9x12cm (4x5"?) developing tank recommendations

[Janko Belaj]

I would like to buy (new or used) tank for developing 9x12cm sheet film, but as I have seen only one really clumsy plastic "non-spiral" for 6 sheets (you need to insert 3 sheets on each side of some elliptical holder) I do not know what to look for. I think I would like something like Nikor stainless steal tank, but there may be something newer, better, cheaper?
Can you help me with with recommendations and explanations?

Well, I prefer to develop in trays, but sometimes I can't do that (as is now on vacation... I have to wait for my wife and daughter to go to the bed and than I have to darken small bathroom... clumsy), so...

Tnx for your help.
Janko

[darter]

Janko,

The "really clumsy plastic" tank is the one that works. I have used the Swedish-designed combi-tank for at least 1,000 sheets without any problems and without the streaking that is a problem with many other tanks. Once you understand the set-up you will make very few mistakes. Don't let the appearance of the system fool you. It is easy to load, durable, light-tight and effective. Once you load the tank (which can be done in a changing tent/bag) all the work can be conducted under daylight conditions.

[Nick_3536]

I don't know about cheaper and it's not stainless but the Jobo 2500 tanks will handle 4x5 or 9x12 with the 2509n reels. Depending on the tank size and how many reels you get the system can process quite a bit of film. The biggest tank I have will manage 18 sheets but I think a bigger tank is available that could handle 24. It's best to use the tank on it's side. Roll it on a motor. Or get a Jobo processor or roll it around the counter by hand. You can flip the think over like any normal roll film tank but it takes quite a bit of chemicals if you use it that way.

[Calamity Jane]

I just got into LF recently and I bought the Combi-Plan tank - I'm 100% happy with it. Couldn't afford Jobo.

If you go that route, let me know 'n' I'll share my "secret" on speeding up the filling/draining.

[Moe_4073]

I use a Yankee Agitank with good results. Other users of these tanks say they are prone to uneven development and marks on the negatives, but I haven't had these problems. The only downside is that you need to mix up 55oz (1625ml) of chemistry for a batch of 4x5's. Regards,

[Bob Salomon]

"Swedish-designed combi-tank"

No it is currently made in Gotene, Sweden. It has also been made in Germany and in Newark, NJ.

But it was never designed in either Sweden or the US, It was designed in Germany and originally sold as the Krause Tank as that was the name of the designer/manufacturer in Germany. It then became the Gepe Tank when Gepe purchased it in the early 70's. In the early 80's we, HP Marketing Corp. purchased the system from Gepe and moved production to the US for a few years. When that did not work out satisfactorly we transferred the tools back to Sweden where it is still made today in the BiWex factory.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Janko. The Combi Plan® film holder is excellent and universal, I like it very much. it will go for 6,5x9cm, 9x12cm, 4"x5" and even 10x15cm (X-ray film?). You can also use it for dipping 665 Polaroïd negatives by playing with spacing rings. Plus glass plates if you reverse the holding parts.

A solution used by some French friends is to use the Combi Plan® film holder by dipping the film-loaded holder
in 3 successive open tanks in total darkness. This solves the question of how fast the tank will fill-up and drain (often, people do not unscrew the upper filling device enough).

In Paris you can purchase all elements of the Combi Plan® system separately.

Next technical solution is of course the Jobo tanks either used manually like an ordinary tank or coupled with the rotary and temperature-controlled device & tank. The Jobo has spirals designed for 6,5x9, 9x12 and 4"x5"... but this is slightly more expensive and less convenient to load than the Combi Plan holders.

[John Cook]

The Nikor tank you mention used to be made five miles from my studio, in West Springfield, Massachusetts. But sadly, like most everything else around the Rust Belt in this age of "Made in China" the former factory is now an abandoned heap of rubble.

I too have had excellent results with the Combi tank. Its main advantage over other tanks is the plastic insert, which obviates the need for Kodak stainless hangars (probably discontinued as well).

Slowly pouring chemicals in and out of the tiny hole in a daylight tank is, however, a risky business. I very strongly recommend using the tanks as Eugene Singer describes in his excellent article on the other side of this website (click on "Homepage" at the top of this screen). I have used this method with Nikor stainless tanks, Kodak hard rubber tanks, Yankee plastic tanks and the Combi tanks. It is absolutely foolproof.

