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Andre Schneider
26-Aug-2013, 23:08
Hello everybody,

I'm pretty much new to large format photography, I have been shooting 35mm and medium format since film and now shoot digital, but always loved the look of 8X10. So on my last photoshoot I rented an 8X10 and shot a bunch of film, and now I have a box of exposed film that I need to develop. I was just wondering reading here about the developing tanks and all, and was curious about why can't we just use a large 35mm developing tank, like this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=40340&Q=&is=REG&A=details

Is it just because it doesn't fit the 8X10 film (I couldn't find the specs for the tank anywhere with measurements) or is there another reason?

Thanks in advance!

Andre

Tin Can
26-Aug-2013, 23:52
pass

C_Remington
27-Aug-2013, 04:11
First, that's plastic. Second, your films emulsion will be wrapped too tight and not be exposed to the developer.

People develop 8x10 in tubes all day long. Just not those. Bigger tubes r required.

JeRuFo
27-Aug-2013, 05:42
It probably will hold a sheet of 8x10, but is not really cheap and your film might knock about if it doesn't fit properly. BZTS tubes are around $30 and a bit closer if you buy more than one. If I'm not mistaken, the BZTS tubes have notches so the film will stay in place inside the tube.

If you want an affordable way, just use trays. They can be had real cheap, especially compared to 8x10 film.

Be careful playing with fire though, once you saw a negative of that size you're done. An easy test if it's too late for you to turn back to a smaller format is to use the tape measure-test. It's real easy, as long as you haven't gotten your tape measure out to see if the guest bedroom is big enough for a darkroom you're fine.

Taija71A
27-Aug-2013, 10:03
____

Hi Andre,

Welcome to the 'World of LF'! :)
--
Andre... If you are perhaps interested in Developing your 8x10 Sheet Film in 'BTZS Processing Tubes'... I just noticed yesterday, that if you purchase a (Set of Three (3) ) -- That they are even cheaper than $30/Each!


http://www.viewcamerastore.com/8x10-btzs-b-w-film-processing-tubes-set-of-3/


Note:

I personally, choose to Develop my Sheet Film using a different method... But I have always heard nothing but 'Good Things' about the BTZS B&W Film Processing Tubes.
--
Best,

-Tim.
________

Andre Schneider
28-Aug-2013, 06:55
First, that's plastic. Second, your films emulsion will be wrapped too tight and not be exposed to the developer.

People develop 8x10 in tubes all day long. Just not those. Bigger tubes r required.


Hi C_Remington, you're right! I guess I had the wrong link copied... But basically what I meant was to use normal 35mm/120 to develop 8X10 sheets. Now I understand that the issue wouldn't be the height, but rather the radius and the fact that the film will overlap itself inside the tube. I was just wishing for something that I could go to B&H and get it instead of ordering online. Maybe I'll call some smaller stores here in NYC and see if they have any tubes.

jeroldharter
28-Aug-2013, 14:41
If you are just curious, try tray development. But it is not as easy as it looks to get evenly developed, scratch-free negatives with tray development. It takes careful methods and experience.

The BTZS tubes are slower but more consistent and fool proof. They are available at The View Camera Store.

MMELVIS
28-Aug-2013, 19:14
Hello everybody,

I'm pretty much new to large format photography, I have been shooting 35mm and medium format since film and now shoot digital, but always loved the look of 8X10. So on my last photoshoot I rented an 8X10 and shot a bunch of film, and now I have a box of exposed film that I need to develop. I was just wondering reading here about the developing tanks and all, and was curious about why can't we just use a large 35mm developing tank, like this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=40340&Q=&is=REG&A=details

Is it just because it doesn't fit the 8X10 film (I couldn't find the specs for the tank anywhere with measurements) or is there another reason?

Thanks in advance!

Andre

The tank from the link should work with 8x10 film but you can only do 1 negative at a time. I use a tank that is close to the same size as this tank, the difference being the one I use is metal and not plastic. The description states that the tank will hold five 120 rolls and that is how many my tank holds. The 120 roll film spools I have are 2.5 inches tall and 10.25 inches measuring around the outside. So this tank from B&H would be about 12.5 inches tall and the inside should be big enough to hold on 8x10 negative.

gleaf
28-Aug-2013, 19:16
Pro I bought my darkroom room from included 4 Kodak #4A stainless film holders trimmed down to the film holder portion only. Allowed him to tray process 4 4 x 5's in a 11 x 14 tray at a time.
Single 8 x 10 holder cut to film frame only in a tray will work. Keeps the film off the tray bottom and provides easy manipulation.

AtlantaTerry
28-Aug-2013, 23:49
Yesterday on eBay someone was selling a stainless steel developing tank for 8x10 film. It came with a couple film racks, too.

Andre Schneider
29-Aug-2013, 07:59
Tray development works just fine when you are careful. Try Brush Development using the tray method, doing one sheet at a time and you'll get clean development with no scratches. Even skies and clear areas and no extra edge density.

