JOBO ATL 3 or a CPP

[ltbphoto]

If you're willing to be an early adopter, the Dev.a seems like it might fit the bill for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWCJ-WaazsY&t=11s

[norly]

If you're willing to be an early adopter, the Dev.a seems like it might fit the bill for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWCJ-WaazsY&t=11s

I was going to write: Im photographing 4x5s... not really a early adopter type. But it actually looks quite nice . If it works..

The price for a new CPP3 is quite high. But the use of expert drums seems like a must for sheet film. The Dev.A machine is ruffly the same. No expert drums thou.

Many thanks for all the input. I think I left the old ATL track and will search a late model CPP2 or a new CPP3.

Best regards

[norly]

If you're willing to be an early adopter, the Dev.a seems like it might fit the bill for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWCJ-WaazsY&t=11s

For anyone considering the Dev.A machine. I wrote them and got this:

"The Dev.a is not an ideal sheet film processing machine. Limited quantities of sheet films can be run, but for any level of high volume processing of sheet films, a different machine would be more suitable. If you want to use Expert drums, the best solution would be a CPP3."

+points to Catlabs for fast reply!

[Raspberry Factory]

pondering the same question.
I found the English manual from 1990 online:

http://luigipasto.com/files/document...atl3manual.pdf

my key take-aways:
It's heavy: 328 lb or almost 150 kg to transport and move around means at least two people to drag and drop the thing.
It requires 16 amp capable breakers/fuses
3500 Watt on warm up.
up to. 800 watts during operation.
Overall this is industrial grade equipment for a Lab, not pro-sumer or 'pro'.
The plus is that its taking all the drums available ( I believe).
If you develop 1000 films per year it's a consideration, but likely getting parts replaced is going to give you considerable downtime.

I am looking now at a device only 400 km away, but it has no tanks and no drums, likely not operated in years - so even if only transport was the hassle, it's not for me.

[sperdynamite]

As a lab owner, professionals mail me film every day of the week. I don't think anyone who has taken the time to carefully package their film and use a tracked shipping method has ever lost a package, at least going to my lab. When you look at other labs around the country much larger than mine, such as Indie Film Lab, The FIND Lab, Richard Photo Lab, North Coast Photographic Services, State Film Lab...the list goes on....I can tell you most of their film is mail order these days. People in NYC and LA have the luxury of local labs, most other areas don't. Even the big shops in Boston closed so that's why most of New England sends their film to me unless they use one of the other big shops. The mail is just nothing to be afraid of.

A CPP3 is an amazing machine if you have the time to devote to it. The ATL3 is just an automatic version of that, which is more geared toward high volume. It needs to be plumbed in and connected to a drain. It's also gigantic. I run an ATL3 and an ATL2500, plus a Noritsu V30. They all take up a lot of space and require a willingness to do maintenance and solve problems. If you're doing your own work and can stand to run 10 sheets in a go, get the CPP3.

But don't think you can't use mail order labs. You're just as likely to have an equipment failure or make a processing mistake as UPS or FedEx are likely to irretrievably lose your package.

[nbagno]

I’ve had good luck with jobo’s, although it helps if you can work on them yourself.

[r.e.]

As a lab owner, professionals mail me film every day of the week... Even the big shops in Boston closed so that's why most of New England sends their film to me unless they use one of the other big shops.

Which lab do you own?

[sperdynamite]

Which lab do you own?

It's called Northeast Photographic. (https://www.northeastphotographic.com)

We are located in the mid-coast region of Maine.

[angusparker]

I was going to write: Im photographing 4x5s... not really a early adopter type. But it actually looks quite nice . If it works..

The price for a new CPP3 is quite high. But the use of expert drums seems like a must for sheet film. The Dev.A machine is ruffly the same. No expert drums thou.

Many thanks for all the input. I think I left the old ATL track and will search a late model CPP2 or a new CPP3.

Best regards

Expert drums, especially for 4x5 are a game changer - since you can develop 10 sheets at a time. For sure I would get at least two 4x5 Expert drums so you have a dry one waiting and loaded for the second round of developing. The drum and bath in the Dev.a look tiny in comparison to the CPP2. I have to say that the Expert drum makes me what to develop batches of 4x5 and shoot more film, as does the ability to put multiple 120 rolls in the various standard Jobo tubes. Doing anything a roll or sheet at a time is a PITA.

[angusparker]

As a lab owner, professionals mail me film every day of the week. I don't think anyone who has taken the time to carefully package their film and use a tracked shipping method has ever lost a package, at least going to my lab. When you look at other labs around the country much larger than mine, such as Indie Film Lab, The FIND Lab, Richard Photo Lab, North Coast Photographic Services, State Film Lab...the list goes on....I can tell you most of their film is mail order these days. People in NYC and LA have the luxury of local labs, most other areas don't. Even the big shops in Boston closed so that's why most of New England sends their film to me unless they use one of the other big shops. The mail is just nothing to be afraid of.

A CPP3 is an amazing machine if you have the time to devote to it. The ATL3 is just an automatic version of that, which is more geared toward high volume. It needs to be plumbed in and connected to a drain. It's also gigantic. I run an ATL3 and an ATL2500, plus a Noritsu V30. They all take up a lot of space and require a willingness to do maintenance and solve problems. If you're doing your own work and can stand to run 10 sheets in a go, get the CPP3.

But don't think you can't use mail order labs. You're just as likely to have an equipment failure or make a processing mistake as UPS or FedEx are likely to irretrievably lose your package.

Wise words. I think E6 and C41 don't make a lot of sense to do oneself - too likely to make a mistake, have old chemicals, have the machine breakdown etc. B&W is a different matter - you don't really need a Jobo for it but it sure makes developing film less messy and more repeatable. I develop all ULF (above 8x10) in trays which works well enough - it really doesn't make sense to use a Jobo tube because you can only develop one or two sheets at a time and the chances of getting a rub mark from a rib in the tube is not zero. 8x10 makes more sense at 5 at a time with the Expert Drum and 4x5 is the real sweet spot with 10 sheets at a time. If Jobo could find a way to do 10 sheets of 8x10 at a time I would be in heaven!