I have a 5X7 camera that I never use because I do not have a darkroom and making one is not an option. I have a changing bag to load the film but can't seem to find a cheap and easy way develop a few sheets at a time a few times a year. Has anyone ever built a small darkroom out of a cardboard box to hold trays and use the sleeves from a changing bag? Would something like that work say in the corner of a basement that's not light tight but very dark?
Is there a particular model I should look for and can you put more than one at a time in?
The older print drums from Jobo (4000 series) pop up quite cheap once in a while. They work fine to develop 57 film on a roller base or perhaps even hand rolled on the table (haven't tried the latter, but did the former in a pinch).
On largeformatphotography Pere Casals has regularly given the suggestion to do tray development, putting the tray into a paper safe so most of the processing can be done in normal light. But that still requires a rather large changing bag or a darkroom.
Technically you could work in normal light once the film has been in the stop bath for about 10 seconds (assuming sufficient strength and freshness of the stop). But you'd have to get the film in the stop bath in darkness - or work really fast to prevent fogging. Personally I don't find the "dark tray" option very convenient either to be honest.I tried the paper safe once and the one I had leaked so that put an end to that. Also don't you need to have 3 to complete the process and where do you place them that's light tight?
This is so simple, it’s essentially a daylight tank for sheet film- Cibachrome, Unicolor, Beseler, they are all essentially the same. I used these for years to process color prints, and they are so cheap I threw some away because I couldn’t find any takers! A drum for $10 and a roller if you feel fancy for $40 and you’re good. That or the taco method should work great with only a changing bag for darkness.I use a Cibachrome MK II drum on a roller base.
It works great and uses very little chemistry.
Two sheets can be loaded side-by-side in an 8X10 drum.
I've always wondered whether 2.5 inch hair rollers can replace the rubber bands when using the taco method.
Technically you could work in normal light once the film has been in the stop bath for about 10 seconds (assuming sufficient strength and freshness of the stop). But you'd have to get the film in the stop bath in darkness - or work really fast to prevent fogging.
A very versatile system and suitable for your requirements is the BTZS system of developing sheet film. You can make your own BTZS tubes and get complete control over your developing. And use very little chemistry. They require a darkroom only when loading and a darkened room when initially putting the film into the fixer.
You find a lot of info on this method on the internet.
I use a PRINT unidrum II Unicolor drum on a roller base at present but plan to make my own BTZS system to explore the possibilities.
Yeah, hey the least you could do is kick in for the chems you use in my darkroom when you're here bro.I run two sheets at a time in Unicolor 8x10 drums on a self reversing motor base. Works like a charm.
I'm with Ken on this one. Started using BTZS tubes for 4x5, and I can easily develop 6 sheets at a time. Went up to 5x7 and decided to make my own tubes from plumbing supplies available at the hardware store. Now that I'm shooting 8x10, I've done the same thing and so far it works great. Never had any problems with uneven development, uses small amounts of developer and developing step can be done in normal room light. After development, I turn off the room lights, leave one safelight on, open the tube and dunk it in a tray of stop bath for about 30 sec. Then I extract the film and place in in a tray of fixer. After about 15 sec, it's safe to turn the room light back on for the rest of the fix time. View Camera Store has some videos that explain the process.If I may.. I'll 'second' the motion of BTZS tubes for developing sheet films.. I 'made' my own 'first set of tubes' using black plumbing pipe.. found I was much better results than 'hangers-in-tank
and/or tray developing and eventually got a set of 4x5 and 8x10 BTZS tubes.. and found I was getting 'better... and more 'even' results. NO more hangers and No more tray developing for me.
Ken
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