Paper processors

Having recently lost my darkroom, I hired a professional darkroom for the day. It was a revelation - especially as it had an Ilford 2150 processor. A whole day in the darkroom without getting my hands wet! And I managed to get through nearly a box of 100 10x8s.

This got me thinking - I have an enlarger and a dark 'space' at home, but not much space/time for trays these days. A processor at home would keep me printing - the Ilford 2150 is a bit of a beast, but does anyone have experience with smaller processors, for doing 10x8s, like the Thermaphot range? Are they suitable for the casual, low volume user? Do they get expensive to run?

I have a Durst Printo that I used for color for a while. Works well for black and white, but you are limited to RC papers. That limitation is why I don't use it more. Small processors are no more expensive to run than trays. The Printo takes 2.5 liters of chemistry, which is what I use for my 11x14 trays. The only limitation is all your baths are the same speed, so there isn't a way to use a short stop bath, so it may be 3 minutes start to finish, instead of 2.5 minutes. However I found the rollers remove almost all the developer, so you can get by running a two bath system, especially if you use an alkaline fixer.

I run a Fujimoto CP31, a 12" wide, 3 tanks (1.85L per tank) with wash dry module. Mostly I use it for colur RA-4 printing, but have used it from time to time for b&w.

If for b&w: Pick a film strength fixer and a developer that is not too dilute, and then there is no need to slow the rollers down from the usual RA-4 45" per tank. Even with the heaters turned of, I find the pumps tend to drive the baths up to about 24C.

I wash longer than the minute of so the W/D does, so I disconnect it for b&w.

I have done FB b&w in mine; it involves pre-wetting and then sitcking the floppy paper to a RC carrier sheet; mine came from long expired EP/2 paper that I have washed the overcoat off, and fixed, and then washed to leave it as just a gelatine coated RC slab. You still need a second fix, and archival washing, but it soes speed up production; I had a cast photo that went out as 25 8x10's of the same image.

I run a Durst Printo as well, fantastic unit, maximum size is 12" wide paper.

I used it for RA4 for many years, these days I have been using it for B&W a lot.

I mix my own paper developer, but Ilford's standard paper developer works a treat, I also run it at 24ºC and at RA4 speed.

Mick.