Cescolite Development Tray Question

[Salmo22]

My elderly Kodak Duraflex development trays, originally my father's, are ready to be retired. I'm looking at several options and found the Cescolite dimple-bottom trays interesting. They are more expensive than the Cescolite's flat-bottom trays. Are the dimple-bottom versions intended to prevent negatives from sticking on the bottom during development? Would that be a concern for prints also? I don't tray develop my negatives and I haven't had prints stick to the bottom of the Kodak trays. Trying to understand if there is rationale to spend the extra shells on the dimples?

All feedback and comments are appreciated.

[Richard Wasserman]

I used Cescolite flat bottom trays for many many years without an issue—for prints not film. They were my favorite trays

[Oren Grad]

I've not done tray development of negatives, but with prints in a flat-bottom tray I sometimes have trouble with the print sinking to the bottom of the tray and being difficult to grab quickly and cleanly when it's time to move it to the next tray. I use mostly Paterson trays but also have some Cesco dimpled trays - either type makes it easy for me to get tongs or a finger underneath the print to grasp it securely. (I do use a large Cesco flat-bottom tray for squeegeeing prints after the final wash.)

[Drew Wiley]

Dimpled trays are great. I have a few of the Cesco plastic ones, and a full set of rare stainless steel Cherry brand ones from Japan. In other cases, I've added little hemispherical silicone cabinet door bumpers to the trays (don't use cheaper vinyl equivalents).

[Tin Can]

I have variety

I suggest having all 3

Flat with moats

Dimples ARE great

Grooves can hold more debris

Little new ones with grooves are great for plates

Someday they all will disappear

I also have food SS trays for Pano....oops a pun

[Michael R]

I wouldn’t bother with dimples. Never ever had a problem with any tray. It’s a rectangle with sides.

[Peter Lewin]

I’ll second Oren’s post. I use grooved Paterson trays to develop 4x5 negs, and larger dimpled Cescolite trays for printing. The dimples make it easier to get under the prints to move them from tray to tray. Since you will use the new trays for a long time, I would spend a little more now for long-term convenience.

[Oren Grad]

Since you will use the new trays for a long time...

This. I've never had to replace a tray, have added from time to time to enable extra process steps or when I've needed a new size. The earliest of my Paterson trays are now more than 40 years old, still going strong.

[Tin Can]

This confirmation is really for newbies

We need to help beginners

However we attract few


I wonder why

[Michael R]

This confirmation is really for newbies

We need to help beginners

However we attract few


I wonder why

Because people like to overcomplicate everything about the photographic process, including trivialities, with nonsense.