Which film development process is best

[Scott Walker]

Since I now have a darkroom at my office I am going to get my enthusiastic 20 year old assistant to start working in the darkroom one day a week.
I am always way behind on printing and developing film and I now have hundreds of 8x10 negs that need to be contact printed and filed with the negative and about 50 sheets of film and 25 or so rolls of 120 waiting to be developed.
I do not need something capable of developing paper just film in 120, 220, 4x5, and 8x10.
I have only ever used trays for developing film so all my research on this subject has only confused me more since I really don't have anything to reference my findings to.

I need a processor that I can let a 20 year old operate and be confident that my negatives will receive even, consistent development.



Thanks

[chassis]

For 120 rolls I would use a Paterson style reel
And tank system.

For sheet film I like BTZS tubes.

The amount of film you outlined can easily be
Processed in two days or less. One day if your
Assistant is good.

[Daniel Stone]

1. Jobo expert drum for the sheet film on a beseler motor base

2. Medium Format: Jobo tank/reels or Paterson plastic reels

They're all super easy to load, and easy to use. Its also "in the light" so no tray developing in the dark :).

-Dan

[Jay DeFehr]

JOBO ATL3. The difficult bit is determining optimum development. Operating the machine requires about an hour's training, after which development is mostly automated, aside from loading reels/sheets, etc., which does take practice.

[Scott Walker]

The ATL 3 appears to be the kind of thing I am looking for, aquiring one might not be so easy though.

[Jay DeFehr]

Scott, you are off the beaten track a bit, but even with shipping, I wouldn't expect to pay much. I paid a few hundred for mine, shipped from L.A. to Idaho.

[jeroldharter]

The amount of film you outlined can easily be
Processed in two days or less. One day if your
Assistant is good.

man, you must be fast! Hundreds of 8x10's in BTZS tubes? That would be a long day for me.

I don't know about entrusting a novice 20 year old with all of that film due the the material cost and your time investment. Nor would I want him handling my 8x10 film!

I'm just asking because 8x10 is a lot of time and money - how do you gets "hundreds" of sheets behind? It would take me years to print that many negatives.

For the roll film, consider a Phototherm Sidekick. Small and automated.

For 8x10, a Jobo CPP with a 3005 drum is probably the most readily available, semi-automated option. Although not so common anymore, you might go for the old school hangers and tanks for such a large amount of film.

[Ari]

I'd process the 8x10s in a tank using hangers, and the 120 film in SS tanks and reels.
Can you teach a 20-year-old to load reels and hangers reliably?
If you can't, you may have to put in a week-end of processing all by your lonesome.

[Scott Walker]

Scott, you are off the beaten track a bit, but even with shipping, I wouldn't expect to pay much. I paid a few hundred for mine, shipped from L.A. to Idaho.

I guess I will just have to be patient, it took me about a year to find an 8x10 conversion for my Beseler.

It sounds like the CPP would work as well just less automation?

[Scott Walker]

I don't know about entrusting a novice 20 year old with all of that film due the the material cost and your time investment. Nor would I want him handling my 8x10 film!

I'm just asking because 8x10 is a lot of time and money - how do you gets "hundreds" of sheets behind? It would take me years to print that many negatives.

Although not so common anymore, you might go for the old school hangers and tanks for such a large amount of film.

Lots of people send their film to a lab to be developed......chances are it is a 20 year old handling their film, at least if mistakes are made I can work directly with my 20 year old to correct the problem. :)

I get behind because I will go out for 3 or 4 days and shoot as many as 50 sheets a day.

I do actually have hangers and tanks for 4x5 that I don't use, can't even give you a good explanation as to why but I do not like the process.

[Scott Walker]

I'd process the 8x10s in a tank using hangers, and the 120 film in SS tanks and reels.
Can you teach a 20-year-old to load reels and hangers reliably?
If you can't, you may have to put in a week-end of processing all by your lonesome.

I have had him develop 120 in a patterson tank and I am comfortable with letting him do all of that by hand. I started him using the massive development chart app which reminds him when to start agitation and when to stop, when to dump the developer and pour the stop in, etc.
So far all has gone well.:)

[jeroldharter]

...

I get behind because I will go out for 3 or 4 days and shoot as many as 50 sheets a day.
.

Wow. I suspect that Alberta is more scenic than central Wisconsin!

With 8x10, I have tried to minimize the number of shots I take less due to cost and more due to time. I use Jobo drums but even so, 50 sheets is 10 rounds of processing, 25 holders to load and unload, etc. That is a good 12 hours of work for me. Even so, in a national park setting I might take as many as 30 in a productive day.

How lucky you are to have an assistant.

[Ari]

I have had him develop 120 in a patterson tank and I am comfortable with letting him do all of that by hand. I started him using the massive development chart app which reminds him when to start agitation and when to stop, when to dump the developer and pour the stop in, etc.
So far all has gone well.:)

Hey, then go for it; you've said he's enthusiastic.
Easiest would be a Jobo tank and a motorized base.
If that goes well, you can spring for a Jobo ATL unit, but then you'd be paying your assistant to load film and push a button.

[Scott Walker]

Wow. I suspect that Alberta is more scenic than central Wisconsin!

With 8x10, I have tried to minimize the number of shots I take less due to cost and more due to time. I use Jobo drums but even so, 50 sheets is 10 rounds of processing, 25 holders to load and unload, etc. That is a good 12 hours of work for me. Even so, in a national park setting I might take as many as 30 in a productive day.

How lucky you are to have an assistant.

I have been through Wisconsin a few times, nothing wrong with the scenery there. :)

Sometimes I wish I could control myself a bit better and be more selective and shoot less film, but that is not in my nature and not part of my creative process so why fight it.....I know I would loose the battle anyway. :D

[Scott Walker]

Hey, then go for it; you've said he's enthusiastic.
Easiest would be a Jobo tank and a motorized base.
If that goes well, you can spring for a Jobo ATL unit, but then you'd be paying your assistant to load film and push a button.

I think that would be the best way to get him started, then upgrade from there when a good deal comes up on an ATL.

btw: I'm lovin that RB67

[AF-ULF]

I use a Jobo CPP-2 for roll film, 4x5 and 8x10. The expert drums are pretty fool proof for 8x10 and 4x5. When my children were still at home, I paid them to develop my film with the Jobo. They were in high school at the time. I wrote down all the steps (from filling the bottles, dilutions, amounts, timing, temperature setting, etc.) on a poster board mounted on the wall behind the processor. I then had them watch me develop a tube. I then watched them develop a tube. After that, they were able to do it on their own.

Child labor is also a great way to get mats cut.

[Peter De Smidt]

I too use a Jobo CPP-2 for roll film, 4x5 and 8x10. It works really well. Note, though, that the CPP-2 went through at least 3 motor upgrades over it's life, and if you're going to use an 8x10 Expert drum, you'll want a processor with the last motor upgrade. Jobo USA used to have a listing of serial numbers and motor status on their web page. It still might be possible to get that info. Greg Blank probably knows.