Developing 100 Exp.-Length Film

[flfotog]

Greetings to all:

I have a Minolta Maxxum EB-90 bulk film back for the Maxxum 9000. I haven't used it yet because I don't have a means to have any bulk film developed/processed.

Anyone out there process bulk film? Suggestions? What equipment should I purchase if I choose to do it myself? I understand that I would need a bulk film reel and tank such as a Morse, Nikor or one of the Russian tanks on the Russian Cine Cameras site (http://www.geocities.com/cinetank/). Any tips anyone can or is willing to share?

Are there any labs I take the film to if I shoot color or chomogenic B&W print or slide films?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I occasionally shoot 250 frame cassettes of 35mm film in my Zeiss Contax RTS-II with long roll film back/intervalometer. I develop the B&W negative film myself in a 35mm Honeywell/Nikor 50 foot reel and tank system. I also shoot 250 frame color negative (motion picture stock) and I have that developed by a Burbank, CA motion picture film processing lab and single light printed (so I have 250 proof slides).

When I do this it is basically a documentary/data recording exercise - not fine art photography.

 

[jantman]

The first thing that comes to mind is that you need even development. The 16mm motion picture processors (of the tabletop type, manual, like the one on the web site but with two drums) allow you to crank the film between two spools, to get even development.

If you NEED such long film, do it. Try B&W with one of those processors. However, I'd say that having it processed by a motion picture house is the best bet, as long as you recognize that it will NOT be up to normal photographic archival standards, especially if you use motion picture film stock.

Maybe look into whether any of the roller-transport processors will do it (the minilab machines) or whether the film could be wound around a metal rack in a dip & dunk machine.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Actually, the Honeywell/Nikor stainless steel reel and tank system gives very uniform results (substantially better IMO than the plastic drum-to-drum processors). The problem with the Honeywell/Nikor system is the size of the 3 tanks - tank diameter is 13 inches - and the large amount of chemistry required. Drying the film is a problem with both systems.

 

[geraldatwork]

Don't know if I'm missing something but why don't you just develop the film on normal reels. It should easily fit on 3 reels. The only down side I see is when you cut the film (twice) you may ruin 2 shots. You might be able to shoot 36 shots (the amount that should fit on one reel) then fire off 3 or so blank frames so when the reel is full you most likely would be cutting on the blank frames. Do the same after the next 36 and fit the last 18 or so on the 3rd reel.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

In my case, the only time I use long 35mm cassettes is when I am doing time-lapse photography and with time-lapse, every frame is important.

Also, the standard cassette load in my camera is 250 frames (plus leader) of full frame 35mm not 100 frames. 250 frames fits on my Honeywell/Nikkor stainless steel developing reel with no problem.

 

[edz]

Greetings to all:

I have a Minolta Maxxum EB-90 bulk film back for the Maxxum 9000. I haven't used it yet because I don't have a means to have any bulk film developed/processed.

Anyone out there process bulk film? Suggestions? What equipment should I purchase if I choose to do it myself?
Are there any labs I take the film to if I shoot color or chomogenic B&W print or slide films?

The LOMO UPB tanks are suited to handle 8mm, 16mm and 35mm materials. Using the UPB-1A with 35mm film one can do 15 meters (50 feet) in one go. The tank is based upon a large reel--- and not the silly design of the G-3--- and works quite well for B&W. For C-41 and especially E-5 I'd use the LOMO reel but construct a large tank for developer, bleach and fix which can be run to temperature and do "dip and dunk" with the reel in each of the baths...

Another alternative is to shoot 35mm motion picture stocks and have a cine lab process them...