Just insane!

<p>I had been watching this auction for a Jobo CPP-2 processor, one without tanks, bottles and beakers and in somewhat shoddy shape. Here's <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/WORKS-1-JOBO-LIFT-CPP2-DEVELOPER_W0QQitemZ200323459068QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item200323459068&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50">where it ended</a> . For the most part last week it was sitting at $46.00.</p>

<p>Anyway, from what I understand, what this processor does is maintains everything at the correct temeperature, and then automates the agitation and time for each intermediate step. You still have to drain and fill chemicals manually with the lift as an aid.</p>

<p>Would something like a uniroller, a timer and a <a href="http://www.dunnamphoto.com/">DIY heater</a> (go to Technical Info, then Temepering Tray links) like this work just as well? I am thinking of doing some C-41 eventually, probably will be just as cheap as the cheapest commercial places, but I want to avoid the two week processing delay.</p>

<p>It's not insane! That's what these Jobo processors go for and they are worth every penny if you plan on developing C-41 or E-6. Temperature and agitation accuracy are critical for color processes.</p>

<p>If you want insane, check out the "Canon EOS 5D Mark II 4GB USB Drive", which I'll describe rather than post the auction number.<br>

It looks like a photoshopped image of a 5D with a 24-105mm lens to make the lens look like a thumb drive, and the body is the cap for the part that plugs into the computer. The seller is from Taiwan and has 2 feedback.</p>

<p><strong>NEW</strong> <br>

<strong>Canon 4GB USB Drive </strong><br>

<strong>4GB USB drive in the shape of EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM</strong> </p>

<hr />

<p>On Mar-28-09 at 07:46:23 PDT, seller added the following information:<br>

<strong>100% Real</strong> <br>

<strong></strong> <br>

<strong></strong> <br>

Tax or other custom fees are responsible by the buyer</p>

<p>Winning bid:<br>

o***s( 2 ) US $590.00 27-Mar-09 18:14:18 EDT</p>

<p>I get great results doing C41 in the sink with the "press kit". Just keep the water in the sink around 105F. Put developer and blix bottles in the water when it's still about 110F. Let the temperature drop to 105--turn on hot faucet as needed. The third bottle, the stabilizer solution, stays at room temperature. Works great for me, easy too.</p>

<p>The JOBO processor is not made anymore, I think. I could be wrong. I suppose if you have one, you could run rolls every day without paying it much attention. I don't know. I imagine that if you did a hundred rolls a month, $700 in a processor might be no big deal. In my view, it's like a semi-industrial piece of equipment. Kind of like a really powerful or well-built table saw. I don't own one of these, and have never used them, that's just how they fit into my imagination. Maybe it would be good if you had a little side business taking in some rolls locally or something. </p>

<p>Juergen, I was watching CPEs go for around $200+ and CPPs go for $300+. But, I think, I may have confused a "CPP-2 Lift", with a "CPP-2" which this auction was. </p>

<p>Neil, now that is a case of the buyer not being careful in reading what they are getting or maybe not understanding what they need. Scamsters abound everywhere.</p>

<p>Alan, thanks, I have looked into that. Some posts say not getting a Kodak or Fuji chemical kit might result in improper processing, I read one post mentioning green casts. Which kit are you using and looks like you haven't had any problems?</p>

<p>Can somebody tell me, what these Jobos do besides accurate temperature control? I see that the lift systems allow filling and drainage of chems while the tank is rotating. How critical is that, versus stopping the agitation and draining/filling chems, for C-41/E-6. In the (now distant) past, I have done plenty of B&W 135 development (D76 and Microdol), with just a thermometer, buckets of water, tanks and chems, so I am just interested in learning about the differences for color process. I understand the criticality of temperature control, but don't yet understand how precise the agitation and how quickly chems have to be drained and filled. The Jobos look like they turn the tank around its cylindrical axis, while <a href="http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/html/tas_film_processor.html">this one</a> rotates on another axis. Looks like the Unicolor uniroller rotates like the Jobos do. Any thoughts and suggestions?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I read where someone insisted that they would not do anything without a processor like one of these, and that the temperatures absolutely had to be kept within 1/4 of a degree.</p>

<p>Okay, I do mine in plastic tubs with a 500mL stainless DEV tank.</p>

<p>To be really careful, I use two thermometers because I think one of them might be off. There's a 30" allowance, for pouring, in the time charts for small tank by hand in E-6 that you can download from Kodak, or just read off of the side of the cardboard box it comes in. The different types of machines have separate charts that can be used with that equipment. Check out the E-6 technical pamphlets.</p>

<p>If you shoot the cover of Rolling Stone or something, it all might be critical. Some people are just that way; and, that's okay. But, there's no reason to believe that these expensive machines are required for normal use.</p>