[Janko Belaj]

tnx for your answers so far, but... well, it's my way of asking questions again - it seams that I always forgot to mention the most important thing: I need something for "daylight" developing.
Here is longer story: at home, I'm developing in trays in well darkened 2nd bathroom, so I'm free to use it whatever my wife or my daughter are doing (they still have a larger one), at lab, which I have made with few my friends, we have... hm,,, some canisters with hangers, plastic and metal as well, don't know the name right now. Lab is big, well equipped and well darkened, so I can work (and I am working) as Emmanuel described.

For this trip I have borrowed large old Jobo tank (2336) and some semi-spirals, according to typography and kind of number, also Jobo (2021). Last year I was developing (on vacation) in trays, but as I wrote in 1st message, using trays is a very clumsy job on such trips...
So, I need some daylight save system to develop my 4x5" b&w (9x12cm, indeed). As John have wrote "slowly pouring chemicals in and out of the tiny hole in a daylight tank is a risky business"... what kind of tank have "large hole"? Are there any tanks which will need no more than 1 liter of developer (system I'm using right now, that borrowed one, use about 1 L.)?
The Combi-Plan looks good, but also like a big tool (consider that I'm on family trip in a car, and that my wife is already crazy because of my lowepro backpack filled with cameras (only 3 this year;-)) and that there is also a suitcase with chemicals... and baby and her toys, and wife with few suitcases...). I'm not in rush to buy such tool, but now I'm (again) aware that I need one, so I'm planing to buy one before I forget I will need it again.

And again - tnx for your help.

[Nick_3536]

The Jobo 2500 type tanks I mentioned are relatively fast to pour in developer. Obviously if you're pouring in a lot it takes longer. If you use it on it's side then it'll do 18 sheets with 1litre of solution. But that requires rolling the tank some how. It's not cheap on chemicals if you invert the tank.

http://www.jobo-usa.com/products/2500.htm#Technical%20Specifications

The third smallest tank willl handle 12 sheets of film using around 600ml of developer.

[darter]

The fill time issue of the Combi-plan is a pig in a poke. It takes 25 seconds to fill the tank. As long as you are consistent in your timing it really doesn't effect development of the film. Even with development times as short as 4.45 minutes, I haven't noticed any uneven film development despite the fact that the bottom of the film is in the developer slightly longer than the top.

[jlfnjlf]

Hey Calamity Jane,

Please do share your mod to the 4x5 Combi-Plan. I just ordered one and one of my concerns has been the flow.

Thank you,

JohnF

[Geert]

Hey Calamity Jane,

Please do share your mod to the 4x5 Combi-Plan. I just ordered one and one of my concerns has been the flow.

Thank you,

JohnF

Hi John,

I don't think you'll get an answer from CM soon. We haven't heard from her since some time.
People come, people go... and this thread is almost 4 years old :)

Kind regards,
Geert

[BradS]

....
The Combi-Plan looks good, but also like a big tool (consider that I'm on family trip in a car, and that my wife is already crazy because of my lowepro backpack filled with cameras (only 3 this year;-)) and that there is also a suitcase with chemicals... and baby and her toys, and wife with few suitcases...). I'm not in rush to buy such tool, but now I'm (again) aware that I need one, so I'm planing to buy one before I forget I will need it again.

Is there some reason you can't simply carry the exposed film home with you? It seems like the obvious solution to you problem.

[BradS]

If you're willing to suffer processing the sheets one at a time, you could use an ordinary Paterson System 4 tank (the one that holds two plastic 35mm reels) - without the reels of course. It fills and empties FAST! Just don't leave out the center column thingy.

[Paul H]

The Paterson Orbital works well for 9x12cm sheets - it can do four at a time. It's a daylight tank, easy to load, quick to fill and uses very little chemistry.

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Does anyone know Calamity Jane's secret? I know this thread is old but I wonder.

[bjorn]

I´m not sure if this could be the "secret" but I heard that you would get a faster flow if tilting the tank and fill it up through the drain hole. I´m about to buy myself a tank so I havent tried it yet myself but I read about it somewhere.

//Björn

[bjorn]

Ok so now I tried it. First attemp didn´t work well, I had the fill vent "down", slow filling. Make sure to keep both ventiles on top and fill the tank in the drain vent , tank laying on side with both vents "up". Unplugg the fill vent so the air can flow, pour in chemestry in the drain vent and the tank will fill rapidly. Works really well.

//Björn