Favorite develping tank?

[Shootar401]

For the past few years I've been using the Patersen tanks exclusively for 120 and 4x5 either with the taco method or with the mod54. Recently I was given some Nikor tanks and aside from getting used to the loading of the film on the reels, they seem much, much better to me. They don't leak, they are smaller so I can rotate them with one hand and take less chemicals which is always good. I can't think of a downside them them yet.

What is everybody using for thanks for their 120 or 35mm, has anyone moved away from Pattersen like me?

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I still use the Patterson tank because it is the only one I have.

Jeff

 

[Jim Christie]

I'm using the Arista SS tank with Hewes reels for 35mm and 120, and I really like it (mostly for the same reasons you mentioned). A couple additional advantages of SS are better heat transfer (if using a tempering bath) and that you can reload without waiting for the reels to completely dry.

 

[Mike Wilde]

I have 2 - 2 35mm reel high, and one 5 35mm reel high plastic Paterson series 4 (and a few earlier generation ones and generic reels) tanks, and a one high 35mm and 2 high 35mm and 4 high 35mm stanless steel tanks. Toal of 5 35mm ss 35mm and 2-120 ss reels. For 4x5 large format I have 12 4x5 hangers, and a set of 4 4x5 rubber tanks with floating lids, and a light tight one that takes only 1l, and will take 6 hangers at a time.

For b&w roll film, I use mostly the Paterson tanks. I always like to use 500mL of chemistry per 35mm or 120 film, particularly if it is d-76 1:1, or fx-37 1:3.

For c-41 or e-6 work with 35mm I usually use the stainless steel, since I usually mix c-41 and e-6 in 1L quantities and that almost exactly fills this tank, and it wasily fits into my tempering tank.
For 120 it is a toss up. If I have 4- rolls of 120 c-41 backlogged, I will load 2 end to end per Paterson reel, and then can process 4 at once in the 5-35mm reel high tank using the same 1L of replenished c-41 or e-6 chemistry. If only 2 rolls, I may use the 4 reel high stainless steel tank.

BTW, I use the same e-6 bleach and c-41 fix for both processes. They keep, and less stock to store on the shelves. I do not mix the colour and B&W fixes.

For 4x5 in b&w I use the big tanks, dev, stop, fix. For colour I use the smaller daylight tank becuase it can share my 1-l of chems usually mixed for the smaller formats.
For e-6 and c-41 the RB, stop, bleach, pre bleach and fix use the 4 floating lid tanks. They take 1.5L of chems, so U usually have a 1L bottle and 500mL bottle of each of these.

I let my e-6 and c-41 work pile up, so as to process at least 4 rolls before mixing fresh chems if the replenished stuff has sat unused for too long to trust it.

I tend to also let my b&w pile up to some degree as well. I'm not Winogrand, but I do understand his idea of letting the shooting moment leave you, and let the contact sheets stand on thier own as to their content after the film is processed.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Definitely stainless steel all the way.

 

[Ian Grant]

I've used stainless steel and Paterson and for 35mm & 120 much prefer Paterson tanks which I've been using since Series II, taht shows my age

Ian

 

[jk0592]

Using Jobo tanks for 35mm, 120, and trying them out for 4x5. I do have one or two Nikor stainless steel, but they are not seeing much use now. The older bakelite Ansco tank with the thermometer in the middle is also unused.

 

[Herzeleid]

I have Kaiser, AP, Paterson plastic tanks and one LPL steel tank. All with reels for 120 and 135. Even though I like steel tanks, I often use AP reels with Paterson.
I plan to stick with Paterson and AP reels for a long long time.

 

[MSchuler]

I have 2- and 3-reel Patterson tanks and 1, 2 and 3-reel Nikon tanks. I almost always use the Patterson reels because they are easier to fill and empty and because I find the reels easier to load, particularly for 120. My major complaint is that the lids are hard to get on tightly; I probably lose all of the time saved pouring in the developer while trying to get the lid on all the way.

Regarding heat transfer, I assumed that plastic, as a better insulator, would keep the temperature more even: no heat increase from handling the tank during agitation, although that would be very minor.

 

[Alan W]

Patterson,always.I abandoned stainless back in the '90's and couldn't go back now.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Black & White for a few rolls: Arista Stainless Steel tank with Hewes reels for 35mm and 120
Black & White for larger number of roll and 4"x5" Jobo tanks and reels or Jobo 3010 Expert Tank
C-41 color 35mm or 120 Jobo tanks and reels or 4"x5" Jobo 3010 Expert Tank

 

[Arvee]

I don't have a stainless steel tank that doesn't leak, including three Nikor tanks, a Simmons-Omega, a Tundra and several Taiwanese specials. Also, if you don't bother with a tempering bath, take a temp reading of developer going in and then measure it before discarding. I get about a two degree rise on an 8 min. dev time; more if the dev time is longer. Steel sucks heat from your hand quite well!

Paterson System 4 all the way!! I like the fact that the top reservoir will just about hold all the developer on a single reel tank (300 ml) so negs get a complete replacement of developing solution each inversion.

Of course, you can do the same with a 500 ml SS tank with 250 ml of solution and an empty reel in the top slot. But then, I don't appreciate Rodinal on my hands; too messy!

In all fairness, I should add that my Kindermann tanks are pretty tidy but they are hybrids: steel tank/plastic cap.

 

[Shootar401]

I don't shoot 35mm more than a few times a year, but I find that on the Pattersen tanks the 35mm film gets caught on the ball bearings on the reels. I think its just me since I've never heard of this before.

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

If you're using stainless tanks I highly recommend Kindermann tank lids. Expensive yes but they last for decades, dont leak and won't split right on where the tank edge meets and fogs your TMZ.

