Best easy to use tank for developing 4x5 sheets

[Kirk Gittings]

BTZS tubes here. After years of developing 4x5 negs in trays, I tried these and never looked back. Super even development, capability of different times in the same batch, daylight developing, easy-foolproof loading, minimal chemistry. etc.

[Kleiny41]

Hi Rich,
I admit in advance that I make many errors. I first bought aluminum window screen (didn't thoroughly read this post) and the didn't test the sleeves because the metal edges were clearly going to scratch the film. I re-read your post and ordered a roll of nylon window screen. The screen I got has little tension, and the test sheets I developed did have some screen impression left on the negatives. Would you happen to have any idea what brand of screen you purchased from Home Depot?

[cp_photo]

I am another happy SP445 user. Having never developed film before, I found it easy to load and use. Now that I have the process down I am using it regularly.
That said I have also checked out the "B&W King" stainless tanks (4x5 and 5x7) and they look like a good option too.

[ericantonio]

I was lucky enough to try a bunch of different things cause I've processed for a living. I've done them in hangers and basket for a while and smaller runs in trays. Then we got a new-fangled machine called a Jobo. I thought they were great, we had to change times a little bit cause they spun around constant so agitation was all the time. Then later on in life, I had to have darkroom with no room for a processor and I've tried btzs tubes, nikor tank, and the square Yankee thing.

Hands down, for me, for doing consistent, and this is going to be different for you and how you work and what your comfort level is as well as the size of your workspace, for me is doing 4x5's trays. That's just me. I think it's super easy, less equipment, just a lot of less stuff.

But you may find yourself pretty good at one or more of the other products. You'll have to try it out.

EDIT:
Since you title was "best to use tank", I think the best I have used is the Jobo. Next after that was BTZS tubes, but I overfilled them more than the cap amount cause I'm paranoid. Heck you only have 1 shot at a good neg, not need to skimp on a few oz of developer. Then after that, I think I like the Yankee. I've only used the Nikor once or twice.

[Bruce Watson]

BTZS tubes here. After years of developing 4x5 negs in trays, I tried these and never looked back. Super even development, capability of different times in the same batch, daylight developing, easy-foolproof loading, minimal chemistry. etc.

I tried and ignobly failed at BTZS tubes. I tried all kinds of things but was never able to maintain consistency from batch to batch. Some negs would be stellar, some the uneven development you could see across the room while the negs were hanging to dry.

I finally gave up and went Jobo. Thousands of perfectly developed sheets with a 3010 tank. Talk about perfectly even skies. Worked beyond perfectly well for me.

But really, one should use whatever works. If one can establish a comfortable and reliable workflow, one can quit worrying about that and put more effort into the art. And for me at least that's what it's all about, and that's what I did.

[Kinografx]

I'm gonna throw in for the taco too- I use black hair bands and fit 4 sheets in a stainless tank made for 2-120 reels (or 4 35mm reels) but halfway through the fix i pull each sheet and roll the band a skootch either direction,then once again during the wash, and I've never had a problem with marks. I would love to try the sp445 but i think it wouldnt work with stand developing in hc-110 (too little syrup in dil/G for 4 sheets)

[Kirk Gittings]

I can't imagine how you could get uneven development with BTZS tubes. To me they are pretty foolproof. I wonder if you ever saw Fred's demo video? It's on youtube these days. Did you differ much from his MO? I do differ from it but not because of uneven development.

I tried and ignobly failed at BTZS tubes. I tried all kinds of things but was never able to maintain consistency from batch to batch. Some negs would be stellar, some the uneven development you could see across the room while the negs were hanging to dry.

I finally gave up and went Jobo. Thousands of perfectly developed sheets with a 3010 tank. Talk about perfectly even skies. Worked beyond perfectly well for me.

But really, one should use whatever works. If one can establish a comfortable and reliable workflow, one can quit worrying about that and put more effort into the art. And for me at least that's what it's all about, and that's what I did.

Easier to just increase the concentration. Overfilling the caps can cause other problems.

Next after that was BTZS tubes, but I overfilled them more than the cap amount cause I'm paranoid. Heck you only have 1 shot at a good neg, not need to skimp on a few oz of developer.

[Bruce Watson]

I can't imagine how you could get uneven development with BTZS tubes. To me they are pretty foolproof.

I wish I had saved some of my failures. They would have made you laugh for sure. Some fools (like me) are ingenious. But really, I'm just a klutz. But the answer might well be that I just never had anyone show me "how it was done" even though I did actually read the instructions. So who is this "Fred"?

Doesn't matter, we all have to find what works for us. For me that was a Jobo CPP2 and a 3010 tank.

[1erCru]

The SP 445 is great. Haven't had many processing mistakes and all of them weren't related to the tank. As far as it being the best , I couldt say as it is my first tank and I scan, so outright consistency and perfection isn't something I'm sensitive to.

[AtlantaTerry]

I use a Combi-Plan for small batches of 4x5" film and for larger batches, I use Kodak #4A stainless steel racks in plastic tubs that I (finally) found at a Dollar Tree store. Both work well for me.