Processing kit - jobo etc?

[Inverse]

Morning all....

I got a LF camera at the end of last year and have shot a little bit with it, though this has only been with Polaroid so far for two reasons:
1) instant feedback for changes to set-up.
2) I don't have the processing kit for 5x4 negs.

I've previously developed my own 35mm & 6x6 MF at home in a little paterson tank. However, it wouldn't be big enough for (multiple, if that is poss) LF negatives...

I don't have much room, nowhere that is fully sealed as a darkroom (but might be able to get this if I try), and not got loads of time either...

Hence, I'd love recommendations for developing own LF stuff.... Are the motorised jobo tanks worthwhile? How easy is it to send things off to processing companies?

Yes, these are stupid questions but they need answering if I'm going to start shooting again!

Thanks in advance!

[BradS]

Check out the Jobo 4341. It is a complete kit. The kit includes: tank, reel, and film loader thingy. Allows one to process up to six sheets of 4x5 or 9x12 in daylight. Very nice and highly recommended.

[Inverse]

Thanks Brad.... Had a look on ebay but none there.... I do like the idea of the motorised one. When I was out in the US I knew a few people that used them for LF work. Also good as don't have to be with the stuff every 30s when processing, so can do other things at same time also..

[Jan_6568]

Hi,
I would suggest BTZS-like tubes. They are easy and inexpensive to make by yourself, they allow good temperature control and they let you to process every negative independently w/o using excessive amounts of chemistry. I was using HP Combiplan daylight tank and Jobo Drum Expert in the past, I swiched to home-made BTZS-like tubes and do not regret that.
I do not have a real darkroom at home, where I process my negatives. I load the film using a changing bag. Have a look at the www.viewcamerastore.com page to see how the tubes looke like. They also have instructions PDF. If you are interested in the tubes PM me - I can send you instructions how to make those tubes.


Jan

[walter23]

My suggestion is the unicolour uniroller system. There's an article about this on the front page of LFinfo. You can do at least two negatives at a time (four if you find a suitable divider), and it uses very small amounts of chemistry. I use ID-11 diluted 1:1 from stock solution and it takes about 150ml of solution to get great results. I can reuse developer / fixer and do four to six negatives with this much chemistry (I haven't pushed it to see just how many I can actually do, six works fine though for more important stuff I've just been doing four and then dumping solution).

I picked up the whole kit on ebay for about $60 for an 8x10 print tube (for my 4x5 negatives), a tube for doing reels of roll film, the roller machine, and a bunch of miscellany like a grad cylinder, beaker, film clips, stirring rod, and a timer. They can be found much cheaper than this in junk piles in local camera stores and pop up on ebay occasionally.

The whole process is easier even than the BTZS tubes - I load film into the tube in my closet (I do my processing at night), and the rest is simply a matter of pouring solutions in and out of the roller (in normal indoor light) and timing things. Using a changing bag would probably be annoying for this because you'd probably want to wait for the roller tube to dry out before reloading. I just take it into my closet while still wet and load up. No problems.

[Ron Marshall]

You can find Jobo Expert drums used on Ebay for about 1/2 their price new. I hand roll my Jobo 3006 on the $20 Jobo roller base. I was originally planning to set up a motorized base, but by hand is so easy I never bothered.

[Don Wallace]

I use a Jobo CPE-2 for 4x5 film. I think this is a better choice than either tubes or a roller base because the CPE-2 allows you to keep the chemistry at a constant temperature. You can use a simple water bath in a tray, which I used to do, but the Jobo makes this much more simple. The temperature in my darkroom can vary quite a bit and I find it a pain to play continuously with the water bath to keep it constant. The Jobo just does it.

[Bob Salomon]

Once you put the film in the tank the Combi-Plan T is a totally daylight system. Add a hose to it and it becomes a force film washer.

[BradS]

Thanks Brad.... Had a look on ebay but none there.... I do like the idea of the motorised one. When I was out in the US I knew a few people that used them for LF work. Also good as don't have to be with the stuff every 30s when processing, so can do other things at same time also..

The Jobo 4341 kit costs only about $150 new and is pretty widely available from decent photo retail outlets (Calumet, B&H, etc...). The kit does not incluse a motorized base. I just float the loaded tank in the kitchen sink filled with water at 20 degrees C and rotate by hand.

It may just be my impression but, it seems to me that the jobo motorized rotator/water bath things cost A LOT of $$$.

[gari beet]

Hi inverse, I use the jobo duolab and am more than happy with it. It tempers as well as motors the drum, you simply control the timing.

I have considered the BTZS tubes for B/W as the temp is easier to control plus you can do indi sheets for -/+ processing.

I got my duolab from SDS, I noticed on the site that he has some used BTZS tubes on the site too. Link below.

Hope that helps

Gari

http://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk/