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[weemster]

Is there a system available to daylight develop 4x5 negs? I currently do all of my 35mm B&W in this fashion, which saves me a ton of money. I would like to do the same with the images captured by my Crown.

Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.



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[MikeS]

There are lots of methods of developing 4x5 in daylight. I've decided that I like rotary processing, and I use either a Unicolor 8x10 PAPER drum on a roller base (it can do up to 4 sheets at a time), or a Jobo drum with 2 6 sheet reels also on a roller base to do 12 sheets at a time.

Another common solution is the HP Marketing's CombiPlanT tank in which you can do inversion agitation of up to 6 sheets at a time, and it uses approx. a liter of solution at a time.

Another common tank is the Nikor 4x5 tank/reel, and it can handle upto 12 sheets at a time, uses 40oz of chemicals at a time, but is disliked by many, loved by others. I have one, and it works good, but the large amount of chemicals makes it harder to use (in my setup), so I prefer the roller drums.

There are also many other types of tanks, such as the Yankee tank, or the FR tank, and for the most part folks seem to dislike them, I used a Yankee tank about 30 years ago or so, and honestly don't remember what it was like.

You will also find purists that will tell you the ONLY way to develop 4x5 is in trays, but don't listen to them, or anyone else for that matter when they tell you they know "The Only Good Way' to do something! Experiment, you'll find out what works for you.


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-Mike

[Sjixxxy]

I second the rotary unicolor procedure.

[45PSS]

The JOBO 2521 holds one 2509n reel which holds 6 sheets of 4x5. It holds 1500ml of chemicals and works fine to do 35mm type inversion processing. Larger 2500 series Jobo tanks and rollers are the best.
The combi is slow to fill and empty if you use the fill/drain fittings supplied with it and it leaks a little despite how tight you tighten the spouts. Film would slip out of the rack while inverting/agaiting if I was not very gentle with it.

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[Barney]

45pss I use the same Jobo tank for my 4 x 5 development. I tape the big lid down in three places about equal degrees apart. Do this, because sometimes in handling the tank during development you will inadvertenly loosen the lid. If you tape it with good packing tape this will prevent this loosening. This lid is a little tricky to get on correctly in the changing bag or darkroom. You must try to wiggle it after securing it to see if it is tight. If it is loose you need to try it until it is tight. Then it will not leak. The middle of the small red lid is pushed in while using the tank. Jobo recommends this. I don't get leaks. My outfit came with 4 plastic rectangular pieces. The number of them is 07258. They have 4 x 5" engraved on them. Two of them fit over the film, if using one reel, after loading opposite each other on the outside of the reel. They are a little tricky to put on intially but with a little practice they are easy to use. They will stop the film from moving around in the reels. I agitate very vigorously as per Kodak's recommendations, and have never had any problems with the film moving. I highly recommend you use them. You can get an extension for this tank, and do 12 4 x 5's at one time if you wish. I like the Jobo tanks, and develop all three formats in them. I use a different tank for Med. and small format. I only use the above tank for 4 x 5.

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Best Regards: Barney

[Nick]

[Barney]

Nick.......I did not mean to imply they fall off easy. They don't. I don't use a roller or the Jobo processor. I use the tank with inversions. Because of that I sometimes inadvertenly pick up the tank to agitate and perhaps loosen the lid. So I started taping the lid down to prevent this. If you don't get the reel and the center post back into the tank just right when loading the film in the darkroom or daylight changing bag you can have a hard time of getting the lid back on correctly. I was just trying to convey these things that I have noticed due to my own experience with these tanks. In fact I just got done using mine this AM for six sheets of Bergger.



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Best Regards: Barney

[Nick]

The problems I have with putting the lid on isn't the reel or column but making sure the lid is on straight. It's better if the outside hoop of the lid is up to. If it is then things go well. If the lid goes on a little crooked then it wouldn't seat right. Not a problem on a table but I could see it being a pain in a changing bag.

Now I've seen the rubber cap blow off-) When I was rolling the tank in a warm water bath the pressure would build inside and a few times the rubber cap blew straight off. That was fun.

[45PSS]

With the little orange lid off (fill/empty cap), use your index finger or a short piece of dowel rod thru the fill/empty hole to align the reel shaft or the long rod in the taller tanks. Having the lock ring in the full up position is the best way to set the lid on.
I use a 2560/2521 and a 2840 with a Beseler reversing motor base for multible reels and 8x10 (2 sheets per).
Charles


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[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2004-08-04 21:29 ]

[Les]

I've used the Yankee agitank, HP tank,trays, hangers, and in a fit of despiration, an 8 quart stock pot.

The achilles heel of the Yankee, HP, and any other square tank, is getting the solution in fast enough. The HP and Yankee make that fairly easy because they have a baskey or tray that holds the film. This way you an fill the tank with developer before you go dark, load the basket with film, put the lid on and go light. I've gotten good, even results with the Yankee that won't invert the tank, and some really bad results with the HP that does allow invesion (over agitation)

The FR has only adjustable walls and is difficult to get all of the pieces of the light trap in the right way. For this reason alone, I don't recommend the FR tank.

The Jobo/ Unicolor systems I've heared work well.

The small Nikkor tank is too small for the amound of film it can handle. Use it with full strenght developers such as D76 straight, Xtol, etc. Or leave a couple of slots empty.

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[graywolf]