batch processing contact sheets

[ericdan]

I have a five reel Paterson tank and process five rolls of 35mm film at a time. For contact sheets I usually wait until I have about 20 rolls and then do them all at the same time. I shoot the same film stock 95% of the time. I always use the same paper and developer. It makes it easy to process them in batches that way. The only thing I want to improve is the paper developing process. I can do two sheets at a time now. I've tried three but one sheet always messes up that way. I use 9.5x12 paper in Paterson trays with about 1.25 Liters of chemicals. There's a guy on instagram called "tokyocamerastyle" he says he processes five or more sheets at a time. How can I do that? Mine always stick together.

 

[MattKing]

How big is your tray? Is the paper RC?
If you place your contact sheets back to back, wear gloves and practice shuffling the prints by (gloved) hand, 4 - 6 sheets at a time are relatively easy to do.
Set up your process with a development time that is at the longer end of the range - it will tend to even things out.
I'd recommend using stop bath, and using the stop bath as a holding bath to the extent of permitting you to add the sheets carefully to the fixer one by one. You should end up with the sheets being back to back in all three steps of the process, but they should be separated and chemicals should flow between the back to back sheets for at least some of the time.
When I am gang processing, I don't worry about some of the prints/sheets being in the fixer for longer than the others. I just make sure that they are all in the fixer for at least long enough, and that the fixer is well agitated. I also like to individually rinse each sheet before putting it into the wash.

 

[MattKing]

By the way, I use 2 US quarts (~1.9 litres) in a tray for 11x14 paper.

 

[ericdan]

Thanks. My trays are too small to fit 11x14 but comfortably fit 9.5x12 paper. I use Foma RC paper for contacts.
Maybe I'll try the glove method and add more chemistry. My Jobo bottles only hold slightly more than a liter. I'll have to think of something in order not to waste developer.
I only print contact sheets around 4 times a year.

 

[mshchem]

In the past print baskets were used, I have one for a 1 gallon tank and one for a 3 1/2 gallon tank. I've never had call for the bigger basket. These are 8x10 size. There were bigger baskets made, used for deep tanks, primarily for color. The old days they had huge rocking trays for printing amateur contact prints, developer and fixer. This company made the equipment, you can see some of it pictured here.

https://www.pakor.com/pakor-about-us

 

[mpirie]

Try and get hold of a Durst RCP20/40 print processor, feed the sheets in one after the other!

Mike

 

[gorbas]

My objectives are similar to yours, make around 20 contact sheets in the batch. Only different thing is I'm using a bit bigger Paterson tray. One that allows me to position 8x10" in horizontal and portrait direction. (they are stored aways so I can not measure them right now). Ilford RC paper, 1200ml of developer, acid stop, rapid fixer. I prepare exposed sheets, sweet spot is 8 or 10 max sheets, put them back to back and orient them in portrait and landscape position in the empty 8x10 box so they are not flat on my enlarger bench. Turn off all but one safelight above trays. Timing is by large Gralab 300. On full minute I dip first back to back paper to developer tray, on 30 sec second pair go in, then 3rd on full minute. First pair of papers go in landscape, second in portrait orientation, 3rd horizontal... Thats gives me space in the tray to use my things easily. papers ready for extraction is always on the top. Of course I rock tray and move them by the tongs. On 1min 15 sec first pair go for 10 sec draining and I have 5 sec to move it to stop, next pair is draining at 2min 45s, then I move first pair to fixer too. My goal is to have paper in liquid as short as I possibly including wash. If I process more than 4 pairs then first prints will be too long in fixer. For me 8 sheets is ideal. This system works for me like charm for the last 10-15 years, fast and productive. No sticking, no special equipment, no any other issues.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Back in the day (in Japan) when I routinely made contacts, I'd do up to 10 sheets at a time. Dilute Ilford MG developer to 1+14. 11x14 trays. Paper went in one at a time. First one in developer (trimmed a corner with scissors), was first one in the stop, and so on. Never had problems... even with gloves.