<p>I think someone who had to move rolls in bulk under deadline pressure would get the most utility out of the machines. It's entirely reasonable for you to do a few rolls at a time with simple equipment. Processor not required. Notebook and a thermometer and some know how will get you a long way.</p>

<p>I've never (yet) developed color myself, so take it with a grain of salt but: if you plan on scanning the negatives rather than printing directly, you can correct quite a lot of color-related errors afterwards, especially if you take care to shoot a grey card or equivalent in one image so you have a reference point. As long as you're vaguely in the right ballpark you can probably produce images just fine.</p>

<p>I lusted for one of these for a long time. I read online about how critical C-41 and E-6 are to time and temperature and how difficult they are. Then, I decided I would never buy one...just too much money for a piece of equipment which is no longer supported and no longer has available spare parts. <br>

Instead, I decided to go it alone and do it myself. I spent < $100 on stuff and get perfect results.<br>

http://www.kryptosinistographer.com/2008/03/at-home-e-6-pro.html<br>

If anyone tells you that you cannot do this 'homebrew' they should know better. E-6 was *designed* to be a home-friendly process. C-41 is designed for machine but my setup should work just fine for C-41. <br>

It just isn't that hard. Go for it.</p>

<p>The reason the JOBO units are rising in price is because pro labs and camera shop which want to offer a full line of film processing can't afford to maintain a large deep tank processor. However using the JOBO to run a few dozen rolls of E-6 per week is quite economical.</p>

<p>John and Aaron, thanks for your responses. My thoughts are quickly converging on what you are essentially saying, that the Jobo's are nice, but entirely possible to do it without a processor with some planning and DIY work. I will give it a whrl sooner or later. Aaron, I like your method of insulating the tank, hadn't thought about the temperature change during agitation. One reason, the Jobo tanks are immersed in the water bath. I am fond of E6 and slides for 135, and use a projector. For 120, the projectors are pricey so I was going to scan slides, but I went towards C-41 film because slides I thought were harder to scan properly with flatbeds. That, and the fact that I have heard only good things about the new Ektar 100 in 120 format. I'll give C-41 a shot with the Ektar, and if too much of a hassle, fallback to E-6.</p>

<p>Janne, that's a good point, although I'd much rather get as much as possible correct in the capture/develop/scan process and not have to tweak in PS. I know I'll have to do some post-processing work. I'll give it a shot at home.</p>

<p>Russ, that makes sense, although you might be thinking of ATL-1500s/2000s? But even the CPP-2 is likely more cost-effective when multiple roles are processed each week.</p>

<p>I still use a CPP-2 on a regular basis. Compared to any homemade set up you'll likely devise (and I've put together a few myself), the CPP-2 with a Jobo lift will make it possible to process with very accurate, very precise temperature, agitation, and timing. That's the path to quality color processing. The CPP-2 and similar Jobo processors also allow one to use very small quantities of solutions. That's something that's very hard to achieve with a homemade set up. The CPP-2 sets up quickly. Shut down and clean up is fast also.<br>

I can't speak to current prices or availablity of parts. I've used mine for 15 years, putting thousands of rolls of film through it. I've also processed thousands of prints up to 20x24". It just keeps going. The Jobo lift is the Achilles heel. I consider it essential for accurate timings and for the sake of convenience. However, it is underbuilt, and you can break it if you try to lift a large drum filled with a lot of solution. It's okay for small drums and tanks. For heavier drums and tanks, use the lift, but devise a method for raising it by the carriage rather than the handle.</p>

<p>"Alan, thanks, I have looked into that. Some posts say not getting a Kodak or Fuji chemical kit might result in improper processing, I read one post mentioning green casts. Which kit are you using and looks like you haven't had any problems?"<br>

I use the Tetanal or Jobo C-41 press kits. I think the results are fantastic, especially when I don't try to process more than about ten rolls per kit (135 and 120 film). I've only had one bad result, and that was when I got cocky and didn't pay close attention to time/temperature. But you have to really mess up to have bad results, based on my experience so far. My bad rolls still looked pretty good to most people, just a little washed-out looking. I had processed at 106F or so instead of 102F. But I've processed dozens of rolls for me and my girlfriend that look great.</p>

<p>Addendum, Shash:<br>

E6 is relatively unforgiving with regards to temperature deviations (it's been ages since I developed E6 in a lab, so I can't give you hard facts here), while you can be off by a couple of degrees with C-41. Now, five degrees off can be a problem! I fill a good-sized sink with hot water and let it come down to the range I want to work with, occasionally turning on the hot water tap to bring it up a bit. I use a digital ohmmeter with a temp gauge to monitor the water bath. It's easy.</p>