4 x 5 Sheet Film Developing

poutnik said:

You can go for any other method later, but for larger sheets there are less options for tanks. So IMO it helps to learn the tray development...

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I agree, for instance if you are someplace without your tank, etc. you can still develop- even in tupperware....

BTW. I am not talking about the closed tanks, I am talking about the open top Yankee/Kodak style. Work in the dark, just be sure to hit the developer first not the fixer. Tupperware works great to. I have wondered what hotel maids have thought with my "trays" drying on the toilet tank and negs on the little clothes line in the shower.

Dip and dunk in tanks gives easy control for dev compensations and you can do 8 films per batch. Tanks and holders are cheap on ebay. Hang the negs to dry in the holders eliminates manipulations with wet/delicat emulsions.

I have been processing (and shuffling) 4 x 5 sheet film in trays for years. I keep hearing about tube processing. I guess you'll just have to hit me over the head, because I don;t get it. How is the film "secured" in the tubes? Any more info.?

Good Afternoon, Cinderic,

The common 8 x 10 drums originally meant for processing color prints typically have some kind of arrangement which allows 4 x 5 prints to be fitted without coming loose. The same feature allows 4 x 5 negatives to be processed in a virtually foolproof manner. On the Chromega, which I use, this is accomplished with three plastic removeable dividers which run lengthwise in grooves molded into the interior wall; a simple sliding spacer on one divider completes the arrangement. Other tubes on the market, such as BTZS, are sized to hold just one sheet of film.

Konical

stompyq said:

is ortho film still available?

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Ilford Ortho-plus is your best bet. It is a normal contrast minus red film only available in 5x4 and 10x8 sizes.

Hope this helps,

Lachlan