paterson or Jobo tank. I never liked trying to develop films together for different times; it's way too hectic and fiddly for me.
Good Afternoon,
I've used trays, cheap plastic tanks and the stainless steel Nikor tank. I will now only use tray processing for 8x10 B&W. For 4x5 I got frustrated using cheap plastic tanks as half of the chemicals would seep out and they were finicky to load. I now only use my Nikor tank for 4x5 (B&W and E6). It will do 12 sheets at a time and is a dream to load and use. I got mine for a great deal a few years ago and it looks like you will pay substantially more these days. Worth every penny if you can afford it. One thing to note is that if the retaining strap that holds the film in place is missing, use that to your advantage to get a better deal. Mine never came with the strap and I've used an elastic band for years with no problems.
Good morning from the netherlands....
I once bought a Nova trimate 30x40 slotprocessor to develop paper. The paper is held in a special clip that grabes the paper with two fine needles on the edge of the paper. It leaves two very small needle marks but those are very small and hard to notice.
In any case i have used 4x5 inch in the past and so i have used it to develop 4x5 inch FP4+ in HC110 1+31 (B). I got very nice results and since there is 2 litres of developer in the slot you can develop al lot of film in it without replesihment. I am currently starting up again in 4x5 photography and plan to develop in pyro (finol from moersch) in this way.
The only downside is that i only have one paperclip and so i heve to develop one film at a time. The advantage is that you can control the temperature to a precice degree and after developing you take the film out and puti it in the slot for stop, and fixer after that. You also dont have to put your fingers in the chemicals. And since i am rather sencitive for chemicals on my hands i have abandoned tray development.
I did like tray development because you can develop more than one film at a time. I have done too 8 4x5 inch films in one tray ant that worked very well to. But i did have to put my fingers in the developer and i cant feel good enough with gloves on.
But as said i use the nova trimate for film development and i am happy with it. And in the future i can go up to 30 x40 cm (11"x 15"). In fact its like a hanger system.
good luck
Gerard
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