High Volume 4x5? Advice needed.

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Jonathan, I've not seen any irregularities in development turning 4x5 sheets in the 2500-series tanks. I have a lot of my 4x5s scanned and displayed online at www.mcnew.net/portraits (nude content) -- go see for yourself, to the extent that scans might capture what you fear. Sanders
 

eclarke

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You can use the 4 up hangers in 2 gallon tanks and do a ton of film. All these can be found pretty cheaply at the auction. People argue that it is too much volume/price for chemicals but a sheet uses up just so much chemistry. You group enough film to exhaust the lot of chemicals...EC
 

PHOTOTONE

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Developing 40 sheets of 4x5 on 4-up hangars in a 3.5 gallon tank is really easy. You need 4 tanks. 1. prewet, 2. developer, 3. stop bath, 4. fix. The key to getting flaw-free negatives is a nice long water presoak (4 min.) and then very, very gentle agitation (after initial agitation) every minute in the developer. Like one raise, tilt and lower, and then back off, don't even jar the sink. The pre-wet tank can be dumped of pre-wet water (which may be full of anti-haliation dye) and filled with a constant flow hose for final wash. Then photo-flo in a 5x7 tray before hanging up. (take films off hangars put into photo-flo in tray). You guys that go out with 24 sheets are lightweights. I go out with 100.
 

PHOTOTONE

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Just a note on Grafmatics. The septums can become loose. They need to grip the edge of the film just a little to keep it from sliding out. If they are loose, during a bumpy ride in the car or jeep, the film can slide out a bit, and then when you try to use the grafmatic, it will jam because the film will buckle. The very end of the long sides of the holders have a tiny crimp in the ends of the channels the film slides under, and you can take a needle-nose plier and apply a tiny bit more crimp. (test with old piece of film). You need to feel some resistance just as your are sliding the film completely in. Not a lot, but a tiny bit.
 

Sparky

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Hmmm... you really got me scratching my head on this.. very interesting possibility! Especially after last night's perceptol run (I couldn't find my other hangers and was doing sets of five negs at 22 mins EACH set of five!!! arggh!!!). I'll check out the 2500 system.

thanks.


 

Sparky

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Well - there are times when I HAVE a ton of film to DO! I'll consider it also.

 

Kilgallb

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Oct 14, 2005
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Calgary AB C
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I have the same problem with only 5 holders available. I have made a changing box I keep in the truck. I have tried the tents, but they always seem to give me a dust problem. You could even make a temporary one with a cardboard box and blankets.

As a last resort, try buying a 6x7 120 film adaptor for your 4x5. I know it is not as versatile as 4x5 sheets because every shot on a roll is developed the same. However, it certainly beats carrying a 35 mm camera and the quality approaches 4x5.

I have shot as little as 2-3 shots on a roll of TMX and then rewound and loaded a new roll because I wanted a different development. TMX 100 in 120 rolls is way cheaper than TMX ready loads.
 
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