Originally Posted by
Paul Ewins
Based on your requirements I would look for a CPP2+ because of the following:
a. You want to do colour, so fine temperature control is required. The CPP2 is better than the CPA, the ATL units will also achieve the right result.
b. You are doing low volumes, so the larger ATL units are overkill.
c. The smaller ATL1000 won't take expert drums, so although you can process six 4x5 sheets in a little 2521 drum, when it comes to whole plate or 8x10 you will be doing two sheets at a time in a print drum and hoping they won't slip around and scratch. A 3005 will do five 8x10 sheets at once.
I have three 3010 drums, three 3005 drums and one 3063 drum with four lids between them. Drums without lids come up on ebay occasionally and are cheaper, but the same lid fits all of these drums (and the 3006). I find the 3010 a lot easier to load than the 2509 reels that go in the 25xx drums. Yes, they do a better processing job than other drums, but quantifying how much better is impossible.
Chemicals are so much cheaper than film that I use them one shot if I can, just to be sure. This usually means that I would have the same amount of solution in either style of drum as this is the amount required to develop the amount of film in the drum.
i.e. if I used it at full strength I might need more developer to make sure that the film is completely covered. With dilute developer I have (more than) enough solution to cover the film and have enough developer to actually develop the film.
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