Ilfochrome processing

[Snapper]

Does anyone know if you can you process Ilfochrome in dishes at room (20C) temperature by increasing the development time? I have a heated slot processor, but it's awkward to use and takes 2L in each slot - that's a whole P30 kit in one session. Dishes seem a lot more convenient.

 

[jantman]

I'd reccomend looking into buying a used Jobo rotary-drum processor. I use one for Ilfochrome and for B&W film, and love it.

Trays are harder to temperature-control (as control must be very accurate). Also, with a drum processor, once the print is put in the drum, you can do the rest of it with room lights on, which is very helpful.

If you don't like that, Ilford had a line of desktop transport processors for Ilfochrome which are supposedly very good, though they still go for $500+ used on EBay.

 

[Les McLean]

I processed Cibachrome (predessesor of Ilfochrome) in trays at 20c years ago and it worked fine, I just did a test to determine the correct development time. I also used two bath black and white developers to help control the high contrast and ordinary fixer, the only ciba chemistry that I used was the bleach and this greatly reduced the chemical costs. The prints are as good today as when they were made in 1988.

 

[DKT]

If you don't like that, Ilford had a line of desktop transport processors for Ilfochrome which are supposedly very good, though they still go for $500+ used on EBay.

the problem with alot of ilford processors is that they weren't made directly by ilford and the support & spare parts is really spotty on them now. The smaller cap40 I think was made by thermophot, and I don't believe it's supported anymore--may be wrong on this though.

Unless you really know about the model and feel comfortable in setting it up & doing any maintenance on it yourself--I'd avoid used processors in general--especially ilford, unless it's something like the ones made by kreonite. A better bet would be something like a durst printo or maybe a fujimoto. At least with these models, they can reconfigured for other speeds & processes--so you're not locked into one process should it become obsolete.

buyer beware....

KT

 

[steve]

20C (68F) is a long way from the 80F (27C) recommended processing temperature. I find that processing at 84-85F (29.??C) gives even better results. I think you're going to end up with a color shift and will have to give the material a lot of exposure processing at 20C.

The Ilford processors (CAP-40) were made by Thermophot. I've had one since 1988 and have found it to be very good. The recirculating pumps are extremely reliable as they use a magnetic drive system making them easy to take apart and clean. The only thing you could potentially have problems with would be the heater and thermostat circuit. I've never had any problems with mine and have literally put thousands of sheets of paper through it.

If you can find a clean, used CAP-40, that would be the best way to process the material. After that, a JOBO drum system would be my next choice. If you really need to process in trays, try and setup a water bath system for the developer to get it to 27C. Having the bleach and fix being at 27C shouldn't be as critical.