Jobo getting out of processors?

[tim atherton]

Anyone heard anything about this?

 

[coriana6jp]

There was some discussion on the LF forum about Jobo. Nothing is confirmed yet, and I could not find anything on Jobo's homepage either.

Gary

 

[tim atherton]

anyone speak better German than mine?

Here's one referred to:
http://www.jobo.com/jobo_press/pr/2006_05_1_JOBO_Analog.pdf

I can roughly get:

goodbye, analog processors, but we hope to stay in business
by re-using our competence in the digital domain.

and
The Jobo ATL era is indeed ending

and
accessories such as processing
tanks, film spirals etc. will continue to be made, and so will spare
parts for the existing Jobo processors out there.
ATL processors are no more.

but all that's REALLY rough...

 

[edz]

Anyone heard anything about this?

Yes they are long out and their trails burned (employees discharged). They are not 100% out of the market as they will continue long into the future to sell spares (from large stocks), service and items like tanks and reels. All parts are available and so there is nothing to worry about keeping current machines running even in commercial (time is money) environments.
Given that NOBODY is about to purchase a new CPE/CPA/CPP or ATL given the large numbers of cheap used unit that have flooded the markets over the past few digitalization waves.... what's the point of keeping production up? They are simply products without demand and literally without market (there are few people still around to sell them)...

 

[roteague]

Given that NOBODY is about to purchase a new CPE/CPA/CPP or ATL given the large numbers of cheap used unit that have flooded the markets over the past few digitalization waves.... what's the point of keeping production up? They are simply products without demand and literally without market (there are few people still around to sell them)...

Too bad, I would rather buy a new one than a used one. I guess I should get one while they are still in stock.

 

[Changeling1]

Yes they are long out and their trails burned (employees discharged). They are not 100% out of the market as they will continue long into the future to sell spares (from large stocks), service and items like tanks and reels. All parts are available and so there is nothing to worry about keeping current machines running even in commercial (time is money) environments.
Given that NOBODY is about to purchase a new CPE/CPA/CPP or ATL given the large numbers of cheap used unit that have flooded the markets over the past few digitalization waves.... what's the point of keeping production up? They are simply products without demand and literally without market (there are few people still around to sell them)...

I liked your assurance that parts and service will be available well into the future but what markets, beside ePay, are the CPE/CPA/CPP units flooding? I don't think a couple of these units per week showing up on the auction site constitutes a "flooding". Could you share your sources for these good used items? Thanks in advance.

 

[tim atherton]

I liked your assurance that parts and service will be available well into the future but what markets, beside ePay, are the CPE/CPA/CPP units flooding? I don't think a couple of these units per week showing up on the auction site constitutes a "flooding". Could you share your sources for these good used items? Thanks in advance.

Oh - they show up cheap all the time on ebay and in local FS ads at bargain basement prices (of course, used prices may now rise...).

I bought my CPE2 for about $290.00 + a load of tanks etc

Someone recently offered me one of the newer ATL's (forget exactly which one) in very good condition for $375.00 + all the extras.

 

[tim atherton]

Here's the English release:

http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/jobo_lumejet_1500_digital_minilab/

 

[fhovie]

I really like their tanks. For MF and 4x5 there is nothing like them. I have all I need until mine wear out. I hope replacing parts will not become a problem. I never needed their processors though.

 

[Jorge]

Dammit, since I started using mine I have become addicted, I would never go back to stading in a darkroom developing film....

 

[reggie]

When I went on a 3-week vacation once, I took along my 4x5 Jobo drum and the roller base out of my CPP2. I would add the chemical, set the drum on it's side on the roller base and turn it by hand. I got excellent results this way. It would be easy to have put it in a water bath to control temperature, too, but I didn't need to when I processed at night. So, when my CPP2 eventually dies, I can agitate by hand and still get great results. It doesn't take much practice to get the speeds right and it's easy to reverse the agitation direction!

BTW, I used one of thse JOBO washing tubes that stick into the top of a drum. They do a great job. I'm not sure how well they'd do on an Expert drum, but they did fine on the non-Expert 4x5,6x6 drum\reel combos.

-R

 

[Dave Starr]

Too bad, I would rather buy a new one than a used one. I guess I should get one while they are still in stock.

That's what I did back in January. The used CPP-2 I bought in November died, and rather than take a chance on another used one, I bit the bullet & bought a new one from Freestyle. They were the only one I could find with one in stock.

 

[dancqu]

I never needed their processors though.

Who ever "needed" Jobo anything. Can you
think of any single item Jobo marketed that
could be considered "needed"?

