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Alex_5228
28-Feb-2005, 15:56
Just getting into LF for the first time.
Having Processed Hundreds of 35mm and 120 films this is New to me.
Regarding Film Processing !
Can I Use a Paterson System 4 Tank for Single sheet Processing?.
Will I have a problem with the non emulsion side Sticking to the inside of the Paterson tank ??.

Film of Choice is HP5.
Developer will be Rodinal @ 1x50.
Agitation will be constant rolling on Bench .
How much total Quantity of developer do I need to mix per sheet of film ?
Any idea of how much time to use with constant Agitation at this Dilution.

My other Developer option is Xtol as a one shot, again what dilution do you suggest and how much total volume of Chemical should I use per sheet.

Aaron Rocky
28-Feb-2005, 16:43
I have used Paterson tank to do B&W and E6 processing (one sheet) with great success, non emulsion side against the wall, no problem.

Donald Qualls
1-Mar-2005, 05:34
Jay de Fehr, over on APUG, has come up with a way to do more than one sheet in a round daylight tank. He uses light rubber bands to hold the sheets in a curl, like a taco shell, emulsion inward; he processes 4 sheets of 3x4 in a Paterson, though I think you might be able to get three or four 4x5 into the same tank; you could certainly get five, possibly as many as seven 4x5 into a 4x135 stainless tank. He says the open edge allows for plenty of developer movement, and reports no problems with antihalation dye failing to completely wash out of the base side gelatin (as happens with some films if they're against a solid support).

I've personally used ABS tube in a stainless tank -- I can get 3 tubes sized for 4x5 into my large Nikor (which, sadly, doesn't have the 4x5 cage, but rather the dual 220 reels), or two in a standard quart-sized stainless tank -- but you have to watch out for the tubes floating and raising the upper edge of the film out of the liquid. You can also fit 4x5 into fluorescent tube protectors (the larger of the two common sizes), and fit four such thin walled tubes in a standard diameter stainless tank.

My own preference for single sheets up to 4x5 is my home built ABS tubes with daylight fill -- they hold about eight ounces for a single sheet, which is more capacity than required for the highest dilutions of HC-110, though the penurious could pretty easily add a central core to displace liquid and reduce the amount of developer required. A minor (but more expensive) variation could be used with horizontal roll agitation and minimum developer, like BTZS tubes, but retain the daylight fill capability so that solution changes don't require killing the lights.

Alex_5228
19-Mar-2005, 12:12
Just got around to Processing my First ever 5x4 Black and White Negatives in the Paterson System 4 Film Developing tank. This is the tank designed for two 35mm film reels.
If you are familiar with this tank you will notice it is larger at the top than the base, to level it up for rolling on my bench I cut a two inch deep circular polysterene sleeve which I slip over the base which does the job perfectly.

You can only fit one sheet of 5x4 in at a time, emulsion side in and you must fit the centre column into the tank also, doing this allows you to do the whole process in normal room light.
Note there are no reels in the tank just the centre column.

Film HP5.
Developer Rodinal 1x50, 6ml Rodinal to 300ml of water.
Time 15 Minutes.
Agitation continous rolling tank back and forward on my Darkroom bench.
The Negatives look perfect with no Streaking or noticeable faults.
I know I would get away with less Developer but Rodinal is Cheap and I would rather have a good negative in favour of using a little extra developer.

I'm hoping this Information might be useful to someone else getting into 5x4 developing for the first time.
I know its a bit limiting to one sheet at a time, but it works ok for me.

If I can figure out how I may put my first print up here later