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Thread: Stearman Press SP-810

  1. #21

    Join Date
    Aug 2019
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    16

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Did my first E6 8x10 sheet today in the SP-8x10. Came out perfekt, no defects, streaks or anything like that.
    Quality of the tank is very high and its very easy to use.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here is the process I used:
    - Fold the film sheet like a taco for 10s while loading the tray to create a small bend in the film, allowing faster wetting of the film. https://youtu.be/0WdzqOWl4h8?t=185
    - Heat chemicals to 40°C
    - Pre-soak with 40°C water for 1min
    - Agitation 1min initially, then 10s (lift 5 times) every 30s
    - Agitation method was to lift the tray slightly in the front, causing a gentle wave lengthwise.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Best regards
    Klas
    Last edited by howlingsun; 7-Feb-2020 at 05:50.

  2. #22

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Congratulations!
    Excuse me. Can you please tell me what Taco means?
    Chamonix 45N-2, Chamonix 45H-1

  3. #23

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    Aug 2019
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quote Originally Posted by younghoon Kil View Post
    Congratulations!
    Excuse me. Can you please tell me what Taco means?
    To create some small curve to the film to help the fluid go underneath. I updated the post above with some details.

  4. #24

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Thank you for a detailed description. ;-)
    Chamonix 45N-2, Chamonix 45H-1

  5. #25

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    Aug 2015
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    182

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quick note to say that I've just bought two of these for 8x10, and did my first two sheets last night (using Pyrocat HD). Really great for small spaces - a big advantage over using BTZS tubes, since no need for other large trays and/or a darkroom for the later stages after stop. Also don't need to keep going in and out of changing tent to change caps. Slightly quicker overall developing times than tubes even with non-constant agitation, since the fix and wash steps don't need to be so long, as the scallops in the base of the tray allow for chemistry to cover both sides of the film. The lid is a loose fit, which was a bit unnerving at first, but no problem in the end.

    Only disadvantage compared with tubes that I can see so far is that they're more fiddly to dry (lots of narrow internal grooves/channels), meaning that it's a bit more difficult to do multiple sheets of 8x10 in a single session. Anyone got any good tips for quick and easy drying beyond use of kitchen towel? Perhaps Q-tips/cotton buds; possibly also a hairdryer on low heat setting to blow the recalicitrant drops of water out. Thoughts?
    http://www.davidfearnphotography.co.uk
    see too my 5x4 and 8x10 flickr albums

  6. #26

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quote Originally Posted by DaveF View Post
    Quick note to say that I've just bought two of these for 8x10
    Excellent, I just caught your last photos in my Flickr feed and was hoping you would provide a review. (FWIW, I'm just starting to use a repurposed Paterson Orbital for 5x7...good to know there's a Plan B out there if it doesn't work out.)

  7. #27
    Exploring Large Format Exploring Large Format's Avatar
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quote Originally Posted by DaveF View Post
    Quick note to say that I've just bought two of these for 8x10, and did my first two sheets last night (using Pyrocat HD). Really great for small spaces - a big advantage over using BTZS tubes, since no need for other large trays and/or a darkroom for the later stages after stop. Also don't need to keep going in and out of changing tent to change caps. Slightly quicker overall developing times than tubes even with non-constant agitation, since the fix and wash steps don't need to be so long, as the scallops in the base of the tray allow for chemistry to cover both sides of the film. The lid is a loose fit, which was a bit unnerving at first, but no problem in the end.

    Only disadvantage compared with tubes that I can see so far is that they're more fiddly to dry (lots of narrow internal grooves/channels), meaning that it's a bit more difficult to do multiple sheets of 8x10 in a single session. Anyone got any good tips for quick and easy drying beyond use of kitchen towel? Perhaps Q-tips/cotton buds; possibly also a hairdryer on low heat setting to blow the recalicitrant drops of water out. Thoughts?
    Just watched a new Stearman video last night where Tim makes the point that unlike with the SP-445, you don't have to fully dry out the 8x10 tank. Thanks for the review. Here's his link:

    https://youtu.be/1fTZmuVrVwk

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

  8. #28

    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    182

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quote Originally Posted by Exploring Large Format View Post
    Just watched a new Stearman video last night where Tim makes the point that unlike with the SP-445, you don't have to fully dry out the 8x10 tank. Thanks for the review. Here's his link:

    https://youtu.be/1fTZmuVrVwk

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

    Thanks for this: very helpful. Seem to have missed that video.

    Re. not drying the tanks fully, am I to assume that that's to do with the fact that you need to do a pre-soak with these? I've always been diligent to completely dry all my tanks etc. - a habit from when I almost exclusively used E6 5x4 on my Jobo, without a presoak - here the tanks would definitely need to be completely dry to ensure no uneven spread of first dev. A combination of getting into b&w and 8x10 more, and a motor fault on my Jobo, means that I mainly process 8x10 now, with Pyrocat HD and FP4+ (where a 5-minute presoak is a good idea anyway).

    The detail about the final wash is also very helpful - and time-saving. For my first attempts I took the film out and washed it separately for 15 minutes. Leaving it in the tray and rinsing it 7 times over about 10 mins, as per the instructions, is quicker still (I imagined that something like this ought to be possible) - though I guess I want to have a look at the neg sooner rather than later!!
    http://www.davidfearnphotography.co.uk
    see too my 5x4 and 8x10 flickr albums

  9. #29

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    182

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Thanks for this - I too had been considering the Patersons, but I thought I'd go with these, rather than having to find a couple of Patersons on ebay and then figure out what modifications to make. The Stearman trays work really well, are compact, and you can pop them back in their slim cardboard boxes when you've finished, to keep the dust away. As with my BTZS tubes, I'm getting into the habit of writing a note of the sheet number/subject, dev time, and N+/- on a piece of masking tape to stick to the lid during the process.
    I reckon that by using these I've cut down the surface space I need to do the processing by about 3/4. The only other things you need are a bunch of different plastic jugs with the different chemicals preloaded.

    And here are those first two images processed. I can confirm from spotting at 300% that there were virtually no scratches, minimal amounts of dust, and just a few hairs to get rid of.

    I got my trays in the UK from Silverprint, but I think a few other dealers may stock them too.





    Magpie Mine, Derbyshire Peak District; Chamonix 810V, Nikkor-M 450 and Nikkor-SW 150, FP4+
    http://www.davidfearnphotography.co.uk
    see too my 5x4 and 8x10 flickr albums

  10. #30

    Join Date
    Oct 2015
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    1,573

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Got my SP-8x10 in the mail, yesterday, and processed an 8x10 sheet of B&W film. Per my post #2, I was concerned about even development as I've never had great success with any form of tray development; though the shuffle method came the closest to even development for me. Anyway, the most severe test I know of to determine if your development method is resulting in even development is to expose a sheet of film of an evenly lit card placed on Zone VI. Any minute difference in density in the developed film is easily seen on a lightbox. I used Tim's "panning" method of agitation and I'm happy to report that I got absolutely even development across the entire sheet of film! As a matter of fact, I'd go as far to say that it's the equal to results from my Jobo Expert drums! The SP-8x10 will be such a nice alternative when I have only a few sheets to process and don't feel like setting up the Jobo.

    Thanks, Tim, for such a wonderful product!

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