5x4 film size

<p>This may sound a daft question but what size is 5x4 film?<br>

I'm a new guy to large format Just bought a calumet 5x4 with backs<br>

Bought a pack of Ilford FP4<br>

Took a sheet out of the pack to familiarise myself with loading etc<br>

It loads in the backs ok<br>

<br />I also bought a johnson Nebro film tank advertised as being for plates or cut film up to 5x4<br>

The tank has end cheeks one way round has slots for what i imagine are glass plates the other side has wiggly<br>

slots for which i imagined are for film use<br>

However the film is too short to fit between the slots<br>

the tank has multiple slots to take the end cheeks but only the outer 2 are anywhere near 5 "<br>

<br />If the film was 5" long it looks like it would fit but my FP4 is only 4 7/8 's long or 123mm Has 5x4 film ever been 5x4"<br>

my FP4 is 3 7/8 wide</p>

<p>So my question is whats my cheapest option for developing film in daylight? if my tank is no good</p>

<p>Ian</p>

<p>4x5 is the nominal dimension for the film. Actual size will be slightly less so that the film fits easily into holders.<br>

A sheet of Kodak 320TXP is 4.942 inch x 3.916 inch. A sheet of Arista EDU Ultra 400 (Foma) is 3.938 x 4.914 inches.</p>

<p>A good search engine with a good search term is your best friend.<br>

Google> johnson Nebro film tank > 1st hit > http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/archive/index.php/t-60125.html first post states a special metal film holder is required. The film slides into the holder, the holder into the slot in the tank.</p>

<p>I use Jobo 2500 tanks with 2509n reels and a manual roller base.</p>

<p>Donald Qualls explains it well on the second page of this post<br /> <a href="/large-format-photography-forum/009zTE">http://www.photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/009zTE</a></p>

<p>Nick</p>

<p>Ian, my advice would be to write that Nebro tank off to experience. I've yet to find an old tank that's actually useable, practical, doesn't require darkroom loading and/or that doesn't waste a huge amount of chemicals. I've tried Dallans, Envoys and an expensive Combi-Plan; all near useless!</p>

<p>+1 to recommending the Jobo 2500 and 2509N sheet film adapter. Easy to load and use, <strong>but</strong> you need to presoak the film with water to avoid tide marks on the film IME. This helps to bring the film and tank up to temperature as well, so it's no bad thing. You only need to quickly fill the tank with water at the right temperature, roll it a couple of times and then empty it out before introducing the developer. Easier still if you can find a Jobo CPE-2 or similar rotary processor.</p>

<p>Purely by-the-by and FYI: Nebro was the trading name of Neville Brown & co Ltd. who manufactured developing tanks and other darkroom items, with Johnson's of Hendon being their distributers. Dallan was a contraction of the founder of the company's name - David Allan. As far as I can tell, Dallan was pretty much a one-man outfit that made tanks and sinks to order by hand out of sheet stainless steel.</p>

<p>Another cheap way to get started with 4x5 self development would be using a Patterson Universal tank, the model that holds either two 35mm reels or one 120 reel, and the "Taco Method" as described visually here: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/digi-film/sets/72157627864733730/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/digi-film/sets/72157627864733730/</a></p>

<p>I use this for all my current 4x5 development and have never had a problem with even development. It's important to not get the style of hair bands that have a metal or hard plastic clasp on them. That will scratch the film. To completely cover the sheets (tacos) in the tank you will use approximately 700ml of developer. <br /><br />Also, this is not what you want to use if you eventually venture into shooting 4x5 X-Ray film since that film has emulsion on both sides of the sheet and will leave scratches on the side of the sheet that has contact with the hair band. For X-Ray film development, you will want to look at tray development in a darkroom or better yet, hangers and tanks development in a darkroom. </p>

<p>If you are handy, you can make your own developing tank for a single sheet of film that fits easily in a changing bag. <a href="http://grahampatterson.home.comcast.net/~grahampatterson/grahamp/darkroom/lfdevelop.html">http://grahampatterson.home.comcast.net/~grahampatterson/grahamp/darkroom/lfdevelop.html</a> <br>

If I am going to develop quite a few more sheets I use my FR tank. I use it quite a bit differently than it was designed for. I made a rubber gasket for it and my agitation scheme is a bit more like inversion agitation than the original rocking method. <a href="/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00ZFYH">http://www.photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/00ZFYH</a></p>