4x5 B&W development - no processor

[David Schaller]

I use the Jobo tank for hand inversion exclusively. Yes, it’s a lot of chemistry, but I use Pyrocat HD, so it’s very economical.

[Alan9940]

I've been tray processing 4x5 film for 35+ years.

We're all different, of course, and have greater/lesser abilities with regard technique, but I tray processed 4x5 and 8x10 film for my first 15 years of LF photography and never gave it a thought. I was happily doing my thing until I got a Jobo and the Expert Drums in the mid-90's. When I did some stress testing to compare evenness of development between what I had been doing in trays (shuffle method, btw) vs the Jobo drums I was shocked to see what truly even development in sheet film looked like (hint: the Jobo won hands down!) Been running the Jobo for over 25 years now and, as you said, I've never looked back.

[xkaes]

My experience is similar -- but I made the switch a little sooner, partly in order to save the cost of chemicals, and give everything FRESH chemicals each time. My switch was to Colourtronic tubes and water baths -- basically the poor man's JOBO.

And no more space wasting, spill-causing trays!!! And I can turn the lights ON too!!!

[nitroplait]

I don't think the MOD54 has been mentioned yet. Fits in a Paterson tank. The MOD54 unit is a little overpriced for what it is, but not unreasonably so.
Works great if you have average fine motor skills, but see the inventors videos first to avoid frustrations.

[Tom Monego]

I have been using a Nikor cage tank for years, can take up to 12 sheets in 1200cc of liquid. Thich is pushing most developers capacity, so I generally use 8 sheets. I have a thin pipe that keeps the film from pistoning using inversion agitation. With this I don't have any problem with uneven developing which was an issue when learning how to use the tank. I started with a Yankee tank, but it was messy.

[Vaidotas]

http://davidkachel.com/wpNewDK/wp-co...gInTubes-1.pdf

this has been my technique for the last 25 years or so. I've only used it for fairly low volumes -- 5 sheets of 4x5 in an 8x10 tray for example, but It's been a good method for me.

The only issue I've had is the antihalation dye does not get 100% removed from Kodak T-Max films (and possibly others). A fairly short bath after fixing in something mildly alkaline fixes it up just fine. In my case I use the exhausted developer from the same run (I use dev exclusively one-shot) and it's fine, but 10g of sodium carbonate in a liter of water is just as good. I do a two step fix. First fix in the tubes, second fix in little sandwich sized trays, one sheet to a tray. Then the alkalai bath, then wash in the tiny trays.

I mostly use ilford sheet films and with them have not had the AH dye issue.

+1

[xkaes]

I started with a Yankee tank, but it was messy.

There are different Yankee tanks -- I use two types. "Messiness" varies.

[nolindan]

The Jobo tanks work very well. I use the spiral reel variety with no problems. You can get a motorized roller base on ebay to agitate the tank - the bases were originally used for agitating color printing drums.

If you are only doing a few sheets then tray development works fine - but doing 8-12 sheets in a tray without scratches takes a lot of legerdemain.