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Thread: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

  1. #21

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    For many years used CIBACHROME processing drums on top of Unicolor Unirollers. They very simply just work. 5-10% the cost of similar JOBO equipment. Only when I started shooting a lot more did I invest in JOBO EXPERT drums and a STARK SST4 rotary processing unit. But even now when I shoot only one or 2 sheets of film go back to tray processing or using the CIBACHROME drums and the Unicolor Unirollers. Got away from tray processing (obviously in the dark) only when I changed developers and 20 minute processing times were the norm...

  2. #22

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan9940 View Post
    If you don't mind sharing, how do you agitate with the hangers? I've tried just about every technique I've read about and never been totally successful. The closet I came to success was lift/tilt left, lift/tilt right. However, if I'm not real smooth (and real slow) when dropping the hanger back into the developer, I'll get slight surge marks from the developer "spurting" up through the holes in the bottom trough (8x10). Didn't have this issue with 4-up 4x5 because the drain holes are on the sides. Also, I've seen a slight density change along random edges of the film.

    Any tips, tricks, insight you'd care to share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    Alan
    The way Oliver Gagliani taught us at his Virginia City, Nevada workshop, one second per motion, up & down twice, up & to left, down, up and to the right, down up & down twice.

  3. #23

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    Quote Originally Posted by Luis-F-S View Post
    The way Oliver Gagliani taught us at his Virginia City, Nevada workshop, one second per motion, up & down twice, up & to left, down, up and to the right, down up & down twice.
    OK, if I'm counting right that would be a total of 10 secs to complete an agitation cycle? For the up/down motion, are the hangers lifted completely clear of the tank? Sure seems like those quick motions would cause increased turbulence around the drain holes and troughs, but if Oliver taught it that way I'll certainly give it a try.

    Thanks!

  4. #24
    Andrej Gregov
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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    I would keep things simple as you're spinning up and just use 8x10 trays. You never know, you might decide against 8x10 for a variety of reasons once you get going. No sense in purchasing a bunch of fancy equipment that you'll just need to unload. And I say this as a Jobo CPP3 owner.

    I took a workshop with Michael Smith several years back and he used to snicker at the mechanical Jobo processors. Not because they were poor but for 8x10, you can process up to five sheets of film in a 3005 tank. Michael said he would process a dozen or more sheets of film at a time in a 11 x 14 tray. He said it would take him forever to process the hundreds of sheets of film he would return with from a shoot five at time. It's a favorite memory with him at that workshop as it illustrated (to me at least) that fancy equipment isn't always the answer. He also had a saying, "If it was good enough for Edward Weston, it was good enough for him." Definitely no tank based systems in Weston's day--all tray processed and those are pretty darn good images.

    So, that's a long winded way of saying just go with tray processing to begin. Use the shuffle method, start with say 4-5 sheets in an 8x10 tray, agitate and every 30 seconds take a sheet from the bottom of the tray and move it to the top. An extra bonus, if the tray method agrees with you, you can later move to development by inspection (using brief bursts green light) and make incredibly high quality negatives for printing. Ilford film is more affordable than Kodak. Arista EDU even more affordable than Ilford. You don't need to start with expired product if you prefer not to.

  5. #25

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    @agregov, assuming your reply above was directed at me, I've been shooting 8x10 for 40 years and tray processed my film for the first 15 years. I gave that all up when I got a Jobo CPP-2 and the Expert Drums. The Jobo provided much "cleaner" negs that I ever got with tray processing. However, over the years I've experimented with other development techniques and processes. I mainly use the tanks & hangers for pyro development and minimal agitation techniques; which is why I'd like to master that process. To date, I haven't reached a technique that provides the kind of neg I'm looking for.

  6. #26
    Andrej Gregov
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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    Hi Alan, good to meet you. No, I was simply commenting to the original poster. Sorry, didn't think my response might get tangled in other conversations, otherwise I would have quoted in the post. Apologies. In any event, if you detect any slight negativity in my response, it's more to 8x10 in general than anything else. Zero comment on the wonderful results you can get from 8x10. Just for me personally...I find it a difficult format to work with in the field size wise, with the large cameras and film holders. And processing in a Jobo is somewhat concerning (again for me) as motor strain dealing with the heavier 3005 drum and more chemistry the drum requires for 5 sheets is always on my mind. I've blown a motor before (to be fair an older Jobo not the CPP3) so I approach my processing with care. Pre Jobo, my processing for 4x5 was hangers and it worked quite well. But I wouldn't trade the Jobo for anything. I find for 4x5 especially, processing 10 sheets at a time in the 3010, just brilliant. You can crank through a large amount of processing fast and with very precise results you mention. I also work in C41 so the processor is crucial for my darkroom. That said, I wouldn't recommend a Jobo to someone new to working with sheet film. As you know, it's a significant investment and has its own learning curve. Cheers. Andrej

  7. #27
    bob carnie's Avatar
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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    For regular 8 x 10 film I use Jobo , but I do an initial twist and invert for 15 seconds or so to get the chems on the film as fast as possible.. My main developer has been PMK .

    For my personal work I use 8 x 10 hangers and do two at a time in a custom developer Metol based and half way through the dev I give a blast of point light source exposure.
    then continue on in the deep tanks.

  8. #28

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    Hi Andrej, luckily, my CPP-2 has a late enough serial number that it has the upgraded motor to better handle the weight of filled Expert Drums. I run 5 sheets of 8x10 in a 3005 drum with 1.5L of solution. I do have to increase the speed control a bit to maintain proper rotation speed, but I've not burned up a motor, yet. I agree with you that the Jobo (if one can justify the expense and is willing to mount the learning curve) is the way to go for LF film. To date, no development technique I've ever tried provides as even development; though, the jury is still out with the Stearman SP-8x10 tank. I've only processed a few sheets in this tank, but I'm mightily impressed with what I've seen so far. Only thing there is that it's single sheet at a time.

    Not sure if I got this from Bob C. (probably), but I do run PMK development in my Expert Drums using a total of 2L developer--1L for first half of development, dump, then another fresh liter for the second half. I've never had any oxidation issue with PMK in a rotary setup following this technique.

    Yeah, 8x10 in the field can be daunting. Nowadays, I use an Intrepid 8x10, Fuji C lenses, and a carbon fiber tripod. Everything, except the tripod, fits into a Kelty P2 backpack and weighs <20 lbs. If I want to carry more than 1 or 2 holders, I use an RPT cascading film holder case with a shoulder strap. At 67 years young, I can carry this setup pretty far into the wilds.

  9. #29

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan9940 View Post
    The Jobo provided much "cleaner" negs that I ever got with tray processing.
    In my experience, by continuously agitating the tray I get exactly the same negative than with the JOBO. I find the ATL 2500+ very convenient because processing is automated, but I find several drawbacks compared to tray developement:

    > Low agitation compensation cannot be used.

    > Some developers can be oxydized if not, with mostly undesired effects.

    > Continuous agitation does not provide Edge effects, but this is only a drawback for small formats.


    Recently, the new edition of The Film Development Cookbook mentioned all that, raising some controversy, but what is pointed in that book is just the reality, IMO.

    IMO in many situations rotary is good, but trays are more flexible.

  10. #30

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    Re: 8x10 film dev - what do you use as a process?

    Pere,

    All valid points that I totally agree with. Don't always process with my Job; all depends on what I'm trying to accomplish.

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