Jobo CPE 2 (or similar) appropriate for film processing

[tim_bradshaw1]

I want to buy something which will make processing B/W film (35mm and

120) slightly easier for me - in particular I have a fairly large

backlog of films which I want to process. I've historically done just

standard tank-in-a-water-bath stuff which is fine for single films (I

only have single-film tanks) but is a pain for large numbers.

 

It would also be good if I can use the same thing to do B/W prints,

though this is much less critical as I prefer doing them in trays

where I can see them.

 

It doesn't need to be automatic, but beign able to do a bunch of films

at once would be good, and having proper temperature control would be

good (screwing up one film is bad, screwing up 8 is much worse...)

 

It looks like some variant of the low-end jobo processors is what I

want, and they are fairly cheap 2nd hand. But I am confused about

what tank I need and so on. I can find what looks like the right

thing on Jobo's site, but the numbers there don't correspond to what I

see listed 2nd-hand. I suspect that most of the 2nd-hand ones have

also been used for prints / sheet film so the tanks may not be right

anyway. Buying a new tank & spools for a 2nd-hand processor would be

fine, if I knew they were compatible. The particular model that I've

been watching is the CPE-2.

 

Does anyone have any advice about what I should look for, or whether

this is suitable for me at all? If it is, what types of tanks I

should be after & what is the compatibility with new tanks? Should I

look for one with a lift?

 

Thanks!

 

--tim

[jim_malone]

Tim:

 

I use a Jobo CPE2 and am pretty happy with it. The biggest advantage it gives me is close control of temperature. Having the lift also makes filling/emptying much more reproducable - and that helps too.

 

The 2500 series tanks are good for two rolls of 35 mm film (24 or 36 exposure) or 1 roll of 120 or 220 film. There are a series of tanks that will process 5 rolls of 35 mm, and I have them, but I don't use them very much. The 2500 series takes just under 300 ml of chemistry which I find convenient to use.

 

I recommend that you contact Jobo - the folks there are pretty helpful when it comes to configuring a system. (Although with the recent layoffs, there are a lot fewer of them around now.)

 

Things which go bad in a used Jobo are the temperature controller/sensor, the nylon gears used to rotate tanks, and the water pump. All of these can be replaced with spare parts. Having said that, I have one Jobo that has had more than 5000 rolls of film processed in it without any failues of the Jobo (I, on the other hand, am not so good!)

 

I have used my Jobo to process prints (you need a different set of tanks for that) but I find that tray processing works much better for me.

 

Good luck,

Jim

[stephen_allan]

Hi Tim

 

<p>A CPE2 would be fine for processing film and prints. I have been using a CPA2 for several years, both with and without the lift. The process is definitely easier with the lift, but compared to hand inversion, processing without the lift is pretty laid back.

 

<p>You will need to put some films through as tests to get a handle on the different development times WRT continuous vs intermittent agitation. But having done this myself, I do get very consistent results.

 

<p>As to the tanks. the 1500 and 2500 series tanks are set up for film processing, and the 2800 series tanks for print processing (you won't be able to use 3000 series tanks on the CPE2, as the motor and drive circuitry are not really up to the loading). The main difference between the 2500 and 2800 tank bodies, is the 2500 series have smooth interiors, whereas the 2800s have lateral ridges used to hold the paper in place during processing.

 

<p>The tank lids used for film or print processing have different inserts for creating the light seal. Film tanks have a funnel fitted inside the lid, which fits into the central core carrying the film reels to form a light tight seal. Print tanks have a beaker fitted inside the lid to give this light seal.

 

<p>If you were to go with a processor with lift, the lids will need to be fitted with a drive cog (these lids cannot be used with tanks on a magnet drive). Without a lift you will need standard lids, with a magnet fitted to the bottom of the tank.

 

<p>What I might go for would be a CPE2 with lift (lift not strictly neccessary), with a set of 600 ml bottles for tempering the solutions. For 35 mm film I would use 1500 series tanks, or for 120 film the 2500 tanks.

 

<p>There is still a lot of info on the <a href="http://www.jobo-usa.com/">Jobo USA website</a>. Click on the Analog Service link to go to an index of online manuals, papers, and bulletins.

 

<p>Hope this helps.

 

<p>Steve

[grinder]

Tim, A huge advabtage is the tiny amount of chemiclas you will use with a jobo. I bought my CPE2 plus with lift and 1500 2 reel tank with 2 3 reel extensions from a Pneter Doug it arrived in excellant shape I had to repair the drain hose and fix an internal seal inside the lift with shpping it was 200.00. I added a water circulating pump as the CPE's do not have one and probobly do not need it but I feel better about it. I have ran 15 rolls through it so far. I did the bathtub method before and chemistry savings alone it will pay for its self this year. As said above be aware the tanks are interchangable and scalable but With lift must have cog without a magnet. Magnet tanks can be upgraded to cog Cog's can not be converted back to magnet. If you come up with anymore questions let me know. You will love it I would not want to screw with a non lift IMO. Unless I got a super good deal.

 

,Grinder

[g._armour_van_horn]

I've used a CPE2 with lift for several months, although I now mostly use an automatic unit from Photo-Therm. I run strictly E-6, but if it will work with E-6 it will certainly work with the B&W. The 1500 series of tanks work fine for 35mm and 120. The 1510 holds one roll, the 1520 holds two, and the 1530 adds space for three rolls onto either of the first two, for a total of four or five. That's for 35mm, the reels are widened to handle 6cm film so you get fewer in any given tank. (One in a 1520, two in a 1510+1530, three in a 1520+1530.)

 

The 2500 series of tanks is larger in diameter and uses different reels. At the same rotation speed it will agitate the film more. I have bought one 2500 tank to use for 4x5 but havn't found a cog lid for that size yet so I can't say if it works any differently in practice. It doesn't look like it will.

 

You use the cogs in the lid with the lift, magnets on the tank bottoms if you don't have the lift. These are not mutually exclusive, several of my tanks have magnets on the bottom, and if you are using the magnet drive the cogs would just stick out a bit to the right.

 

There is a lot of plastic in a JOBO machine, and I can no longer use the lift lever on my lift because a gear broke inside the head. No biggie, I just grab the ends of the tank support and lift it directly, although I probably will get that fixed for when I run larger formats (which the Photo-Therm can't do).

 

When running 120 you can put two films end to end in the reel, but it takes a little practice to get it right.

 

I haven't done any printing since the 'sixties, so I can't contribute anything on that score.

 

Van

[craig_shearman1]

You don't need an expensive fancy processor for this. Just buy a standard 4-reel or 8-reel stainless steel tank and (if you don't have them already) enough reels to fill it up. There's no need for a water bath with B&W -- the chemistry and film are forgiving enough that you don't need that level of temperature control.

[grinder]

Tim, I thought you wanted to do color and B&W for some reason for B&W just use room temp. and adjust times using ilfords time temp conversion chart and save the money for more paper. For color I highly recomend the jobo. If you are doing 6-8 films at a time the jobo will still save you money in the long run on chemistry.

[tim_bradshaw1]

Thanks for all the useful answers. I'm now wondering if I should actually just get a big tank as suggested! I'll have to go off and look at prices...

[James G. Dainis]

I was reading this thread from the beginning and wondered why you were looking for a Jobo with close temperature control to do B&W. I would just go out and pick up a 4 or 8 reel Paterson tank. With the developer at 68deg and room temperature at 68 - 70 deg, I can't see temperature being a problem. B&W chemicals are cheap enough. I wouldn't worry about saving money by using less chemicals with a Jobo. Maybe I'm missing something here.