Commercial Film Processor Options

[tron_]

Hello,

I currently own a Jobo CPA-2 film processor and am looking for something with a little more automation as I am developing more and more film (approximately 30-40 rolls/month). This has lead me to begin my hunt for an automated, commercial-grade film processor.

So far I have looked at a few offerings from Thermapot FCP 41 but it appears it is not available anymore. Then there is the Phototherm SSK-8R which is kind of the same idea. Then there are offerings from Jobo.

Basically I am looking for a machine that can process 35mm, 120, and 4x5 automatically (C-41, B&W, E-6). Having a dryer would be an excellent option too.

Also what are the advantages and disadvantages of using a minilab system? It appears there are infinite options for a minilab and it's difficult to see which one will best fit my needs.

 

[mnemosyne]

How many rolls do you process per week? Have you looked into one of the Jobo ATL processors? Sounds like they could fit your bill. Also, It seems to be the most flexible of the solutions to me. The Thermaphot FCP 41 is C41 only and will not process sheet film. They are difficult to find compared to the Jobo ATLs. A minilab will only make sense if you have a considerable number of film to process on a regular basis as they work with replenishment systems. Not to mention the size and maintenance requirements.

 

[John Koehrer]

There's been a Merz on the Chicago craigslist for a couple of weeks.
Never seen one, Don't want to buy one and it ain't mine.(disclaimer)

 

[Doc W]

I bought a fairly old ATL 3 in December and just got it running. It is a pretty amazing machine. Once the chemistry is in the bottles and you have programmed the process, you push "Start" and that is pretty much it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will not "age out."

If you do go the ATL route, get the most recent version you can find. You will also need a water tempering system.

 

[alanrockwood]

Phototherm is a great machine. It can do everything you want, although I don't particularly recommend the dryer attachment.

 

[hka]

Look here at the new Jobo CCP3.
http://www.fotolaborservice.de/jobo.html

 

[Rolfe Tessem]

Jobo ATL-1000 or ATL-1500 is what you are looking for. I've had one for years, and run thousands of rolls through it. I think parts are still available from CatLabs, but I haven't needed anything thus far...

Rolfe

 

[CatLABS]

Minilabs require 30-40 rolls per DAY to be viable. They also require heavy regular maintenance, and alas, they are only suitable for one type of process.
There is an ATL1500 currently for sale on Ebay (no connection to that sale), which is a fairy rare occurrence. These are very reliable machines and extremely versatile, which i can recommend. Cannot say much about the phototherm, other then good luck finding one. New units (if you can get them to answer the phone/email) are not cheap.

 

[CatLABS]

You will also need a water tempering system.

That is not correct. You can run any and all ATL machines with a cold/untempered water.

 

[EdSawyer]

I have a Phototherm SSK-4 that I got from Ebay. It's been a great machine, I have used it for 35mm, 120 and 4x5, all C-41 though it can do all the other processes as well. I've had good response from the Phototherm Service folks, they've been fine to deal with in my experience, and were happy to help out with the questions I had. They are expensive machines new, but used they are pretty reasonable. I wish the SSk-4 could do more rolls at a time, but other than that, no complaints. I also don't use the dryer on the phototherm, I hang stuff to dry manually.

 

[Bob Carnie]

I purchased Cpp3 from Catlabs and have been very happy with it.