A water pre-soak, slip the neg into the tray with emulsion side up and then a Hake brush going gently side to side and then up and down. Very gentle, not with pressure, just touching the film. At the end of your time(finessed after a few sheets to test for it) you put the sheet of film into the weak stop bath, then the fixing bath and then the rinse. Very simple, clean and takes a mimimum of gear to do.

If you don't have smooth bottom darkroom trys try pyrex cooking dishes. Nice and smooth and very cheap at yard sales.


Tray development is not difficult. Doing it this way will enable you to get a handle on it and see if you want to keep moving forward without spending a small fortune on darkroom gear, specialized tubes and whatnot.

I think that it might not be that difficult apart from the fact that I'll have to do that in complete darkness... LOL But I might give it a try at least on one or two sheets and see how it goes... :-) Thanks!

Jerry Bodine
29-Aug-2013, 10:44
Sounds interesting, Dakotah. I'll give it a try as well. What brush width works best? I was wondering about how to clean the brush to keep the bristles soft for subsequent use, so I queried a supplier and here's her answer:

I would use something like the Jack's Linseed Oil Studio Soap as it cleans brushes but helps condition them with the natural oils, keeping them soft and supple-- it's what I use on my expensive Kolinsky oil and watercolor brushes and they look brand new still...
Let me get you a link...
http://www.jerrysart…/jacks-linseed-studio-soap.htm

Tin Can
29-Aug-2013, 11:09
Tray development is by far the cheapest, easiest and best done one sheet at a time to begin with. I am now up to two sheets. It works great, cheap and fast enough.

Forget all gadgets, nobody used them long ago, and they made great images. Then contact print with 2 pieces of glass or a cheap garage sale contact print frame, not the fancy wood ones. Any light source will work, even room light. Work in the bathroom, I still do.

Everything else is complication. Use the simplest chems you can find. Also forget about using too much chems, the stuff is so cheap, mix and toss until you get your method down.

The KEY is to start now and refine later.

Read the X-Ray threads, but start doing now.

Jerry Bodine
29-Aug-2013, 12:10
I use a Hake and just rinse it afterwards. Has been working fine for a number of years without any problems.

Thanks. What brush width is ideal?

Doug Webb
31-Aug-2013, 13:59
I have used tall stainless steel tanks (for use with reels of 35 or 120 film) successfully with stand development or extremely gentle agitation that consisted of rotating the tank in a circular motion after very, very gently tipping it on its side. The film did not overlap itself when placed with 8 inch side at top and bottom. The problems with this approach are 1. you use a lot of developer in a tank that big to develop a single sheet of film, and 2. the corners of the film will gouge into the emulsion if the agitation procedure is anything more than extremely gentle (meaning if you hear the developer sloshing around inside the film is probably flapping around and scratching itself. I use this method often with a shorter stainless steel tank for 4x5 and development is very even and the film does not move about inside and damage itself in 4x5 size. I don't know whether a Paterson tank, which is what you linked to, or at least it looks like a Paterson tank, would work the same as a stainless steel tank. With 8x10 in a tall tank you would probably end up spending more money on developer over a long period of time than you would spend to buy a smaller tube, like BTZS, or a tray, but these methods also have drawbacks.

Andre Schneider
1-Sep-2013, 20:37
Hi everybody,

I just finished developing my first 5 sheets of film, and it works like a charm... No scratches so far Doug, but I'll keep that in mind to do the agitation very gently, maybe I was just lucky...

Thanks everybody!

Andre

aluncrockford
5-Sep-2013, 15:33
As far as I know the jobo 3005 is the only daylight tank on the market, it will dev 5 sheets using 1000ml of chemicals


http://www.jobo.com/jobo_service_analog/us_analog/instructions/instructions_misc_expert_drums.htm

koh303
6-Sep-2013, 19:24
As far as I know the jobo 3005 is the only daylight tank on the market, it will dev 5 sheets using 1000ml of chemicals


http://www.jobo.com/jobo_service_analog/us_analog/instructions/instructions_misc_expert_drums.htm


Well - this tank will process 2 sheets of 8X10, and for a fraction of the cost.
http://www.catlabs.info/product/jobo-2830-print-and-sheet-film-ulf-processing-drum-up-to-2-sheets-of-8x10

There are some folks who like the smooth inner surface and use a 1525 tank (1520+1530) for one sheet at a time, or a 2550 tank...

Andrew O'Neill
7-Sep-2013, 11:20
I would say it's doable. I have a large stainless steel tank that holds four 120 reels. It easily hold a sheet of 8x10 film. I use it for stand development.

Harold_4074
7-Sep-2013, 21:14
Single 8 x 10 holder cut to film frame only in a tray will work.

I'd be interested in knowing if this has actually been tried; in my experience wet film (5x7 or 8x10) will very easily slip out of a standard hanger if it is tilted sideways, and sometimes if moved sideways while immersed. (Tilting in the plane of the hanger---"endwise"---is not a problem, and is actually part of the ANSI standard developing procedure.)