willy_boots Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 <p>I've been using the patterson tank that can do one 120 roll and 2 135s but I'd like to get a bigger tank because I'm a little behind on my developing. If I optimize my development times with one tank but then I want to do a bunch of rolls in a bigger tank later should I run fresh tests to get my development exactly as I want it or does choice of tank not really impact development much?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_hoyt Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>I have used tanks that can develop one roll of 120 film and 2 rolls of 120 film. There was no difference in the density of the negatives between those two tanks. I do have a hazy recollection that very deep tanks that develop several rolls of film (8 rolls of 120 film?) did need more developing time; but not with single and double 120 film size tanks.</p> <p>Paul</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_hoyt Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>I have used tanks that can develop one roll of 120 film and 2 rolls of 120 film. There was no difference in the density of the negatives between those two tanks. I do have a hazy recollection that very deep tanks that develop several rolls of film (8 rolls of 120 film?) did need more developing time; but not with single and double 120 film size tanks.</p> <p>Paul</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christer_almqvist2 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>I have several Paterson tanks; for one, two, three and five 35mm films and they are all in frequent use. I have not noticed any difference in results, but then most of my development times are longer than 10 minutes.</p> <p>The five film tank does not look that big, but it is a beast to agitate. Hold on tightly when you inverse.</p> <p>In principle they are all the same, yet I prefer the 3 film one. I didn't really knew why, but I just had a look at them again. The reason I like the 3 film one best is that it is the size where I get the best grip on the tank; in the middle. That makes inversions easier.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank.schifano Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>There is no difference provided that you have enough develop concentrate for each roll of film you are developing.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_waller Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>As long as the ratio of the volume of developer per roll of film remains the same there's no change.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_walker4 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>It is the developer solution that is the deciding factor not the volume of the tank. You could develop a roll of 35mm in 300ml or 1litre of solution and see no change, for example. The only consideration I can think of is to make sure that whatever tank you use is at the developer temperature, either by pre soaking the film in the tank or sitting it in a water bath. Without this a larger tank may absorb more temperature from the developer when it is poured in, if the tank is too cold, resulting in a change to development.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim gray Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>I've never had a problem with 1, 2, and 4 roll 35mm tanks. As long as your dev dilution remains the same in the different tanks you should be fine. I would think 8 roll tanks might need a modification of technique if you pour in through the light tight lid, since that bottom roll is sitting in the dev for a quite a bit before you fill it up to the top roll.</p> <p>I think for the most part, the different times for different sized tanks comes from the different methods of agitation one must use when using those tanks. It's kind of hard to invert a deep tank...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 <p>There is no difference so long as you compensate for the amount of time it takes to pour chemicals in and out of the tank.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profhlynnjones Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 <p>If the agitation is proper, it makes no difference. I've been testing various product for at least 50 years.</p> <p>Lynn</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_meyer3 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 <p>I have used two different single-roll tanks for 35mm and 120, as well as Paterson tanks for 2-, 5-, and 8-35mm rolls. I've never noticed any difference in the quality of the developed film from any of them.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willy_boots Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 <p>Great, thanks everybody. In about a month I'm going to go out working in the bush, where I probably won't have a lot of opportunities to develop my negatives. When I come back with dozens of rolls to do, it'll be nice to get some bigger tanks. I guess one thing you could do with an 8 roll tank is fill it with the developer and then plunge the 8 rolls of film quickly in so that they all get the same amount of devoloping in.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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