 

[agfarapid]

Been using stainless steel tanks and reels for C-41 and black and white, 120 and 35mm for too many years to think about. I don't shoot large format (yet) so can't comment on that. Admit that coming from plastic reels, loading stainless steel can be a hassle but it becomes second nature after a while. Additonally, I find that maintaining temperature is easier with steel tanks. Regarding leaking tanks, aside from switching to rubber tops from metal some years ago, have had no problems with leaks. Hope this info helps in your decision.

 

[southmine]

I have only been developing my own for a short time, and mostly 4X5 B&W at that.
I've been using a Combiplan for that, and found it works well.
The few rolls of 35mm and 120 I've done, have been done using a Patterson tank and reels.
I've since picked up a few Samigon multi-format autofeed reels that I've read good things about (at least for ease of loading), but have yet to try.
I have also decided to start doing my own E-6 and C-41, and so will be trying out various Jobo tanks in the near future too.
Hope I haven't bitten off too much all at once.

 

[MattKing]

I am fickle.

I like stainless steel for 35mm, but can use Patterson or AP tanks with AP reels.

I like Patterson or AP tanks with AP reels for 120, and cannot make stainless steel reels (including Hewes reels) work for me, as much as I wish they would.

I sometimes use Kodak apron tanks and aprons with 120.

 

[Andrew K]

I use Jobo tanks, although when I started in photography I used Patterson tanks, as they were the most common tanks, and were the ones used at school.

The first Jobo tank I got was for processing 5x4 sheets, and found it much more convenient than using deep tanks and holders. I then bought some more tanks and reels (originally 3000 series, although now I use 2000 series tanks). All were used with a CPE2 processor.

I've also used Nikkor tanks and metal reels, but I could never get the hang of loading metal reels......

I prefer the Jobo reels for 2 reasons - because you can load a film on them even if they are wet, and because they made a 110/16mm reel (which Patterson never did).

I know you can load a wet Patterson reel by submerging the reel in water and loading the film underwater, but it's not the most practical thing to do if you are were running a custom lab and processing a dozen films a day..

And being honest, I also have a old Johnson's tank which I use form time to time to process a single roll of 120 as it only used 250ml of chemistry..........

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Patterson tanks and reels, I use the 2, 3, and 5 reel sizes. Stainless steel never felt right in my hands, and led to the constant worry of creasing the film, jumping one section of the spiral and having to go back and reroll because the film doesnt fit all on, and taking care not to drop them or they get bent. Bent stainless steel reels are the worst... ugh and you never because they get lost in the pile and when you try to load it in the dark thats always the time to find it.

 

[Roger Cole]

Jobo. I use their tanks on my processor and also use the 1500 series tanks for inversion when I use developers or techniques that aren't suitable for rotary. They're ingenious, the easiest tanks to load I've ever used, and work well.

I've never been able to get used to loading the stainless steel reels. To say I dislike them would be to miss a perfect opportunity to use more accurate terms like hate, loathe, despise and detest.

 

[StoneNYC]

To Sumerian read below.

I agree with southmine about the samigon reels, and I MUST apologize to the community for anyone that read my post about how JOBO reels were easier than Patterson, I meant SAMIGON, it's the Samigon that I've been using and forgot that when I purchased the JOBO tank at B&H it didn't come with reels and the salesmen handed me the samigon. Later I hacked up the JOBO tank to make a custom 70mm tank, when I went to my local store they only had Patterson, the tank looked strange but I really didn't want to take a trip into NY just for a damn tank so I bought it, came with Patterson reels too. and IMHO the Patterson tank is amazing, it doesn't leak at all! It is a pain with the lid, but once you get used to it it's fine. The JOBO was constantly leaking, especially with color films, the heat expansion or something pushed chemical out of the lid even if I "burped" it. But not with the Patterson. Also, both Patterson and JOBO reels suck. The Samigon (or theres another brand kalt or Kault or something like that) they have a tongue that sticks out so you can lay the film on it that helps feed it in really nicely.

to summarize.

Patterson tank
Samigon reels

Also, someone mentioned 110 reels by JOBO? JOBO reels fit in Patterson tanks and vice versa, they both have the same diameter center.

Side note to the OP... If you aren't using that MOD54... I will really need one soon and would buy a used one from you if you live in the USA.


~Stone

The Important Ones - Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1 / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Gerald C Koch]

I don't have a stainless steel tank that doesn't leak, including three Nikor tanks, a Simmons-Omega, a Tundra and several Taiwanese specials.

I have found that the tanks, lids, and caps of SS tanks are not interchangeable so I have scratched a mark on the members of each set. Keeping things together greatly reduces any leakage. Kindermann style plastic lids also work very well.

 

[StoneNYC]

Patterson tanks and reels, I use the 2, 3, and 5 reel sizes. Stainless steel never felt right in my hands, and led to the constant worry of creasing the film, jumping one section of the spiral and having to go back and reroll because the film doesnt fit all on, and taking care not to drop them or they get bent. Bent stainless steel reels are the worst... ugh and you never because they get lost in the pile and when you try to load it in the dark thats always the time to find it.

What he said about SS reels...


~Stone

The Important Ones - Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1 / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RalphLambrecht]

i moved from patterson to jobo but regret the move due to the leaks owith the jobos.

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Of the three tanks I use two of them are the Paterson Tank System4, which I prefer to the newer "bayonet funnel Paterson tanks" these two I use for 120 with with two rolls on a reel. The other one is an AP two roll (135) tank, I like it's reels a lot for 120 since the loading flanges are a lot wider. The normal Paterson reels get used for 135.

I never could get the hang of ss tanks (I have 120 & 135 Nikor tanks & reels) but after screwing up a couple of rolls I have put them in storage.