SP-445 4x5 Film Processing System (Daylight tank)

[vdonovan]

Alan, your experience is similar to mine. I absolutely LOVE this tank. It really is fun and easy to use. So far I've got excellent results, with good consistency and even development.

Just got my SP-445 in the mail, yesterday. Here is my preliminary findings:

1. Overall, the tank is very well constructed. I had to remove a couple of very tiny pieces of flash in the notches under the lid, but it was nothing.

2. I've heard of a number of caps arriving cracked because the shipping company in HK didn't pack the tanks as Tim had instructed, but I thought mine was adequately packaged and the caps are fine.

3. If the tank leaks with inversion agitation, I didn't notice; I normally get a bit of liquid down the side of any tank I use and in the sink. I'm not the most accurate pour!

4. The film holders are very easy to load with film and the holders slip into the tank without issue.

5. No scratches or other bugaboos; negs are nice and clean looking.

6. One of my primary concerns with any development method is evenness of development. My "stress test" to determine this is to expose a smooth white card in even light to Zone VI exposure; filling the entire frame with the card. I very happy to report that the SP-445 produced an absolutely even looking neg across the entire frame!

7. Along with #6, I didn't notice any areas of increased density (like around edges, for example) anywhere on any of the negs.

8. One trick I discovered which may help others... I found it very difficult to remove the developed film from the holders upon completion. I don't know if it was some sort of suction or something between the film base side and the holder itself or simply that my fingers and the holders were too wet for me to get a good grip, but I just couldn't pull the film out of the holder. Here's the trick: Fill a tray, basin, or whatever with water and toss the holders in. After a few seconds, grab the holder, give it a couple shakes, grab the film and it will easily pull out.

Oh, one thing I forgot... When I saw the film holder for real I was concerned that the film might dislodge or simply float up out of the holder upon inversion because there is nothing holding the film in at the top. I'm happy to report that this didn't happen.

Overall, based on this first test run I'm extremely pleased with this tank. It's even fun to use!

I hope something I've written here helps others and I wish Stearman Press great success with this tank.

[baro-nite]

Are you using a wetting agent?

Yes.

This morning I did some more reshaping in hot water, carefully bending the tabs back on the offending side. Film released easily, but there was still a streak of anti-halation dye left. (Rinse/wettting agent alone does not remove this; I'll be re-fixing once I finish my current batch.)

I might have another go at reshaping the entire holder. Will it be possible to get replacement holders?

[tim48v]

Can you email a photo?

Could be something odd with the holder; we'll have more in stock this week.

[baro-nite]

Thanks, sent a PM.

[vdonovan]

I've used a Mod54 since they first came out, and I really loved it. Probably developed about 200 sheets in mine.
Pro: Develop 4x5 in daylight with a Patterson tank!
Con: They *are* a little tricky to load. Even though I've been using mine for years, I still load a few practice sheets first to top up my skills before loading real film. Because of the bulkiness of the tank and reel, its awkward in a changing bag. I finally bought a big changing tent.

I'm sad to say, however, that I have a new love, which is the SP-445. I've put about 20 sheets through mine so far. I LOVE IT.
Pro: Small, compact, easy to use, easy to load. EASY TO LOAD. Did I say that it is easy to load? A five year old could load sheet film into this thing in the dark. These will be PERFECT for pinhole and large format workshops.
Cons: Inside the tank are baffles and guides that you have to take out and wash, I could see breaking or losing these things.

So far I haven't had any problem with inconsistent development or streaking or anything like that. My negs look great. I've also been doing reversal processing in mine, also with good results.

[Dave Gesell]

I ordered an SP-445 this morning. I have a MOD54 but never really got along with it. I could only load 4 sheets with any consistency, and occasionally one would pop out of the holder during processing, but luckily I never scratched a neg. I ended up settling on the taco method. Hopefully the SP-445 is my "last" 4x5 daylight tank.

[Leigh]

... either it is a problem with the film having a coating on the back, or it is a problem of the film sticking to the holder during processing.

All LF films that I know of have a water-soluble anti-halation dye coating on the back.
It's there to prevent secondary exposure from light reflecting off the filmholder and back into the emulsion.

Any wash protocol should remove it completely as long as the water can contact the film back.
If the back is stuck to the holder, the water can't get to it to remove that dye.

- Leigh

[Randy]

Wetting agent has been mentioned several times - do you have to use one with this tank? I process in trays and haven't use an agent in many years. Just wondering if it is absolutely necessary in the SP-445 (I haven't purchased a tank yet).

[Tim Meisburger]

I don't normally use wetting agent, and have not with this tank, and had no problems.

[Nigel Smith]

The use of wetting agent is more to do with your water quality and how the neg dries (ie. if it dries with water spots) rather than what vessels was used to process it. So, if you don't currently use wetting agent and don't have drying marks, then you won't/shouldn't need it for this tank.

I have always used a final rinse in distilled/di-ionised water with a drop of wetting agent (Ilford in my case) but I do that in a shallow container (purely cause I'm a tight-arse and don't want to use any more purchased water than I have to). For my roll film, I do this in the tank, which some say is a no-no, however I haven't had issues with my reels and I only give them a rinse in water (no specific cleaning or lubricating). BTW, some of my reels are 35+ years old.