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Thread: BTZS Tubes in daylight

  1. #1

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    BTZS Tubes in daylight

    Hi all,
    I am evaluating the BTZS tubes to be used to develop 4x5".
    As far as I know the film is still very sensitive to light along the whole process.
    The instructions for the tubes state that you can unscrew the tap at the end of the development and immerse the tube in the stop. At the end you remove the film from the tube and put in the fixer.

    Anyone has some experience with this system?
    No issue with lights moving from development to stop and then to fixer?

    Thanks


    Mario
    Mario

  2. #2
    Payral's Avatar
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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    Give it a try, it's very easy to know.

  3. #3

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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    I use a very dim light to move the tubes to the stop and have had no problems.

  4. #4

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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    It means you do not know or are you encouraging to try?

    Mario
    Mario

  5. #5
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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    In his book "Beyond the Zone System", Phil Davis says it as follows (emphasis added):

    "About 5 seconds before each time expires, remove a tube from the water bath, and holding it over the sink drain or the waste container, quickly remove the cap, dump the developer, and plunge the tube into the acid stop bath tray. Roll it for a few seconds with one hand, using the other to continue agitating the remaining tubes in the water bath. If this operation is carried out in dim light and completed within a few seconds, there is virtually no danger of fogging the films." (In the third edition which I have, this is on page 79, figure 6-9j.)

    Yes, I have actually done this successfully, both in Phil's darkroom during a visit and in my own.

  6. #6

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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    Quote Originally Posted by Oren Grad View Post
    In his book "Beyond the Zone System", Phil Davis says it as follows (emphasis added):

    "About 5 seconds before each time expires, remove a tube from the water bath, and holding it over the sink drain or the waste container, quickly remove the cap, dump the developer, and plunge the tube into the acid stop bath tray. Roll it for a few seconds with one hand, using the other to continue agitating the remaining tubes in the water bath. If this operation is carried out in dim light and completed within a few seconds, there is virtually no danger of fogging the films." (In the third edition which I have, this is on page 79, figure 6-9j.)

    Yes, I have actually done this successfully, both in Phil's darkroom during a visit and in my own.

    Works just fine. It's a bit scary at first, but I have never had a problem.
    ____________________________________________

    Richard Wasserman

    https://www.rwasserman.com/

  7. #7

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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    I can confirm. Dim light and expeditious operation = no issues.

    Disclaimer: I’ve only tried with up to iso 125 film, not 400 or higher though.

    And get everything ready. Don’t open it and realize “oh shoot I didn’t mix the fixer”. Not that that’s ever happened to me ;-)

  8. #8

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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    Developer/development has a mild desensitizing effect, which means you should be ok moving quickly from developer to stop bath in dim, indirect light. This will depend on the film, the amount of light etc. Generally, people who use tubes in this way don't seem to have/report, or notice fogging issues. If it were me, I would do it in the dark, but that's just me.

    Once development has been stopped and developer neutralized in the stop bath, the risk of fogging is significantly lower (unless you use an alkaline fixer) but I would still keep the lights dim (or off).

    Quote Originally Posted by Fermat View Post
    Hi all,
    I am evaluating the BTZS tubes to be used to develop 4x5".
    As far as I know the film is still very sensitive to light along the whole process.
    The instructions for the tubes state that you can unscrew the tap at the end of the development and immerse the tube in the stop. At the end you remove the film from the tube and put in the fixer.

    Anyone has some experience with this system?
    No issue with lights moving from development to stop and then to fixer?

    Thanks


    Mario

  9. #9

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    Jun 2001
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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    I transfer the film to metal hangers for fixing and washing in the same dim light. it's always been fine. I'm using FP4
    ____________________________________________

    Richard Wasserman

    https://www.rwasserman.com/

  10. #10
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    Re: BTZS Tubes in daylight

    I've since moved on to a Jobo, but during my early LF days when I was using BTZS tubes, I just ran the whole process through fixing under my safelight - not because of the spectral filtering, which didn't help for panchromatic film, but simply because it was a ready-made source of controlled, consistent dim light.

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