Trial with the new B's 4x5 Developing reel

[Kiwi7475]

There is defiantly something going on with my developing process that is causing this bubbles and streaky lines. Time to go back to MF Digital I think

I understand your frustration and I’m having issues myself with B’s... but why not use SP-445? I have nothing but great things to say about it. You should try before you give up 4x5.... :-)

[Alan9940]

I understand your frustration and I’m having issues myself with B’s... but why not use SP-445? I have nothing but great things to say about it. You should try before you give up 4x5.... :-)

Except that some of us have had issues with the SP-445, too; like a faint shadow image of the film holder cutouts, or emulsion digs from the little clips that hold the film. Best solution for LF film development, IMO, is the Jobo Expert Drum.

[Kiwi7475]

Except that some of us have had issues with the SP-445, too; like a faint shadow image of the film holder cutouts, or emulsion digs from the little clips that hold the film. Best solution for LF film development, IMO, is the Jobo Expert Drum.

I’d be interested in trying it but at 10x the cost of a SP-445 (not including the Jobo), it’s a tough proposition.

[Alan9940]

I’d be interested in trying it but at 10x the cost of a SP-445 (not including the Jobo), it’s a tough proposition.

You don't need the Jobo itself; the Expert Drum can be run on a motorized base. Some have constructed a simple roller base and rolled the drum manually. The drum itself is certainly quite a bit more expensive than an SP-445, but, in my experience, it's foolproof. We all have different needs, though...

[Fred L]

As someone who has developed 4x5 (and 8x10) in Simma print tubes, on a roller base, all I can say is, pay now, or pay later. The Jobo Expert drums are simply the best out there, imo, for processing sheet films. The pocketbook pain is heavy, no way around that, but you'll have fewer, if any issues, with processing. I have a Jobo CPP-2 (serial 2xxxxx) as well (don't use it much lately) but am seriously looking at the Stark processors.

[Pere Casals]

The Jobo Expert drums are simply the best out there, imo, for processing sheet films.

Jobo Expert is a fantastic product, it's top quality and very useful, but IMHO it isn't the best for processing sheet films, it may be the best for "rotary sheet processing" for some people.

While rotary may be the best for some other may prefer not having continuous agitation... and use agitation as a control factor for compensation in the highlights. Also some may want to prevent any oxydation in the developer.

IMHO the Expert is a very, very good product, but I don't like it at all for BW, I just want trays for that. So this is a YMMV.

[Alan9940]

IMHO the Expert is a very, very good product, but I don't like it at all for BW, I just want trays for that. So this is a YMMV.

No doubt about it. I use homemade tubes for extreme minimal agitation development and tanks/hangers for other minimal agitation techniques. IMO, one size definitely does not fit all when it comes to film development.

[interneg]

Pere, have you actually used an Expert Drum? Or is it a supposition based on inexperience and assumptions about an excessive need for compensating development? How many negatives have you genuinely had to use compensating development on & would they have made better prints if the negative was developed fairly normally and then flash/ fog/ masking used at the print stage if necessary?

[Fred L]

IMHO the Expert is a very, very good product, but I don't like it at all for BW, I just want trays for that. So this is a YMMV.

I wasn't comparing it to trays. It was tanks/reels and drums, as that's what the topic was about. Afaic, it's either the Expert drums, or trays. I'd suggest hangers and tanks, but those inhale chemistry like a camel swallows water in the desert (so to speak).

[interneg]

... it's either the Expert drums, or trays.

As much as people might dislike it, that's the truth of the matter.

I'd suggest hangers and tanks, but those inhale chemistry like a camel swallows water in the desert (so to speak).

Hah - and there are few truly effective hanger/ rack setups - the ones from Hewes are really nice & lock the hangers in place, but otherwise it's pretty inefficient unless you have the consistent throughput to run them replenished with all the process controls implied by that.