Well I did it.

[mike_ferron]

I always wanted too and promised myself I never would but I just purchased a

4x5. It's s super graphic, with 6 film holders and two processing tanks. I'll

shoot B&W film only and could ask a million questions but will start with one.

I process my own 35mm and 120 film at home already using a changing bag and

daylight tanks. Just read that large large format it's tough to get even

devleopment in a tank. I'm hoping someone could give me some advice on the best

at home method(s). Tank? Daylight tank? Tray?

 

Thanks,

Mike

[j_rgen_loob]

Mike

 

I use the JOBO tank system 2500 (MULTI TANK 5) and develop my 4x5 sheet films in the

same way than the 120 films . I never got any problems and you can even use the same

developping times . I obtain very good results .

[spodzone]

Personally I'm quite happy with using the <a href="http://pig.sty.nu/Pictures/composition/paterson_orbital/">paterson orbital processor</a>. Slice the bottom with a craft knife first so liquids can creep under the film; then you just pop film in, put lid on, turn on lights, apply developer, swill round in circles a few times every minute, do the normal stop, fix and wash things and you're done.

[randall ellis]

There are a couple of ways to develop in a tank. I do stand development in a 4 reel stainless tank, one sheet at a time, or you can use the 'taco' method, although you would have to look up the details since I don't use it myself. There is also the HP Combi Plan daylight tank, which many people will complain about, but if you follow the directions and contact HP if you have questions or problems you shouldn't have any problem getting it to do what it is designed to do.

 

For what it's worth, I've never seen uneven development with a 4 reel tank, hangers & tanks method, or with developing in a tray. Regardless of the method as long as you pay attention to the details and understand what you are doing you should be able to process sheet film without problems. You will always be able to find someone who has had problems with any given method, but if you pick something that you feel comfortable with be mindful when you are working with it you should do well. If you do have problems, post a detailed and you should be able to find the answers you need.

 

In your post you stated that you got two processing tanks - what kind are they?

 

- Randy

[karl_knographer]

Hi Mike,

 

I'm going to offer my advice and in the end, encourage you to use tubes, which I've never tried! I've used everything else over the past 20 years,from gas burst to dip and dunk,and my most consistent results have been from hand tray processing. Yes, it's a little tricky at first to shuffle multiple sheets, but with a little practice you won't scratch your film and you won't get surge streaking, edge buildup, etc. But like I said, tubes seem to be the way to go and you can even make your own with PVC. Load in the dark, go into the light to your water bath and drop them in and develop a methodology to the way you agitate so it's consistent. Less chemistry, more consistent temp., even delopment,etc., looks like the way to go to me. And if you want to spend a few bucks you can probably pick up a used Jobo processor

and tubes quite cheaply now that wet process has fallen by the wayside. There's still no substitute for a wet process print from a good neg. though, is there? Good luck and I hope this is of some help.

[david_gardner2]

I agree with Karl about hand processing in trays. I've never had a problem wth scratching negatives. Other methods may be fine, but for me I already had the trays, a bathroom and a roll of duct tape, so at the time I started in 4x5 it was the easiest method and I've never tried anything else.

[mike_ferron]

Well I appreciate all the support. Maybe I'll give the tray a try first. If I have problems I'll try some of the other suggested methods. And though I started with digital and am reasonably new with and self taught in wet printing when things go right no inkjet can look as good IMO.

[mike_ferron]

Randall here's a photo of the tanks i bought. Made by the FR corporation. I didn't pay much for them so if they not great I won't loose much.

[danny_spence]

I develop 4x5 by the 'taco' method. The newer Paterson Universal Super System 4 (for two

35mm rolls or a single roll of 120) holds two sheets of 4x5 nicely. Development is exactly

the same as roll film, although with a larger amount -- 800ml -- of chemistry. Fixing and

washing are also done in the tank just like roll film. The tank is sized just right so that the

top of the film will be flush with the light trap funnel - this keeps the film from drifing

upwards out of chemistry during agitiation. No film reels are used, however a rubber band

on each sheet is essential - they gently bend the film into a U-shape and keep each sheet

of film from drifting over onto the other inside the tank.

