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Which kit I need to develop 120 at home?

dmtry

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Messages
37
Location
Ukraine
Format
Multi Format
Hello there, dear forum members.

I want to start to develop 120 bw films at home, now I need to choose all what I need for this process.
Please help me to find a right drum/tank and all needed accessories for measuring chemistry etc.
Will be happy to buy such kit as well.
And I want to develop 4x5 in future also.

Thanks for your attention.
 
If you get a Paterson tank that holds 3 rolls of 35mm you can use it to process two rolls of 120. You could also get one of the Mod 54 inserts that would let you process up to 6 sheets of 4x5 in the same tank. Alternatively get the smaller Paterson tank that is made for 2 rolls of 35mm and you can do one roll of 120 in this. you can process one sheet of 4x5 by curving it around the inner wall of the tank, emulsion side in. I've done this many times with no problems. Your choice depends on how much film you use.
 
The only thing you need is a 120 reel and a tank that will hold it. No special chemicals/graduates, just a 120 reel. Same thing with 4x5 film, just a 4x5 film holder and tanks.
 
Dima,

For 120:
tank, reel(s), graduate/measuring cup, storage bottles, tupperware container*, scissors, film hangers and negative storage sleeves
film washer
developer, fixer, photoflo, and distilled water
I am not aware of these items being available as a kit, you would have to assemble them.
*to hold photflo (a few drops) in distilled water to dunk film after processing and washing before hanging to dry

4x5:
film hangers, tanks although you could tray process
chemistry as for 120

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/
 
hi dima

there are easy ways to process film .. and more expensive methods as well.
you will need some tanks and reels for 120 film.
some people like plastic some like metal
some like freestanding small tanks, some like plugging in
a long tube that spins around and around ( rotary processor )
it is all personal preference ...

for 4x5 tanks and hangers are easy
so is the taco method ( elastic band on the film to put it in the 120 film tank )
so is open trays ...

it all depends on what you feel comfortable doing.

i learned loading reels as a teenager and i never liked plastic reels
so i use metal reels and a metal hand tank for 120 film
while i have a rotary processor i never really use it.

for sheet film, i was originally trained with tanks and hangers
but eventually drifted to using an open tray and shuffling the film in it ...

as for chemistry ...

i would learn with 1 developer, something easily available where you live, and the other stuff mentioned by jeffreyg as well.
it is very easy to get caught up in using a zillion different developers and films &c when one probably works
well universally with all films ( small formats and large ones )

i have some standard developer i use from time to time
but i have settled on 1 developer that i develop everything in, and it is made of a special type brewed coffee ...
it works well for me ...

good luck!
john
 
Thank you all for such kind help.
When I learned to develop films we used Jobo drum for rotating machine, which was rotated by the hands on table.
Some of the tanks let to use less chemicals, which is also great.
But all this make my decision more complex.
Never heard about metal tanks, so will google for it.

I understand that there are no ready to use "kit", but may be someone here can sell me such things.
 
You will also need a room like a windowless bathroom that can be made dark for a few minutes. Lacking that you can use a changing bag. However they do not work well if your hands sweat easily.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Some of the US/EU dealers may have a developing kit with most of what you need packaged.
It's going to be basic and better quality is available.

There are clips on youtube about how to load reels etc. There should be both metal and plastic type.
 
Jobo Multitank 2 (. Will do 2 rolls of 120 or 6 sheets of 4x5 (with the 2509n insert). Minimum chemicals around 270ml.

The next size up is the multitank 5 (2550) which will do six 120 and twelve 4x5 (with 2 2509n inserts).

You should be able to get a used Multitank 2 for well under $100 in eBay; check the completed listings.

You can easily, and cheaply, make a roller base from 2 sets of skateboard trucks/wheels bolted close together on a board if you don't want to roll on a bench top. There are several forum threads on making a funnel system to fill these tanks quickly (that is, do what a Jobo lift system does without the expense).

In my opinion, Jobo tanks, even rolled on bench tops, offer the easiest, most consistent results of any system. Others, no doubt, will have their own, differing, opinions. However, given you've used these before, why not just stick to what you know?
 
Gerald C Koch said:
You will also need a room like a windowless bathroom that can be made dark for a few minutes. Lacking that you can use a changing bag. However they do not work well if your hands sweat easily.
Click to expand...

Or you can load your film under the covers after you've gone to bed and turned the lights off. Unless there's a street light outside your window. Works really well in winter.
 

Thank you, Sir.
This is what i will do - will try to find a Jobo 2520 tank.
 
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