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Thread: Stearman Press SP-810

  1. #101
    Foamer
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    I've mostly used my SP810 to process 5x7 film and a few dry plates. Haven't had any issues. Also have used it for 4x5 with no problem, even though having the SP445. Have done maybe a dozen 8x10 sheets with no problem either. Have to wonder if technique is a big factor here. When loading 5x7 I am careful to push it into a corner and close the lid slowly so air currents don't move the sheets.


    Kent in SD
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  2. #102

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    Jul 2017
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    My SP-8x10 came in today so opted to give it a go! I only had a single exposed sheet - Fuji HRU, but I figured that would be a good test. It's still drying and though I over-developed it (not the SP-8x10's fault - definitely mine), the experience was quite lovely! I opted to use the "panning for gold" method and it seems to have worked quite well and seems to have consistent development. Since I overcooked the negative, curious how it may scan and print but the process itself I think will work very well and hope to try it on some Fomapan 200 soon.

    My development was using 510-Pyro at 1:100 for 6 minutes. That was a mistake The other sheet from the same day I had developed a 1:250 for 11 minutes (in an open tray) and that one came out a lot better. I got the time and dilution from the epic HRU thread here and I think that seems about right (of course the way to know for sure is to do film tests). I think 1:100 might end up needing a dev time that's perhaps too short. Anyways none of that has much to do with the SP-8x10 but thought I'd share that in case it's useful. I say it's over-developed just looking at the negative by eye but I'll know more when I scan it and perhaps try to contact print it as early as next week.

    Anyways! Yeah really glad I picked one of these up. It's brilliant!

  3. #103

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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    The SP-810 is really great for b&w. The only drawback is that you can only process 1 8x10 at a time, which is kind of slow. I keep two of them running in parallel to halve the time when I have several sheets to process. Since one only rocks every minute it’s easy enough to switch back and forth.

    For color, specifically E6, it works but I don’t get great results because I can’t really keep it in a water bath to maintain the temp controlled. I can adjust the developer chemistry temp higher at the beginning based on how much the temp drops over the temp time but often I get some color unevenness across the sheet. Like skies non uniformly shifting in blue/purple hues. It’s not a huge amount but it’s just not good enough for me, given how expensive each sheet is. No bueno. If someone knows of a solution, I’m all ears.

  4. #104
    Nodda Duma's Avatar
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Hey Kiwi,

    I’ve developed E-6 8x10 in it — Aerochrome too — and for E6 in general you have to be aggressive in your agitation. For the SP-810 I pick it up and slosh it around as much as I dare. You’ll hear the edges of the film clack against the walls of the developing tray. Being that aggressive seems to help uneven development. I haven’t seen signs of scratching of the bottom gelatin layer (E6 has emulsion layers on both sides).

    -Jason
    Newly made large format dry plates available! Look:
    https://www.pictoriographica.com

  5. #105

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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quote Originally Posted by Nodda Duma View Post
    Hey Kiwi,

    I’ve developed E-6 8x10 in it — Aerochrome too — and for E6 in general you have to be aggressive in your agitation. For the SP-810 I pick it up and slosh it around as much as I dare. You’ll hear the edges of the film clack against the walls of the developing tray. Being that aggressive seems to help uneven development. I haven’t seen signs of scratching of the bottom gelatin layer (E6 has emulsion layers on both sides).

    -Jason
    Thanks for the tip! How do you handle the inevitable temperature drop for the developing phase, do you just adjust higher based on the expected drop so that the average is at the right level, or…?

  6. #106
    Nodda Duma's Avatar
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi7475 View Post
    Thanks for the tip! How do you handle the inevitable temperature drop for the developing phase, do you just adjust higher based on the expected drop so that the average is at the right level, or…?
    Yes, that’s exactly what I do. Start at a slightly higher temp so that the average temp throughout development is exactly what it should be. It works well… I have a few examples in my media feed over on photrio (same ysername)
    Newly made large format dry plates available! Look:
    https://www.pictoriographica.com

  7. #107

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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    I had reported my two 5x7s crossing under the tabs in SP-810. I wanted to close the loop on my issue. I contacted Tim at Stearman Press who happen to live in the next town over. He was gracious enough to me meet me locally and swap out my bowed lid with a flat one. Since then my processing for 4x5s and 5x7s in my SP-810 has gone really well with no sheets crossing over under the middle tabs and getting overlapped, thereby messing up the development. I am extremely pleased with how Tim at Stearman Press handled my issue. On top of that we had the most enjoyable discussion about large format photography when we met.

    If anyone comes to this thread with issue of their 5x7s or 4x5’s overlapping at the end of development, I suggest suspecting the flatness of the top lid and contacting Tim at SP to resolve it.

    I think SP-810 is a beautiful tool and I am looking forward to using it more despite my earlier bad luck with it.

  8. #108

    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    How is everyone getting along with these? Are most of you still using this for 8x10 processing, or gone a different direction? Looking for something to process color 8x10 and recently purchased a Jobo CPE3, but haven't heard good things about the Catlabs CL-81. And as you know, the expert drums don't work on the CPE!

  9. #109

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    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    The tray is fine. The temperature control may be an issues for you.

  10. #110

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    Oct 2015
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    1,573

    Re: Stearman Press SP-810

    I use this tray for 8x10 B&W film when I have only a couple of sheets to process and for 4x5 glass plates. No complaints.

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