best method to process film?

[Jody_S]

I guess I'm the only masochist still using Yankee tanks? I've developed (so to speak) my own technique, of course, I haven't had uneven development problems since my 2nd load.

[Bazz8]

I use a little of each - BTZS tubes, trays, and hangars. I use the BTZS tubes to develop/stop. BTW, I'm not sure why they would end up in the "gear head" category - mine don't have any gears. To me it's the most trouble free method, and I've tried them all. My particular situation is that I don't have a completely dark darkroom. I can only process at night, so the BTZS tubes fits my needs. I can load them in my completely dark closet, and bring them out into the not-so-darkroom. I have a deep sink that I keep the tray in, with the developer caps loaded. It's dark down in the sink so that I can transfer the caps. After putting the developer caps on the tubes, I can turn my safelight on and finish the process because, as Fred Newman has demonstrated, you don't need complete darkness after the developer. I put the opened tubes in a stop bath tray, and then transfer the films to hangars in Yankee tanks for fix, hypo clear, wash and photoflow.

I use the BTZS tubes the only mistake i have ever made with these is putting the film in the tubes back to front, since then I have processed different times and time spacing which is a bit hard to do with a Jobo I have a jobo and for general common times it,s fine but the BTZS tubes are giving me clean and repeatable results.
scan of recent neg arista 100 supposed to be super contrasty printed up beutifuly
on ilford mg resin gloss.

[Black Lightning]

For rolls I use the stainless spiral reels in stainless tanks. For 4X5 I use a Stainless Nikkor tank I have a few Bar-Ray x-ray development tanks with an assortment of hangers for when the time comes that I move up to real large format film. Yup, any day now. I tried the tray method shuffling top to bottom but i just ended up with a bunch of scratched negatives.

[joelio]

Hello all -

As a recent entrant into the world of large format processing, I have attempted to stay with what is the most comfortable and familiar to me - using a Paterson daylight tank. I've been processing medium format for years and am comfortable on that platform.

I considered the taco method, but it left me too hungry and I never got around to it. Something about the stains from the taco-belts / rubber bands also turned me off.

I ordered a Mod54 insert for a standard Paterson three reel tank and finally got around to using it last night. The experience was mixed. It was a bit fiddly in that it was a real pain to get the six sheets loaded onto the carrier inside of a changing bag. The sheets felt like they were constantly on the verge of flying off of the carrier, though after loading the carrier onto the spindle and into the Paterson tank nothing appears to have moved from its original place. Unfortunately, i misloaded one of the sheets and one corner appears to have never been exposed to developer - odd. The other sheets all appear fine and evenly developed.

I am curious if it would have been easier to load the carrier in a tent as opposed to a changing bag. Also, I can't help but wonder if my agitation process knocked one of the sheets out of its groove.

Regardless of all of the above, a fun entry into the world of large format processing.

[John Kasaian]

Depends on space, money, type of film, temperature requirements, agitation technique. That said, my thoughts are simply "use what ya got"

[Edwardv]

Here are two links for the MOD 54 if any one is interested.


http://www.mod54.com/buy.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt_Lzd3LUnQ

[Pawlowski6132]

I don't think this method was mentioned. Explained to me by a fellow photographer.
For 8x10 sheet film, use 4, 8x10 trays with adequate chemistry to cover the film.
Put 1 sheet of film in each tray emulsion side up and agitate by rocking the trays.
Use a 16x20 tray for stop & another for fix.

Seems so simple I am going to give it a try.

Hmmm. Intriguing. What do you call this method?

[Louie Powell]

I'm tempted to say "in chemicals - and everything else is a detail". But to be more serious, my favorite method is a slosher insert for a tray.

You can buy one, but it's also very easy to make one. Get some plexiglass at the Orange Box Store, and some plexiglass cement at a glass shop. You can cut plexi on a table saw. I made a six-sheet insert that works perfectly in an 11x14' tray. I also have a two-sheet version that works in an 8x10" tray. I can process six sheets in 20oz of chemicals - that's enough to cover all six sheets in the slosher tray. HC110 dilution H, with continuous agitation for the first 30 seconds, followed by 5 seconds out of every 30 for the rest of the time. I use EFKE 100 rated at EI 50, and 11 minutes is just about right.

[Scott Walker]

Hmmm. Intriguing. What do you call this method?

No idea, but I am sure impressed with the results.
I have not had any uneven development issues with 8x10 film since I changed to this method.
Not that it was a big problem before when I was shuffeling through a stack, but now it is not an issue at all now.

[bob carnie]

This is a pretty decent method thanks for sharing

No idea, but I am sure impressed with the results.
I have not had any uneven development issues with 8x10 film since I changed to this method.
Not that it was a big problem before when I was shuffeling through a stack, but now it is not an issue at all now.