The Mythical 5x7 CombiPlan Developing Tank?

haziz · Mar 8, 2017

Legend has it that a CombiPlan 5x7 developing tank existed back in the mists of time. Has such a beast ever existed? I have sighted and tamed it's distant cousin the 4x5 tank, but do wonder if the 5x7 is but a myth. Some claim that this rare beast went extinct in the late 1970s or early 80s, but I do wonder about their veracity. I think it is but a myth.

mike c · Mar 8, 2017

I would think more like the 50's 60's , when people had all kind of crazy idea's for building stuff for their hobby.

haziz · Mar 8, 2017

mike c said:
I would think more like the 50's 60's , when people had all kind of crazy idea's for building stuff for their hobby.

Except that the tanks I refer to were manufactured in Scandinavia. They were not DIY projects. The 4x5 tank is one I am very familiar with. I do wonder if anyone has sighted the mythical 5x7 developing tank?

Sal Santamaura · Mar 8, 2017

Not a myth. Straight from the manufacturer's (retired now) mouth:

http://www.largeformatphotography.i...eveloping-tank&p=757617&viewfull=1#post757617

darkroommike · Mar 9, 2017

Is this just for info or are you actively seeking one. I have a similar daylight 5x7 tank for film on hangers that I can shoot pix of if you are interested in seeing the beast.

jaco van lith · May 5, 2022

The Combiplan tanks were made in Germany, Sweden and the U.S.A.
The tanks can hold sheet films and glass plates.
The tanks can hold different imperial and metrical sizes.
The Combiplan T tank exists as well.
The Combiplan 5 x 7 tank can hold six sheet films or six glass plates
in various sizes.
The Combiplan 5 x 7 can hold twelve 4 x 5 sheets / plates
in various smaller sizes
Sheet film and glass plate are used by professional photographers.
There were five different manufacturers of developing tanks for
sheet film/ glass plate in Europa.
Jaco van Lith

jaco van lith · May 5, 2022

haziz said:
Except that the tanks I refer to were manufactured in Scandinavia. They were not DIY projects. The 4x5 tank is one I am very familiar with. I do wonder if anyone has sighted the mythical 5x7 developing tank?

I have bought the Combiplan 5 x 7 tanks.
Read my text underneath.

Bob S · May 5, 2022

We discontinued the 57 CombiPlan L and T tanks in 1983 after the founder of HP Marketing retired. The L version of the 45 and 57 tanks had a hard top while the T version had the invert I blue rubber top.
we also threw the tools out in 83 so there was no way to continue to make them after that.
originally the 35mm, 120, 45 and 57 tanks, and reels for 35 and 120, were made by the inventor. A German named Krause, in Germany. He sold the system to Gepe who then made them in Sweden. When the Gepe group bought HP Marketing we moved the production to Newark, NJ and kept it there until 84 when we shipped the tools back to Sweden and they were made their until the Gepe Group moved the tools to one of their German factories in Garmish-Partenkirchin. That was the last factory to make the Combiplan system. We discontinued the 45 T system before we closed in 2014 and the remailing inventory was sold by Brandess.

Rbatey · Jan 25, 2024

Bob S said:
We discontinued the 57 CombiPlan L and T tanks in 1983 after the founder of HP Marketing retired. The L version of the 45 and 57 tanks had a hard top while the T version had the invert I blue rubber top.
we also threw the tools out in 83 so there was no way to continue to make them after that.
originally the 35mm, 120, 45 and 57 tanks, and reels for 35 and 120, were made by the inventor. A German named Krause, in Germany. He sold the system to Gepe who then made them in Sweden. When the Gepe group bought HP Marketing we moved the production to Newark, NJ and kept it there until 84 when we shipped the tools back to Sweden and they were made their until the Gepe Group moved the tools to one of their German factories in Garmish-Partenkirchin. That was the last factory to make the Combiplan system. We discontinued the 45 T system before we closed in 2014 and the remailing inventory was sold by Brandess.

I see this is an old thread but I just got my hands on a 5x7 one today. So they do exist! Trying to figure out how to use it but have no instructions. It’s different from the HP one. This one is made by Gepe. It has a flexible rubber lid and no filler or drain holes. Any info would be appreciated!

The Mythical 5x7 CombiPlan Developing Tank?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency