Originally Posted by
grat
I know you didn't mention it, but the SP-445 isn't a bad option. Mine has a distressing tendency to leak (even with the squeeze), partly I suspect because I've noticed once or twice the level on the vent side being higher than the level on the fill side. But it's only one or two drops at most per inversion cycle.
The good news is, it uses very little chemistry-- they claim 475ml, but 450ml is closer (with frames and film, 450ml fills it to the tab inside the fill spout).
I've developed several batches of 4 sheets in the SP-445 with no issues.
There is a new reel available, either from the Film Photography Project (4x5), or from 20th Century Camera (4x5 and all the rest), that consists of 3 3D printed pieces on a tube-- they have versions for 4x5, 5x7, 8x10 and some of the oddballs like 6x9 and 9x12. I haven't used mine yet, but the loading process is fairly easy compared with, say, the mod54 (which I've never liked because it's too easy to get sheets cross-loaded). Lay it on it's side (hexagonal ends), find the load slots, get it started, push with thumbs until it "clicks". Rotate to next side, repeat. Holds 6 sheets, and will fit in jobo/paterson tanks that take 3 reels (for the 4x5-- the 8x10 probably needs a bit more jobo).
The middle clip section looks a little flimsy, but if you don't abuse it, but the printing is well done, and should hold up to normal use.
As for temperature, I get all my chemicals up to 103 (+1 degree) in glass bottles in a water bath, and by the time I've measured and poured them into the developing tank, they're usually at the right temperature and stay that way through the relatively short developer / blix cycles.
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