RyanDunn

One invaluable tool I use when developing film is the massive development chart app. It's great to keep film/developer combinations in one spot. I like that it has a built in timer, fully customizable and is built off the massive development chart available online. Even though I keep a notebook while out shooting & into the darkroom denoting development sequence, this app helps tie it all together.

+1 what @Henricvs said. The massive dev app is great, customizable & you can keep notes for each entry. I keep notes in a notepad but it's nice to add them there too. Just be sure to back up your favorite list. On one of the last updates (I'm guessing) many of my saved customized film/dev entries were lost. But the timer function is the best part! Where it tick tocks & beeps for agitation cycle that's preset, or customized.

@pedro_hing_ that's some ingenuity there. It would be perfect for the stock 5 L rapid fixer I use. What particular brand of (boxed wine) bladder do you use & how do you fill it up? If I remember Franzia boxed wine is clear & thought the spout is "welded" to the bladder.

Thank you kmac for those links! That's very helpful.

Check - the Body & 120 back are both proS. (The 220 is a Pro, but I haven't used it since to the advance issue) I'll have to double check the revolving back, I'm 95% sure it is. I was planning on taking it off to clean behind it as well. I'll double check it's the right one. That's a good suggestion on the back, & sounds like the issue. When I get home later this afternoon I'll look it over & msg you about cleaning them. Thank you Ron for the tips! On the enlarger, I eventually found a really nice Aristo Cold Head & stabilizer for the Bes23. The VC one to boot! Used the mirror technique to get it aligned spot on. I am very pleased with the head! Esp getting back into MF printing. I'm in the process of figuring out a way to mount the VC filters above the negative, but not much room between the diffusion plate & carrier. I don't like the idea of the ones below the lens, but might just have to go that route if I can't rig something up. I've been on a Lith printing kick, so not an issue yet. As always you've been very helpful.

Thank you, but I already have the manual & read through it multiple times before shooting. Consulting it during if needed. Then looked for any solutions online. I am fairly familiar with this camera & have been shooting 35mm manual cameras for years. I've tried the difference suggestions listed in the manual problems & solutions section. They're both coupling to the revolving back fine. The ME wasn't flipped on, until the red dial on the frame counter would not retract after advancing. Then I flipped It on & off to allow me to shoot the next frame. It didn't feel like the film was spooled off kilter which could cause film advancing problens. After taking a shot the body engages that little rod which strikes the (top left) back to enable advancing to the next frame. Both backs advance fine despite the problem if using that lever used to wind up a partially unexposed roll if so inclined. Just a little curious if anyone else had seen backs act like that. I'm in AR, US.

I recently bought a RB67 ProS with 120 (ProS) & 220 (Pro) back, & lens of course. No apparent light leaks on the camera/120 back (left film in the camera testing for leaks) & shot a few rolls with the 120 back with great results, besides a few quirks - The horizontal guides doesn't always retract when revolving to portrait, but finger taps to the base of the WLF will enable them to lower out of sight. Doesn't bother me too much. On the 4th roll w/120 ProS back, when I advanced to the next frame the red dial started to not disengage, a first lightly wiggling on the winder would cause it to retract. If it didn't the ME lever could enable me to take the next shot. Later the winder wouldn't pop back after advancing to the next frame, but engaging the middle lever on the back popped it back into place. When I loaded the 220 back, the film wound on fine, but after the first shot it would not advance. So another back is its way. But would it be acceptable to keep using these & simply use the middle lever to advance to the next frame after each shot using the film counter as a guide? With the red horizontal guides also not always retracting, is this related to the revolving back or signs of something else? Are there certain repairs/cleaning jobs I could do myself to keep this beauty running strong? (I know periodic upkeep is advised) OR if i wanted to send the body off to get tuned up, anyone have suggestions on where or who would do what's needed w/o costing an arm & a leg? (KEH prices seem pretty high for repairs) The backs are just eisier to replace, not worried about repairing those - unless it's something I could do Let's keep in mind I shoot mostly for fun at this time, & the rest of the camera has performed well so far & is in decent shape But I do want to keep it going. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

