Developing 4x5 sheet film

[optique]

Rich, I use d-76 1:1 at 9 min, and tri x 320 4x5.

ZoneIII, tray processing of sheet film does not appeal to me, mostly because I was afraid of scratching the negatives. I have read about the techniques for multiple sheets also. But I guess I should try.

Frank, bobwysiwyg, and Bobby - I already rec'd my jobo tank but am waiting on the roller base, so I guess I will try the Jobo. It's just so many people complained about the Combi it made me wonder. I hear you about the ways to avoid uneven development.

Thanks to all posters to this thread.
Steve.

 

[msdemanche]

Hi optique, glad to hear from someone in the homeland. I am from fort worth, but now far away in maryland.
I find all the discussion very interesting. I have never used anything but my dip tanks for 4X5. I can do up to 10 at a time, maintain temperature well, split develope etc. I often run 20 to 25 negs during a session. I guess I like being in the dark. I just find the control better. I do not use trays because of scratches etc.
Not only do I use these, but these are also what I teach my students in their upper level classes to do the same.
Michel

 

[eric johnson]

A couple of years ago I downloaded the instructions on tray processing from the View Camera web site and that methods seems to work just fine. I can do from 6-10 negs at a time all for different times in the developer if I need to do so. The secret is the pre-soak and doing the sheets emulsion side down.

eric

 

[optique]

Hi optique, glad to hear from someone in the homeland. I am from fort worth, but now far away in maryland.
I find all the discussion very interesting. I have never used anything but my dip tanks for 4X5. I can do up to 10 at a time, maintain temperature well, split develope etc. I often run 20 to 25 negs during a session. I guess I like being in the dark. I just find the control better. I do not use trays because of scratches etc.
Not only do I use these, but these are also what I teach my students in their upper level classes to do the same.
Michel

You are a long way from home! I lived in the DFW area for some years, but now I am in Houston.

If you teach dip tanks for your advanced classes, what do you teach for your beginning classes? Tray development?

Thanks.

 

[jeroldharter]

ZoneIII, tray processing of sheet film does not appeal to me, mostly because I was afraid of scratching the negatives. I have read about the techniques for multiple sheets also. But I guess I should try.

Thanks to all posters to this thread.
Steve.

Not to reinvent the wheel, but don't forget about BTZS tubes which is my method for b&w sheet film.

Also, for tray processing you could use a slosher which would allow for 6 sheets at a time with easy N variations within the batch and also allow for stand development.

I use BTZS tubes for developer and stop, but then transfer to a slosher for fisx and hypo clear.

 

[fschifano]

Then, of course, there is this really inexpensive solution to the problem. Fellow named Phil Bard published instructions how to build your own (his name) processing panel. Development is done in a tray, but there's no shuffling around of sheets and no possibility of damaging the film. Click here: http://philbard.com/panel.html.

 

[msdemanche]

I should have been more clear, my advanced class works 4X5, the others are all roll film based. We use tanks but no jobo, we are a small program.
michel