Looking at a decently priced CPE 2 w/ lift. I just wonder if CPE is good enough with me and CPA/CPP would be an overkill.
I mainly do MF and 4x5 film processing, both BW and color. No plan to make large color prints.
For 4x5 film processing, which tank/drum should I get? 25xx/28xx?
Thx.
The big difference is the amount of solution you can use in the drum. The CPE is limited to 600ml; the others to 1000 ml (I think).
I did an awful lot of Cibachrome prints in my CPE2. Have only used it for film processing occasionally.
- Leigh
How large a print can you do w/ CPE2? What drum do you use?
I have processed over 50 rolls of e-6 in my cpe2 along with maybe 18 4x5's and have had perfect results.. I do not have a lift, i just time the chem changes very carefully..
Temps in my cpe are spot on and stable within .5 degrees..
Home made 4x5 P&S::Gaoersi 6x17::90mm f/8 SA::Fujichrome velvia 50 and Ilford fp4, pan f, sfx.
Alexartphotography
Remember that you cannot use 3xxx/Expert drums on a CPE. May not concern you…yet.
Lachlan.
You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky
I have a CPE2+ and have used it to process 35mm, 120 and 4x5 BW and E-6 in 2500 series tanks/reels. I love it. Can you process film without it? Yes, but I find it much easier with it. I wouldn't mind a larger machine just to get the beefier motor, but getting a 2nd CPE would be cheaper. I was using the lift but recently took it off and now just use the magnets. Only downside I see to a Jobo is the silly prices people want for the tanks and reels.
In addition to the solution amount as previously stated, the PRIME reason is accuracy of temperature. You can calibrate the the CPE2 & 2+ with a thermometer however the CPE processors do not circulate the water bath. The Mechanical rheostat in the CPE and CPA processors are accurate usually within 5 degrees of the dial setting temp that is the normal error factor. Its common to see a 3 degree variance on the CPA processors. CPP2 processors on the other hand use a digital comparator within the circuit so the temps set more closely represent the dial setting. In the CPP2 machines the circulation is accounted for and the machines are calibrated to the drift of the water in the bath past the drum so that .05 of a degree higher is expected. In short the CPP2 is the desired machine if you intend to do color on a regular basis. If you ever intend to use Expert drums I can upgrade the CPP2 processors under serial number 22,000. The 2500 series drums where designed for film, you can use 2800 drums. The only question is what is a normal amount of film? The 2509N is the 4x5 drum. You will need the drum,reel and film retainer. For roll film you would get the duo reel for all roll film formats- then its just a matter of buying a drum for the quantity of rolls you want to run at a time.
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I was looking through my old log books and found that I did a lot more film processing than I remembered.
This was all roll film, 35mm and 120 black & white, no color work.
The results were quite uniform and reliable.
The only down side to the CPE2 was you lose the benefit of compensating developers like Rodinal and Diafine.
They rely on the developer being still between agitation events for the compensating function (localized depletion) to work.
For compensating developers I used Paterson or stainless steel tanks.
- Leigh
Thanks for the comments. It is nice to get a CPP2. But with all the costs involved, it is out of my reach for now. I do not use it everyday. I'd use it to process roll films and 4x5 sheet films. With the way film processing goes, it is hard to send them out for processing.
I got a CPE2 with lift, 1520, 1540 and all reels for about $370. I'm happy about it.
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