I developed my first 4x5 negatives today. Here is what I observed:
-I don't like using the combi-plan tank in the daylight scenario, the small leak is annoying and it takes too long to empty for my tastes (with the top hose connector opened for pressure); I just did not like that. That was anticipated when I bought the tank
- I used my other two tanks and tried Eugene Singer's dip and dunk method with the combi-plan in hopes that it would afford me more control, indeed it did. It was still awkward to do because it was my first time, but I can tell that with practice, this is the way to do it. I had difficulty when taking the film holder out to tilt it as several times I could not get it back in the tank in a timely manner. When I did get it in properly, it took me about 10 sec to complete the agitation cycle.
- I purchased some clear tubing for the hose connection from my faucet to the base of one of the tanks for washing the film and in my home kitchen scenario, that was perfect and made the purchase of the tanks extremely justified.
Observation unrelated to the tanks:
- I only developed 2 sheets, I had that hardest time just getting the film out of one side of the holder, I just could not grab hold of the sucker.
- One of the sheets did not have clear film on one of the edges i.e., the short side opposite the "Kodak 400 TMY" text. What happened there?
- Where there was clear film on both sheets, it certainly looks like there is a light leak as it shows density at the corners and some on the straight edges. Is this due to a warn film holder or something else?
That's about it. Thanks for any information.
Chuck