The only close to being "needed" I can think
of is their day light processing gear. Those with
only enough dark space to load had some more
choice with Jobo in business. I doubt though
that they were the first or will be the last
to cater to that market. Dan

 

[Petzi]

This is going to leave a huge gap in the photographic universe. Who is going to make rotational processors now? I don't think any other means of processing color film on a small scale is very practical.

It's not like some garage startup could get into it. The tools must be very expensive, especially for the drums.

 

[Dave Parker]

I purchased a Sidekick and the economy is just as good as the Jobo system for film processing, it will be a small hole, because so many have come to depend on it, but the sidekick is a commercial level processor that can be afforded by just about anyone, if you look for a rebuilt one from the factory, I don't see that big of a hole comming, but do agree it is a shame to see another analog company discontinuing their analog equipment. When I started out, I did tray processing and really have no problem going back to processing my prints in a tray...sorry to see them go, but not as big of a gap as you might think..

R.

 

[Petzi]

There is no way I am going to process film in the dark.

 

[Dave Parker]

There is no way I am going to process film in the dark.

Okay! I am not afraid of the dark...The sidekick is not a dark processor, the only time you have to be in the dark is when your loading the reels?

R.

 

[Petzi]

The sidekick is way too expensive. A Jobo CPE 2 with lift can be obtained for like 500 Euros.

 

[edz]

I liked your assurance that parts and service will be available well into the future but what markets, beside ePay, are the CPE/CPA/CPP units flooding? I don't think a couple of these units per week showing up on the auction site constitutes a "flooding". Could you share your sources for these good used items? Thanks in advance.

In Germany nearly wherever one looks.. ATLs are to be had for the pickup.. Colentas too.. Loads and loads of professional studios, photographers, small labs etc. have been dumpting their stuff.. A lot does indeed show up on eBay since finding someone to come and haul it away is less than simple.. they are big and heavy and few of any of us have the infrastructure (running temperated water), room nor need to bother with one.. They are for most of us as usefull as big professional repro cameras.. Yup.. 10 years ago $50,000 USD and a pride and today.. junk.. Then again.. Our first Sun IPX we paid 35K DM in 1992 (and that was with 35% discount) and today.. maybe worth $5 USD.. and they are small and no real burden to have around.. That's still nothing compared to the depreciation loss of old supercomputers.. what a few years ago costs millions and demanded special security to meet U.S. legislation is today junk for old computer collectors and worth a few 100 USD..

 

[fhovie]

Their tanks for 4x5 processing are really good - I also can do 8 rolls of 120 in that tank or 18 sheets of 4x5. I only process with hand and usually minimal agitation though. I have a set of rollers that got parked when I saw all the accutance I was loosing in the rolling.

Who ever "needed" Jobo anything. Can you
think of any single item Jobo marketed that
could be considered "needed"?

The only close to being "needed" I can think
of is their day light processing gear. Those with
only enough dark space to load had some more
choice with Jobo in business. I doubt though
that they were the first or will be the last
to cater to that market. Dan

 

[Jim Chinn]

I have used one for several years for all my roll film and most of my 4x5 and 8x10. After the first year I depended on my CPE2 so much that I found another one at a swap meet and it has been in storage for 4 years waiting for the day the first one quits. that way even if I can get replacement parts I will not have any down time. They really are one of the greatest and easiest ways to get consistent results every time.

 

[Curt]

Robert, what would you do with a Jobo, I thought you only did color, Fuji Velvia, and used labs?

Curt

 

[Changeling1]

This is going to leave a huge gap in the photographic universe. Who is going to make rotational processors now? I don't think any other means of processing color film on a small scale is very practical.

It's not like some garage startup could get into it. The tools must be very expensive, especially for the drums.

While I personally use a Jobo CPP2, there is also the Dev-Tec system for a fraction of the cost. Their best set-up is under $300 and you can make up to 20x24" prints with it!

 

[Dave Parker]

The sidekick is way too expensive. A Jobo CPE 2 with lift can be obtained for like 500 Euros.

I purchased my sidekick for $400 US and this was refurbished by the factory with the new program board, I don't consider that to expensive for a machine I can drop 8 rolls of 35mm into and punch a button, then comeback in about an hour and have fully developed and fully dried film, at last count 500 is more expensive...now I will give you this, the sidekick don't do paper, but paper is easy to do in trays..

R.

 

[Dave Parker]

Robert, what would you do with a Jobo, I thought you only did color, Fuji Velvia, and used labs?

Curt

Curt,

Color is pretty easy to do in the jobo...

R.