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Thread: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

  1. #1

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    Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    So in the past, I've only developed sheet film in trays with constant shuffling.

    I've been working in rollfilm mostly as of late, and am now using Pyrocat HD with a minimal agitation scheme.

    What's the best way to do something similar with sheet film? Considering the HP Combiplan tank, traditional film hangers and deep tanks, a Jobo tank with the big reels, or maybe a slosher-type tray.

    Suggestions welcome.

  2. #2
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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    Minimal agitation: continuous agitation for the first minute.Then agitate for 15 secs. each consecutive minute, or two, until the developing time has expired.

    The film remains motionless between cycles while the developer exhausts in the heavily exposed areas of the negative. Compensating effect, and increases accutance.

    Slosher development is tray development. Difficult to allow the film to remain motionless in the developer between agitation cycles.

    Rotary is continuous agitation.

    The Combi-Plan tank is similar to a roll film tank. Easier to allow film to remain still between agitation cycles.

    IMHO, dip-and dunk in deep tanks is the simplest way to accomplish minimal agitation.

  3. #3
    http://www.spiritsofsilver.com tgtaylor's Avatar
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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    Quote Originally Posted by Gem Singer View Post
    IMHO, dip-and dunk in deep tanks is the simplest way to accomplish minimal agitation.
    Gem Singer,

    Would developing in Kodak Hard Rubber Tanks qualify as dip-n-dunk in deep tanks?

    Thanks,

    Thomas

  4. #4
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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    Thomas,

    Yes, it does.

    It's not a matter of the size of the tanks or the material that it they are made of.

    Dip-and dunk film processing: Carried out in total darkness. Film is held in hangers (usually made of stainless steel), and the hangers are dipped and dunked in individual tanks of developer, stop, and fixer.

    The film is usually washed in the same hangers, then removed from the hangers and hung to dry

  5. #5

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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    I've been using trays to great affect with pyrocat-HD & HP5 / FP4... I'll agitate first minute and then about 10 or 15 seconds 3 more times until I reach about 18 minutes. This has worked really well for me and my negatives are definitely superior to those from when I used to do constant agitation (sorry, no scanner to share).

    The MAJOR drawback that I'm dealing with is that trays can only process one sheet at a time (8x10 film in 11x14 tray) or maybe two (4x5)... I'd love to hear if someone has a solution to this issue when using trays?

    I know Photo Formulary sells trays that have dividers in place such that you may be able to process 6 4x5 or 4 8x10 shees separately but don't have the space for something like a 32x40" tray in my little bathroom/darkroom.

  6. #6

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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    Quote Originally Posted by J Ney View Post
    I know Photo Formulary sells trays that have dividers in place such that you may be able to process 6 4x5 or 4 8x10 shees separately but don't have the space for something like a 32x40" tray in my little bathroom/darkroom.
    This was the slosher tray I was considering...

    For rollfilm, I've been doing 1 min agitation followed by 10 sec every 3 min per Sandy King's instructions for Pyrocat HD; I used to do 10 sec/min with Xtol.

  7. #7

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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    I use the traditional film hangers, plus I sometimes use a black tube made for holding welding rods to do one at a time. 8x10.
    juan

  8. #8
    ki6mf's Avatar
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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    I use the HP Combi and when need minimal agitation, like for compensating development, do a diluted developer and agitation every 2 minutes. With diluted developer I use a longer development time. I don't invert the tanks though they could inverted!
    Wally Brooks

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  9. #9
    God loves a tryer Scotty230358's Avatar
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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    For minimal agitation I use a Jobo 2500 series tank and a 2509 spiral. The only disadvantage is that it needs nearly 1500ml of chemicals.

  10. #10

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    Re: Sheet film: Minimal agitation

    I recently bought one of those plastic inserts for a paterson tank for this very purpose. I don't have it yet so I can't comment on it's use, but it should be ideal! It uses a Paterson 3 reel tank, so 1L of chemistry for 6 sheets.

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