I had the same problem in the summer, not as bad, but like peter & bill said, keep jugs of water handy to wash your film with. Check out the Rollei RPX 100 film dev data sheet & recommended washing cycle- no reticulation with nice & flat negs : https://www.freestylephoto.biz/pdf/product_pdfs/rollei/Rollei_RPX_100.pdf (page 4) or if you don't feel like going there, here's the jist of the archival washing regimen Washing The film remains in the reels. Don’t take it out of them. ***yada yada*** Rather often, tanks are connected to hoses by which fresh tap water is injected into the tank. A very daring method! Over- and under temperature are possible, emulsion peeling or reticulation may be the consequence. For archival results, use the following washing procedure: Prepare a bucket of water, as much as you may need, the day before you process a film. Often, the water will then have the right temperature when you need it, and if not, this larger quantity is much easier to get to, and hold at, the right temperature How much will you need? Let us assume 260 ml of solution for one 35-mm film. The fixer working solution having been poured out of the tank, swiftly fill in 260 ml of the water prepared the evening before. The tank is then inverted regularly for one minute. Pour out the water, refill. The tank is then invert ed regularly for two minutes. 8 changes followed by 2 minutes of regular agitation each ensure optimised, i.e. archival washing.

Good to know! Sounds like too much trouble & would probably be my luck. I almost bought some of those Kalt carts from B&H, but read from one reviewer they didn't fit in their Nikon F5. I have an F4 & didn't want to order some if they didn't fit.

That's a good idea John. Any thoughts about the snap cap carts? Are assembling them easier? No slamming, just sliding the sprocket assembly into the cart once the film is taped in place & popping the top back on with my fingers?

Hi everyone, I know bulk loader question's have been addressed many times, please bare with... But haven't found my main concern. I have a Watson 100 Bulk Film Loader, I can't remember when/where I acquired it. My main question is how reliable are these loader's as they age? Being fairly old, would it still be viable to load film without ruining 30m of of film via light leaks. It appears in good shape, with the access door appearing to shut tight. Looking at a PDF instruction sheet, it all looks good. I guess the design doesn't have any type of foam seals around the access door. I plan on reusing film carts I've been saving by leaving the tongue out & taping the film to it, but also using Ultrafine (or older Kodak) Metal Snap Cap's Carts as well. So when loading those snap cap carts, how difficult is it to pop it back together when loading? I remember unloading those in the past by slamming it on a table to pop the top, is it like that loading them as well? Of course the plastic twist tops seem fairly self explanatory. Thanks!

Thanks you guys! You have given me a lot of fantastic advice & a new perspective on a topic I've read about but never contemplated pursuing. I thought it was a little curious why I didn't get a response. Usually I've received quick response's. It clearly states "new in box," but still, Ebay purchases can be a gamble. So I'll see, if the price is right I might go for it. If not I'll keep an eye out for one here & Apug as well. My heat absorbing glass is arriving in a couple days, which will help out immensely. Patience is a virtue.... still working on that one. :)

I tried messaging the seller 5 days ago for more details about the head, seeing they have the paperwork included, but I have not heard back! I'll send another message, maybe I'll get a response this time***knock on wood***. The plan is if I can get it at a good price I'll retro-fit one of my enlargers, cutting off the head right above the filter drawer. Paul Ron showed me how he had modified one of his 23c enlarger's to fit a cold head designed for a 4x5 type enlarger. Regarding the housing, were certain models of those head's made specifically for certain enlarger's, where the housing collar was manufactured permanently to the head? Thank you for those details! Much appreciated.

I'm researching as we speak. Whichever I go, homemade or bought, the head is mounted like in your modification, as if I were printing the largest negative capable for the enlarger, with no need to adjust the head like in a condenser system - correct?

Thanks AJ. Yeah, I'm starting to get some good idea's Paul. Using a RGB LED light, wire it up and build a diffusion filter or chamber to scatter the light. I keep reading the best source is a RGB LED light when building a cold head. Why is that? Does the combination of the RGB mixture light temp best match what the sensitivity of the emulsion requires? Or does it have more to do with being able to dial in the color temp best matched for graded or VC paper, either "white" - yellow - magenta, etc.? - Is this another setup that is common? A cold head using the condenser, wouldn't that just be a cold head but not a cold diffusion head, which seems like another option to keep in mind.