 

I've also tried the Jobo 2521 tank on a roller base - I really wanted it to work, yet despite

everything I did I couldn't get even development with it. The simple Paterson tank really

works well for me. If interested, email me and I'd be glad to send photos of the Paterson

setup.

[brian_ellis16]

I've used trays but quit because I hated standing over them in the dark for 15 minutes or so while I inhaled chemical fumes and shuffled film. I prefer tubes for sheet film. I've used the BTZS tubes for about 12 years. Their advantages are: you do everything in daylight once the film is in the tubes, very small chemical usage (2 ounces per tube), very even development, never had a scratch after thousands of sheets of film, they take up very little space, you can process different sheets for different times in the same run, and they're relatively inexpensive (about $120 from The View Camera Store for six tubes, 12 caps, and a tray to use for filling the tubes and rotating them in a water jacket). Or if you prefer it's possible to make your own tubes from materials available at Home Depot or any hardware store.

[AaronFalkenberg]

Congrats! It's quite different from small and medium format, but a very enjoyable process, nonetheless. <br><br>I basiclaly use <a href="http://www.largeformatphotography.info/unicolor/">this</a> method for both B+W and E6 and have never had a problem with uneven development. I like it because it takes up a minimal amount of room, and there is no mess. I mix my stock chemicals and store them in 250ml brown plastic pharmaceutical bottles to be used either one-shot like fixer (gets poured back until exhausted), or diluted to working strength like Xtol and hypo-clear.

[ronald_moravec1]

Nikor 4x5 tanks, trays, slosher, jobo drum, hangars+hangar rack and deep tanks. They all work. They all can cause trouble.

 

The most simple is a 5x7 tray with a single sheet emulsion up. Agitation is by lifting each side in order every minute on the minute.

 

Start top, left, bottom, right , top in 10 sec. Rest 50 sec. The next minute start at the right finish at the bottom. Rest 50 sec. Remove and place in tray of fix. Block the timer illumination so the neg does not it, but you do. Suspend a cardboard over the tray if nothing else.

 

Development marks are from lack of sufficient agitation and/or establishing a pattern that allows some parts of the neg to get more agitation than another. If you get marks, that is what is wrong. Holds true for any format.

[mcinnes]

I use the taco method mainly (as described above), and do 4 sheets in a paterson tank at a time 600mls of developer in it and roll it for the time required. Works for me. Never had uneven development or scratched film. I've use tray development too without scratching the negs.

[big toys are better]

Uneven development in a tank can often be due to the time it takes to get the developer into the tank (due often to slow and uneven filling), and then whatever you use to stop the development. A prewash will slow the uptake of developer into the already wetted film, and a plain wash at the end will also reduce this effect (due to the tank filling up from the bottom and perhaps some internal splashing as well).

 

The other advice above goes as well, but the two steps I cite can be very helpful especially when developing sheets of film.

[ranong]

mike,

 

i use the tanks you have pictured. you need a small plastic "line up" tool to make it easy to load. (it just spans the opening, has a hole in it where you load the film through) i really like this tank. i really shook the sh!t out of it to see if i could dislodge the films from agitation. basically you can not dislodge the film from normal agitation. i have no problems with uneven development. i use it mostly with high dilutions (to make up for the volume of chemicals it uses 1500ml) but i also use it for hc110 dil. b and have had no problems with taht either.

 

i have also been doing tray development for my 8x10 so now i am a bit more comfortable and i no longer scratch the negs. i prefer to be in the light so i use my tank more than half the time. anytime i need to vary the development times or am developing different films at once i use the trays.

 

i hope this helps. have fun. i am off to soup up about 27 sheets from today's outings:::)))

 

eddie

 

ps. i will try and upload a picture of the alignment tool.<div></div>