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Thread: best method to process film?

  1. #1
    stradibarrius stradibarrius's Avatar
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    best method to process film?

    If you were going to start all over, what method would you use to process your 4x5 film.
    With 135 and MF I always used a hand tank and had great results. Since I have started shooting 4x5 I have tried the tray method, Homemade BTZS tubes and a Yankee tank.
    The trays work fine if I amonly developing 1-2 sheets. The yankee tanks is messy and the BTZS tubes didn't work for me.

    So what is the best method to process 1 sheet or 10+??

  2. #2

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    Re: best method to process film?

    1 sheet = rocking a tray back and forth every 15 sec.
    2-3 sheets = not worth my time.
    4-6 sheets = constant shuffling bottom to top, emulsion side up in a 8x10 tray with 2L of chem.
    6+ = scratches. i break em up into smaller groups.

    if I were to go back to 4x5 I'd probably purchase a slosher tray from formulary.



    i tried daylight tanks but i always screwed something up or got bad agitation patterns.
    never had access to 5x7 film hangers.

  3. #3
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: best method to process film?

    Starting over I would get a Expert 3010 drum (ten 4x5's at a time), tho I might not fill it up each time. Then tray develop if I thought a neg needed the extra attention. I believe there is an expert drum that can handle 4x5 and 5x7 negs that would probably fit me better -- less negs at a time but more versatile.

    I am using the 3005 drums for 8x10 -- I have three of them so I can run 15 negs in a session without having to clean and dry the tubes in between batches -- not that I ever do since I usually don't expose that much film. I got the third one so that I would have a spare and could feel better about letting others use one of them without worrying about it as much.

    Vaughn

    PS...I developed 4x5's, 5x7's and 8x10's in trays for more than a couple of decades before finally getting the 3005.

  4. #4

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    Re: best method to process film?

    One sheet in a 5x7 tray and agitate every 15 sec.

    10+ in a stainless Nikor tank, if you can find one at a non-exorbitant price.
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  5. #5

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    Re: best method to process film?

    Nothing is easier and safer then a CombiPlan T system. Processing in full daylight, inversion agitation, no scrathing as the film doesn't touch anything and the largest dark area you have to have is a chaanging bag! The only dark time required is the time it takes to slide 6 sheets of film into a holder and put the holder into the tank and put the cover on. Less ten 2 minutes for most people.

  6. #6

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    Talking Re: best method to process film?

    I would say it depends. I most frequently use the JOBO 3010 for all color and most B&W processing.

    Dependent on the B&W film and the looks I want to create, I use standing tank development and sometimes tray development in an 8x10 tray.

    If all I need to develop is a single sheet or two, I often use standing tank development with Diafine, since that developer keeps and it is really convenient.

  7. #7
    stradibarrius stradibarrius's Avatar
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    Re: best method to process film?

    I thought about the Comiplan tank but I have heard that they leak like the Yankee Tank does????
    Does the Combiplan tank require a a lot of chemistry even to process 1-2 negatives?

  8. #8

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    Re: best method to process film?

    Quote Originally Posted by stradibarrius View Post
    I thought about the Comiplan tank but I have heard that they leak like the Yankee Tank does????
    Does the Combiplan tank require a a lot of chemistry even to process 1-2 negatives?
    If the tank leaks then we replace whatever part is leaking.

    The amount of chemistry is the same for any number of sheets per the instructions.
    Some people here are placing the tank on its side to process a couple of sheets at a time. We do not recommend this but they seem to feel that it works. Doing so will require less chemistry but we don't know how much they are using.

  9. #9
    おせわに なります! Andrew O'Neill's Avatar
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    Re: best method to process film?

    I prefer trays, but sometimes I use BTZS tubes for both 4x5 and 8x10. When I use xray film, it's always flat-bottomed trays. And when I use trays, it's always one sheet at a time.

  10. #10

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    Re: best method to process film?

    You will get varied answers. Depends on your budget and temperament.

    If you are old school and cheap, use trays.
    Old school and a little lazy, slosher.
    Want daylight processing and cheap, Combiplan or the new Patterson insert.
    A gear head who is cheap, BTZS tubes.
    A gear head who resents the exorbitant prices of Jobo drums, Jobo reels
    A gear head willing to pay through the teeth for any advantage, Jobo expert drums.

    At various times, I have been in each group (except number 3). Now I use Jobo expert drums which are mostly foolproof and allow daylight processing. The main limitation is that each sheet must be processed for the same time in each batch.

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