Demand for Ultra Large format daylight tray

[tim48v]

(Maybe this belongs in Darkroom but we figured we'd get more attention here.)

We get inquiries regarding an ultra large tray system every month or so. We finally put our reply in a blog post (Super-sized SP-8x10?) and included it in our newsletter.
It seems to have attracted more attention then we had expected!
Our expectation was that most ULF photographers already have a complete darkroom and wouldn't need a tray system. Maybe we're wrong?

So here's an informal poll to see what people really think.

 

[UlbabraB]

I have a complete darkoom but I never liked to process film in complete darkness. I’d be interested into a 14x17 tray to process also two 7x17 films.

 

[Brickbird]

I'll take one for 12x20, please!

 

[tim48v]

Interesting that this thread has had almost 300 views but only 3 votes in the survey?

 

[AERO]

I was in a garden centre the other day and spotted a large plastic tray similar to the above for use on a greenhouse bench....
Amazon show some as well.

 

[Don_ih]

Interesting that this thread has had almost 300 views but only 3 votes in the survey?

Possibly because very few people who view it would be willing to pay anything for an ultra-large format daylight tray - but they're still curious to look at it. For instance, I wouldn't buy one but did want to see the thread.

There are not a lot of people shooting larger than 8x10.

 

[koraks]

Possibly because very few people who view it would be willing to pay anything for an ultra-large format daylight tray

Yup, for me this is the reason why I clicked it before, but didn't vote. Had it included an option "less than $400" or "no willingness to pay at all", I would have voted for sure.

Also, I didn't count the number of ULF photographers on this site, but a ballpark figure for the relatively active ones would remain stuck at well below a dozen. If this survey so far has gotten 3 votes, this means that out of those less-than-a-dozen, a substantial percentage would actually be willing to pay >$400 for this. I'd call that a remarkably optimistic outcome and much more than I would have imagined.

I was in a garden centre the other day and spotted a large plastic tray similar to the above for use on a greenhouse bench....

Suitable for daylight film development? That's a novelty.

 

[Don_ih]

Tray development in the dark, however, is something that would potentially keep people from trying a format. The bigger the sheet, the more irritating that would be. So, providing something that overcomes that hurdle might encourage more people to pick up a really big camera. Fact is, if you're jumping into bigger than 8x10, you're going to spend a lot of money on camera, holders, lenses, and film. A good way to develop that film is a minor expense compared to all those.

 

[Lachlan Young]

What can it do that a Jobo 3063 and a roller base cannot (leaving aside any effects of inappropriate developer choices)? That is the key defining factor price-wise.

 

[tim48v]

I was in a garden centre the other day and spotted a large plastic tray similar to the above for use on a greenhouse bench....
Amazon show some as well.

of course. in fact, I have several sets of 16x20 darkroom trays that someone gave me. But manufacturing a daylight processing tray of that size is a much more complicate project.

 

[tim48v]

What can it do that a Jobo 3063 and a roller base cannot (leaving aside any effects of inappropriate developer choices)? That is the key defining factor price-wise.

Frankly, I don't know since I've never used a Jobo. However, pretty much everyone buying our 8x20 trays already own a jobo...

 

[tim48v]

Tray development in the dark, however, is something that would potentially keep people from trying a format. The bigger the sheet, the more irritating that would be. So, providing something that overcomes that hurdle might encourage more people to pick up a really big camera. Fact is, if you're jumping into bigger than 8x10, you're going to spend a lot of money on camera, holders, lenses, and film. A good way to develop that film is a minor expense compared to all those.

Absolutely! When we quoted over $400 for our 8x20 tray, I didn't expect anyone to buy it. But when you're spending over $35/sheet for film and making platinum prints, it's a minor expense!

 

[tim48v]

Possibly because very few people who view it would be willing to pay anything for an ultra-large format daylight tray - but they're still curious to look at it. For instance, I wouldn't buy one but did want to see the thread.

There are not a lot of people shooting larger than 8x10.

Yeah, we should have included a "I'm not a good enough photographer to shoot ULF" response. (That would be my personal answer!)

 

[MattKing]

Yeah, we should have included a "I'm not a good enough photographer to shoot ULF" response. (That would be my personal answer!)

I'd prefer "I'm not a crazy or rich enough photographer to shoot ULF"

 

[koraks]

I'd prefer "I'm not a crazy or rich enough photographer to shoot ULF"

I'd make that "not crazy AND rich enough". Crazy enough? Hell yeah. Rich?....nah.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

The very few times I've used film bigger than 8x10 was on a DIY jobo like (a tube with caps and a base with rollers). It was on a borrowed camera on film times (probably around the 90's).

I'd make that "not crazy AND rich enough". Crazy enough? Hell yeah. Rich?....nah.

Yep +1

What can it do that a Jobo 3063 and a roller base cannot (leaving aside any effects of inappropriate developer choices)? That is the key defining factor price-wise.

Yep wondering the same.

I may sound rude, how much I would pay for it? A few dollars if I found it on a flea market or similar place.

Sorry not your target market I guess. Bigger I go nowadays is 4x5.

Regards.

 

[Harry Callahan]

What can it do that a Jobo 3063 and a roller base cannot (leaving aside any effects of inappropriate developer choices)? That is the key defining factor price-wise.

Not having any experience, but maybe you`re having more control on agitation. With a Jobo you have to turn all the time to get even development, so semi-stand or stand shouldn`t be possible. With a tray you can stop agitation (for a few seconds at least) without running into problems.

I'd make that "not crazy AND rich enough". Crazy enough? Hell yeah. Rich?....nah.

So we need a "crazy but not rich enough" option.

 

[MattKing]

@tim48v ,
This seems like a product that needs to be a "made to order" type of inventory item.

 

[AERO]

Yup, for me this is the reason why I clicked it before, but didn't vote. Had it included an option "less than $400" or "no willingness to pay at all", I would have voted for sure.

Also, I didn't count the number of ULF photographers on this site, but a ballpark figure for the relatively active ones would remain stuck at well below a dozen. If this survey so far has gotten 3 votes, this means that out of those less-than-a-dozen, a substantial percentage would actually be willing to pay >$400 for this. I'd call that a remarkably optimistic outcome and much more than I would have imagined.



Suitable for daylight film development? That's a novelty.

Yep I could have explained it better!! so..Greenhouse tray..use as developing tray.....

 

[Michael Kadillak]

The entry point for ULF mandates time tested options because failure is not an option. Tray development with the compliment of a UV monocle or Reduced Agitation development with Pyrocat HD. 100% success rate qualified and quantified.

 

[gbroadbridge]

UV monocle

Really?

 

[mshchem]

Biggest I go (very rarely) is 11x14 and I have a couple Jobo Expert drums 3062, that hold 2 sheets of 11x14. I suspect most people use a lot of Xray, a bit easier to handle.

 

[Michael Kadillak]

Really?

Absolutely. Been using it for over 15 years. There are a host of conditional requirements for this application, but they are just common sense. Taking Edward Weston's 5 watt dim red bulb to a whole new dimension with development by inspection.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Absolutely. Been using it for over 15 years. There are a host of conditional requirements for this application, but they are just common sense. Taking Edward Weston's 5 watt dim red bulb to a whole new dimension with development by inspection.

But that would be an IR monocle, not UV, right?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Might be worth pointing out that this would be useful for those who make RA-4 prints, too -- it looks like being easier to use (at least in terms of securing the print inside) than a drum (which haven't been made new in many years and mostly have bad gaskets after all this time).