C-41 and sheet films without jobo?

[Usagi]

I have paterson Orbital for sheet film developing. Works fine with B/W where temperature is near ambient temperature (24 degrees celcius), but with C-41 there's no way to keep required temperature. Within only two minutes, the temperature drops from 38 degree celcius to 35 degree celcius

So I need some workaround. Some have developed sheet films in ordinary paterson tanks (designed for 135 film), is it safe method for the film?

If it works, then it's quite easy to develop one sheet of color negative per time, just by agitating and using hot water bath like I have used when developing 120 and 135 color negatives.


Thanks,
Jukka

 

[nickandre]

I use a steel tank designed for 4 reels of 35mm film. You can process one sheet at a time. It works quite well, though a pain if you need to process several sheets.

 

[Usagi]

Thanks.
So you just put the sheet on the tank against the tank's wall, emulsion side towards the center and put enough developer to make sure that the sheet stays below the developer?

 

[nickandre]

Thanks.
So you just put the sheet on the tank against the tank's wall, emulsion side towards the center and put enough developer to make sure that the sheet stays below the developer?

I use a full liter to prevent oxidation. You really don't need much agitation either, a swirl every 30 seconds ought to be plenty.

 

[markbarendt]

Jukka,

Maybe start at 39.5 or 40 degrees C, by 3:15 you may be close to 36 or 35.5 but your average temperature will have been good.

Having the exact temp all the way through is tough but I have had good results using this method. The biggest trick is being able to repeat whatever you decide on reliably.

I have also used the one sheet in the small tank in water bath method and it works but the temperature change is still pronounced.

One reason I don't sweat the temp change so much is that I don't have a calibrated thermometer.

Without a calibrated thermometer (which are normally quite expensive) you may be off 2-5 degrees any way, what really matters is good repeatable results.

I have paterson Orbital for sheet film developing. Works fine with B/W where temperature is near ambient temperature (24 degrees celcius), but with C-41 there's no way to keep required temperature. Within only two minutes, the temperature drops from 38 degree celcius to 35 degree celcius

 

[Mike1234]

What about a temp controlled water bath?

 

[DanielStone]

I'm going to try this tomorrow . school's open, and the lab is all mine. I happened to shoot a sheet yesterday.

I'll try the water bath method, with constant rotation.

-Dan