Tray processing success!

[welly]

I'm still waiting for the negative to dry but I think I might have had some success at first glance! This is the first sheet I've put through tray processing and it was quite a fun and easy experience. Less traumatic and more tranquil than the noisy, whirring beast that was my Jobo and prior to that, my Paterson Orbital. Just the slopping of chemicals sloshing about the trays.

A couple of things that might improve my process. A mechanical timer - or perhaps a couple of mechanical timers. Or just some timers without bright lights would suffice. I was reliant on my iPhone for the timer and was mostly panicking that I might have got an email and the light would shine through my jeans. But it was the only timing device I had available. I had to get the timer going, stick it in my pocket and remove the sheet from the film holder and then figure out how long that took me and add it to the end.

The temperature of the developer dropped a little before I got going so had to add a bit more time. I need to figure out better way of handling that. Perhaps I'll use a bit more soup next time - I used 500ml of 1:19 LC29.

But other than that, the negative looks clean, development in the light of the bathroom looks nice and even and there's no scratches!

Pretty chuffed overall! I'll have to try two sheets at a time next go.

[mdm]

Good on you, looking forward to seeing the scan, maybe.

[welly]

Good on you, looking forward to seeing the scan, maybe.

Ok, spoke a bit too soon. I just put some scratches on it. Must learn to leave alone.

[alexn]

Good effort mate... I pulled my first transparencies from my processor last week and was blown away.. Doing it in trays in the dark must be a whole different experience...

Congrats on doing things the old fashioned way.

[Brian Ellis]

Ok, spoke a bit too soon. I just put some scratches on it. Must learn to leave alone.

Wait until you get up to doing 4-6 sheets at a time, then you can scratch 4-6 sheets.

Just kidding, sort of. I hated tray processing - scratches, standing over trays in the dark inhaling chemical fumes, and the real fun came when you processed different sheets for different times in the same run and had to keep track of the order of the sheets in the stack as you shuffled the stack. I realize some people do it and like it and what works for you, to each his own, personal preference, etc. etc. But my advice that you didn't ask for is to get some BTZS tubes or make your own - no whirring of machinery, no scratches, easy to do different times in the same run, everything done in room light, minimal chemicals (e.g. 1 ounce of D76 1-1 per sheet), little space taken up, etc. etc.

[welly]

Ok, here's a (very) rough scan.

http://i.imgur.com/ynglg.png

It's not as bad as it looks. Honest. Actually the scanner has much more dust on it than the negative. I'm going to pick up a can of air and give my scanner a good clean. Also, noticed the sheet was bowed in the middle, hence the out of focus section in the middle. The first scan came out much better but my trial of VueScan ran out so it's covered in VueScan watermarks. I have a BetterScanning.com film holder on its way so should start getting cleaner and flatter scans. I've re-washed the sheet and it's drying as we speak. Will have another go tomorrow!

[Vlad Soare]

Welcome to the club! I used to be afraid of tray development and to avoid it at all costs, until I finally realized how easy it actually was.
Now, your next step could be to get a green light and develop by inspection. :cool:

[Jim Andrada]

Chemical odor - I though walking around smelling like fixer was the only way people would know you were a photographer.

[Vlad Soare]

Really? I thought that one's black, amidol-stained fingernails were the giveaway. :D

[Juancho]

Personally its my method of prefrence, although startig up i didnt have a timer, was afraid i may burn the neg with my iPhone. So i had to count dvery second individually.. Was not fu at all!:(

[mandoman7]

Several precautions;
1.you might want to check your developer temperature at the end of processing. Hands can warm a solution, and ambient temp can lower or raise it. Many use a larger tray with a water bath to moderate the temp. This variable can really make your development times unreliable I learned after years of ignoring it.
2.Secondly, scratching is a big problem with wet negatives as the film corners are sharp and the emulsion is soft. I ended up using flat bottom trays with the emulsion down, others have different methods. The emulsion down or up choice is something you hear different opinions on.
3.One thing to remember is that developer sloshes over the sides of film when you put a sheet down face up in the tray, and this can give you stronger development on the edges as versus the interior portion of the neg. I found that placing the film in the developer face down gave a complete exposure to the developer all at once. The trays can scratch with emulsion down, so I got some flat bottom trays for this process.

Good luck

[Pfiltz]

Been reading the tray development process. This thread and the other one.

Glad I saw this. I've just moved up to 4x5, and hope to process some b/w in trays.. Actually watched a youtube on it today matter of fact.

Appreciate all the tips given here.

[welly]

Personally its my method of prefrence, although startig up i didnt have a timer, was afraid i may burn the neg with my iPhone. So i had to count dvery second individually.. Was not fu at all!:(

I've just ordered a Paterson Triple Timer. I think this should sort any timing issues out. My timing was a little rough as I had to set the timer going, get the sheet out of the film holder and then drop it in the developer. I guess it shows that you can be a little flexible with black and white and it's not necessarily a completely precise art! Although I dare say the more precise the better.

[welly]

Several precautions;
1.you might want to check your developer temperature at the end of processing. Hands can warm a solution, and ambient temp can lower or raise it. Many use a larger tray with a water bath to moderate the temp. This variable can really make your development times unreliable I learned after years of ignoring it.
2.Secondly, scratching is a big problem with wet negatives as the film corners are sharp and the emulsion is soft. I ended up using flat bottom trays with the emulsion down, others have different methods. The emulsion down or up choice is something you hear different opinions on.
3.One thing to remember is that developer sloshes over the sides of film when you put a sheet down face up in the tray, and this can give you stronger development on the edges as versus the interior portion of the neg. I found that placing the film in the developer face down gave a complete exposure to the developer all at once. The trays can scratch with emulsion down, so I got some flat bottom trays for this process.

Good luck

Thanks for your advice John! I shall definitely keep all this in mind when I put my next few sheets through. I was agitating by flipping the sheet over every 30 seconds or so and sloshing the tray a little. Despite how my scan looks, it actually came out fairly even I think. Anyway, it was a first go. Next time will be better! I've got the Paterson trays which have a mostly flat bottom but with wells that I assume are there to stop the sheet from sticking to the bottom.