Best 4x5 Developing Tank

[Corran]

Film clip is properly in place (it's always on the film edge closest to the bottom though). I've used them for semi-stand development, doing one agitation cycle at the beginning and 30-minute mark, with the same results.

[Bob Salomon]

"Film clip is properly in place (it's always on the film edge closest to the bottom though)."

I don't fully understand what you are saying here.

[Corran]

Sorry, what I meant was - the thin strip of higher density is always on the bottom of the negative, not on top near the clip.

[Regular Rod]

My goodness! What complication! Earlier in this thread you had the answer for the best developing tank for sheet film, if you want control via stand and semi-stand development and to avoid these nasty problems like edge density when you don't want it.

Get yourself a Paterson Orbital Processor, modify it as per the pdf and your troubles are over.



RR

[Bob Salomon]

Sorry, what I meant was - the thin strip of higher density is always on the bottom of the negative, not on top near the clip.

Are you using a single tank or multiple tanks?

The Combi tank has a ledge with slots in it to make sure that when filled according to directions, the chemistry runs down the side of the tank when filling. Also, when filling and emptying a Combi according to the directions, through the Light Tight Hose Connector the fill and empty times are the same so parts of the film are not in the chemistry longer then other parts. So you should really process some film according to directions for the tank and see if the results are the same.

[feppe]

Regarding 'the best', I will note that I was brought into photography via 35mm about 50 years ago when agitation was so very critical and in my early days I did over-agitate sometimes to make the negatives hard to print. The problems were largely due to 'surging' of developer through the reels. I know many of us miniature format photographers went through that.

All the time I thought that agitation was some kind of deformed technique until a person much smarter than I who was also an Royal Air Force aerial recon processor who taught me of constant agitation, spray agitation, and brush agitation.

I did not realize that constant agitation of the right kind was superior. It is. Today all I use for LF is drum processing via economical means as Unicolor or Besler drums. It is a relief. (Sorry - no comments regarding JOBO because I have not the means to buy one.)

Could you elaborate what is the "right kind" of constant agitation? Does this apply to E-6 development?

[Corran]

Actually I'm just putting the film directly in the tank, which I pre-fill, obviously in the dark, and agitate directly. Then I put the lid on and turn the lights on.

I understand where you are coming from but I have no interest in using the tanks in that fashion. It's a consistent issue that I am 99% sure is not related to my usage of the tanks, unless you have a specific problem in mind that manifests itself only with dip 'n' dunk processing. For color I have three 2L metal tanks with a water bath that I just use the Combiplan holder for and dip 'n' dunk process with agitation every 15 seconds, and I use the Combiplan tank only for b&w development, both semi-stand and sometimes (rarely) for normal processing. My tank leaks when inverted just like most of them apparently did. It seems to be a flawed product, in my opinion, but works well if not inverting it "like the instructions." That's just my opinion.

[Doc Chevalier]

Hey gang,

This thread is quite long and it would appear that some of the suggestions are no longer around. I am seeking recommendations for a reliable 4x5 sheet film developing tank that is straightforward to load and easy on the chemistry. I presently have a Yankee tank and while it works (mostly), it's a pain in the butt to load up and from time to time I get these odd purple stains on the edges of the sheets. The stains are not consistent and could very well be user error on my part. When I am ready to develop, it's typically 10 sheets (since I only have five film holders). I only shoot B&W on my camera, I'm still very much a newbie with it. I used to do a lot of 35mm B&W processing a long time ago and my recent 4x5 efforts have been decent enough, but I'm hoping that there is a tank that is easier to load and that doesn't slop chemistry all over the place. I see that B&H still sells the Patterson tank and 4x5 reel system. Is this a good choice? I cannot find anyone in Canada that carries either the Jobo line or Combi plan although I think that they may no longer be manufactured.

I apologize if I am repeating a simple question.

Thank you in advance,

Ross

[Bob Salomon]

Actually I'm just putting the film directly in the tank, which I pre-fill, obviously in the dark, and agitate directly. Then I put the lid on and turn the lights on.

I understand where you are coming from but I have no interest in using the tanks in that fashion. It's a consistent issue that I am 99% sure is not related to my usage of the tanks, unless you have a specific problem in mind that manifests itself only with dip 'n' dunk processing. For color I have three 2L metal tanks with a water bath that I just use the Combiplan holder for and dip 'n' dunk process with agitation every 15 seconds, and I use the Combiplan tank only for b&w development, both semi-stand and sometimes (rarely) for normal processing. My tank leaks when inverted just like most of them apparently did. It seems to be a flawed product, in my opinion, but works well if not inverting it "like the instructions." That's just my opinion.

If the tank leaks when inverted then we replace the top. That will stop the leaking. To do that you need to call us. The call is free and so is the replacement. 800 735-4373 x15

[Regular Rod]

Hey gang,

This thread is quite long and it would appear that some of the suggestions are no longer around. I am seeking recommendations for a reliable 4x5 sheet film developing tank that is straightforward to load and easy on the chemistry. I presently have a Yankee tank and while it works (mostly), it's a pain in the butt to load up and from time to time I get these odd purple stains on the edges of the sheets. The stains are not consistent and could very well be user error on my part. When I am ready to develop, it's typically 10 sheets (since I only have five film holders). I only shoot B&W on my camera, I'm still very much a newbie with it. I used to do a lot of 35mm B&W processing a long time ago and my recent 4x5 efforts have been decent enough, but I'm hoping that there is a tank that is easier to load and that doesn't slop chemistry all over the place. I see that B&H still sells the Patterson tank and 4x5 reel system. Is this a good choice? I cannot find anyone in Canada that carries either the Jobo line or Combi plan although I think that they may no longer be manufactured.

I apologize if I am repeating a simple question.

Thank you in advance,

Ross

The Paterson Orbital Processor as mentioned above will let you process 4 sheets of 4x5 at a time, avoiding all those pitfalls and letting you keep control of the process.

RR