New to LF, what type of film hangers are recommended

[Sirius Glass]

I am new to LF, What type of film hangers are recommended for 3.25" x 4.25" negatives?

Steve

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

If you must use hangers, you'll have to shop around for the 1-up or 4-up stainless steel hangers, and the appropriate deep tanks to use them with. I've never been a big fan of hangers because they create too much developer surge at the edges and over-develop the margins of your film. With sheets that size, either tray process them or get a Combi-Plan tank or Yankee Agi-tank which have adjustable film racks. They're not much better than the hangers, but they do create LESS surge than the hangers do. If you have access to a Jobo tank and reel system, that is the ultimate.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Surge and bromide drag problems with hangers are usually related to insufficient agitation. Most pro labs in the 20th century used this method (sometimes with nitrogen burst agitation, but not always) before bigger automated dip and dunk machines like the Refrema came along. It's a good way to process film in quantity, particularly if you like a replenishable developer that will last in a tank. It's also handy just to have a tank line ready to go whenever the inspiration strikes to make a few exposures.

Short lived developers are okay in a tank, if you're processing enough film in one session to justify filling the tank, compared to other methods like trays and hangers, roller processing, and daylight tanks. I sometimes use ABC pyro with tanks and hangers, and due to the larger amount of developer for the number of hangers that are easy to handle and relatively low surface area on the top of the tank, I can usually put three batches of film through the developer.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I am getting a Yankee Adjustable 4x5 Cut film developing tank model 4945. I am looking for clips to hang the film when I dry it. I have metal clips that I use for 35mm and 120, but they can punch holes in the rebate. There must be something better for sheet film.

Steve

 

[removed account4]

hi steve

they sell 3x4 film hangers on ebay from time to time.
places like equinoxphotographic and pacifirimcamera
sometimes have that columbus camera group and pittsburgh camera exchange
tend to have this size hanger, but it is not an easy size to find.
you can use tupperware-esque containers filled with chemicals instead of deep tanks.
i gave up on hangers and tanks when i had a bad hanger in my bunch and it marked my film up.
i use trays now, its pretty easy.

for clips ... clothes pins work very well.
you just grab a corner and let it hang

good luck !
john

 

[mwdake]

I have metal clips that I use for 35mm and 120, but they can punch holes in the rebate. There must be something better for sheet film.

I use wooden clothes pegs or pins, I guess plastic ones would do as well.
I just hang them by one corner, usually one of the film has a bit more rebate than the other.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The best are Jobo sheet film clips, which punch one tiny hole in the rebate, but they hold any size sheet securely and perpendicular to the drying line, so you can fit a lot of sheets in a small space. They're absurdly expensive

Alternately, use clothespins, but turn the two sides of the pin around so that instead of clipping at the usual end they clip at the handle end, reducing contact area with the film--an Ansel Adams trick.

A few people seem to get along with the Yankee tank, but most people have problems with them, due to the odd side-to-side agitation method that seems to be the only practical method, unless you have a few of them and use them kind of like tanks and hangers. I don't recommend trying the Yankee rack in a normal deep tank designed for hangers, because the rack floats. I'd sooner recommend learning to develop in trays, and then you'll be able to handle any odd format that comes along.

 

[DLM]

I have some large plastic tanks and stainless hangers if you are interested. I have about 30 4x5 hangers (I'll probably keep 10 for myself), and somewhere around 20 5x7 hangers, along with 2 tanks, one for dev and one for fix. I don't shoot LF (yet) and won't need them anyway, since I also have another set of smaller stainless tanks that I plan to keep.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have some large plastic tanks and stainless hangers if you are interested. I have about 30 4x5 hangers (I'll probably keep 10 for myself), and somewhere around 20 5x7 hangers, along with 2 tanks, one for dev and one for fix. I don't shoot LF (yet) and won't need them anyway, since I also have another set of smaller stainless tanks that I plan to keep.

PM and on the way.

 

[photobum]

On the other hand I love using hangers. (Kodak 4A) I find I butcher up the film in trays and I just about always have too much film to process for trays anyway. The drag seems to be more related to the developer. I use D-76 1+1 and lift and slow tilt to one side, then to the other the next 30 seconds. I've only had drag with 8X10 in Rodinal.

I use both single 4x5's and the 4 up hangers. The SS Kodaks are the way to go. I've had some other weird brand hangers that I've thrown out years ago. I forget what brand but they had an arm that swung down to hold the film in. Kodak 4 A 's have the whole top flips down and should never damage the film.

 

[Jim Noel]

Dental x-ray clips. Most dentists are going digital and are willing to get rid of the clips if they haven't already.