What would a Jobo processor do for me?

[Michael_4514]

Every now and then, I think about getting a Jobo processor, but I'm having a hard time seeing the advantage. As far as I can tell, the Jobo processors offer an organized workspace, temperature control and agitation. All good things to be sure, but nothing that can't be done relatively easily (and cheaply) on one's own. What am I missing?

[Peter De Smidt]

Processing sheet film in an Expert Drum gives very even and consistent development with no scratches, while being frugal with chemistry. Furthermore, a Jobo makes processing color almost as simple as doing black and white. They can also be used for processing prints up to 20x24".

I've had a CPP-2 since the late 90s. I really like it.

[Mark Barendt]

It makes developing easier, simpler, more consistent, and more economical.

That means I'm happier and I shoot, develop, & print more.

More practice means I get better results. (This is especially true for color work.)

Okay off to the darkroom, the JOBO is all warmed up.

[vinny]

What they said.

[Greg Blank]

Ok a counter question. How do you intend to do those things cheaply and easily on your own? I have a good deal of experience before and after purchasing my Jobo in 1988.

[koh303]

A jobo definitely does the following for you:
1. Makes you look cool in the eyes of those Emo\Hipsters
2. Nakes you look cool in the eyes of fellow LFF\APUG users
3. will amaze any mechanical\electrical engineer
4. will give you more time to make your self coffee while you are working, and thus can be said that it "makes a cup a coffee",

On top of those obvious amazing benefits as some have mentioned above the key points are:
Consistency Consistency Consistency
Repeatability Repeatability Repeatability

Both of those are crucial in a standard based industry, where specific benchmarks are pre set.
Yes you can invert films manually, in a warmish bath in a hotel bathroom, but it might make creating an exact benchmark difficult.
The manual Jobo machines make life nice, easy and mostly clean and dry in the darkroom along with all said benefits. The automatic machines increase your life span by as many hours you would have spent standing by a sink tapping lightly on a tank waiting for the magic to happen.

In short - they are worth pretty much every pretty penny they cost.

[RichardSperry]

What's the effective difference between the CPP2 and the CPE2 models?

Besides price.

[Lachlan 717]

The CPE cannot use Expert/3xxx drums (or long extension drums).

The CPE/CPA water baths aren't digitally controlled.

[Michael_4514]

>Greg. I use the jobo press kit for my chemicals. I keep the developer and blix in a large pot of water on an electric burner, and I'm able to keep the temperature constant. I develop roll film in stainless daylight tanks, and I keep them in a warm bath in between inversions. Sheet film is processed in a unicolor roller according to the press kit directions.

My results have been consistently good, but I'm wondering if they might be better with the jobo, and of course I'm open to simplifying the process.

[Michael_4514]

>koh303. Which are the automatic machines?

[koh303]

Michael:
I am sure you are getting fine results with your method, however the key as i said is the ability to match a pre determined benchmark for various measurements (1) and to be able to get the same results over and over and over (2).

A jobo machine, along with the correct drum will give you results that are within range of the above mentioned benchmarks: Density, Eavennes, cleanliness and a few other things. You will be able to repeat those results every time you use the machine with the same film\chemicals to produce those "perfect" or more accurately within range results.

The bottom line is what you consider to be "good" and the fact you see it as consistent from run to run as the same quality of "good" must be compared to established standards of quality. For most of us, even with a trained eye there may only be a marginal visual difference in smaller formats which increases as the size of the film increases. Which is where the benchmark is important, and where a Jobo delivers.

There is a long and boring technical explanation as to why this is so, but the short answer is - after you start using a Jobo (manual or automatic) you will not go back to hand processing ever again. The ease of use and time saving is only second to the results, that will most likely blow you away. Another wonderful thing Jobo machines allow is higher\lower capacity with minimal loss or waste of chemistry.

When you go out with your side pack loaded with 20 4X5 holders and you want to see what you have done shortly after you get home, a Jobo drum that hols up to 12 sheets of 4X5 in a single run will not only be a cool thing - but will be a huge time and effort saver. same goes for a 10X 35mm tank or 8X120 and so on.

Automatic machines are those models with the designation - ATL (the A standing for Auto). These tend to be slightly more expensive and or larger to the point that a home user might not consider them an option.
The smaller ATL machines (500/800/1000/1500) are some of the greatest mechanical wonders of the 20th century, but those tend to be expensive.

[Kodachrome25]

I agree with everything said here, my CPP2 gives me the most consistent and cleanest film I have ever seen. I will still soup a 1-2 roll batch of 35mm and sometimes 120 by hand, but other than that, I run it in the Jobo. Where I am totally blown away is 4x5, there is simply no way I would risk expensive sheet film with any other method, the Jobo simply leaves the rest in the dust.

When you get to this level of consistency, every single time, every roll or sheet, it is a huge load off of your mind, therefore allowing you to shoot with more confidence knowing that your processing is sound.

I find being able to rely on my Jobo allows more energy to be spent on the more creative part of it all in both the shooting and printing.

[Greg Blank]

The ability to walk away is nice and ATL machines lend that, even CPP2 machines to a degree. There are only a few folks like me that service ATLs, I learned how to service Jobos mostly because I wanted to make sure I could fix my own CPP2. I have known lots of electronic technicians over the years that did not know how a machine was supposed to work because they had no practical experience yet swore the machine was correctly fixed- when in use it was not. When I learned JOBO I applied what I knew about my own machine, film processing and printing, in addition to the volumes of documentation related to how to preform those repairs. ATLs are amazingly complex, youas a novice I suggest stearing clear of them. A Cpp2 is a great tool, but as you say a simple tempering box could also do alot of what you need, certainly all these process are easily performed using less expensive means.



>Greg. I use the jobo press kit for my chemicals. I keep the developer and blix in a large pot of water on an electric burner, and I'm able to keep the temperature constant. I develop roll film in stainless daylight tanks, and I keep them in a warm bath in between inversions. Sheet film is processed in a unicolor roller according to the press kit directions.

My results have been consistently good, but I'm wondering if they might be better with the jobo, and of course I'm open to simplifying the process.