YAY! 4x5 Daylight tank!

JohnRichard · Sep 11, 2009

SWEET! I just, in the mail, got a nice FR Corp. 4x5 adjustable daylight developing tank. Thick plastic. Holds 12 sheets, which is good because I only have 4 carriers at the moment. I am excited.

Everyone should have one of these.

It's got this cool double lid system, that acts as a light barrier, and liquid guide that dispenses liquid down the sides rather than across the middle of the film.

Francis in VT · Sep 11, 2009

Johnrichard;

I'm sure you will be happy with your new tank.
Many Moons ago when I was doing weddings 4 X 5 B&W
with flashbulbs then strobe I can remember putting many sheets of film through one of these tanks.

Might I ask what you paid as I have a few to sell and am curious as to the worth.
Good luck with it.

Francis in VT

JohnRichard · Sep 11, 2009

I paid $50 after $12 or so shipping. So almost $40 I say.

Also, I am shooting my cousins wedding (just as a favor) in 4x5 black and white, complete with flashbulbs and Speed Graphic.
Gonna set f22 at 1/50 or so and shoot away. Old school indeed!

BetterSense · Sep 11, 2009

Where did you get the flashbulbs?

nickandre · Sep 11, 2009

BetterSense said:
Where did you get the flashbulbs?

From the camera store? Remember they did use to make these things.

JohnRichard · Sep 11, 2009

I actually bought them at a second hand store. They had a box of "stuff" and in it was a whole box of about 30 #25b bulbs. YAY!

So now all I need to do is find more!

Fotoguy20d · Sep 11, 2009

I use one of those. Getting agitation right is tricky, though, and I still don't have it down. I got a Yankee tank the other day as part of a lot of ten old cameras and some other junk. Has the film with long edge horizontal instead of vertical. I might give that one a try.

Dan

Ektagraphic · Sep 11, 2009

I use FR Corp 35mm tanks and I think they are the best. They work like a charm.

EASmithV · Sep 11, 2009

Hmmmm... I want one...

Chazzy · Sep 12, 2009

JohnRichard said:
SWEET! I just, in the mail, got a nice FR Corp. 4x5 adjustable daylight developing tank. Thick plastic. Holds 12 sheets, which is good because I only have 4 carriers at the moment. I am excited.

Everyone should have one of these.

It's got this cool double lid system, that acts as a light barrier, and liquid guide that dispenses liquid down the sides rather than across the middle of the film.

I haven't heard of the company or the tank, so I will be interested to hear further news of how you are getting along with the tank. Where did you get it?

JohnRichard · Sep 13, 2009

I found this tank on Ebay. I just typed in 4x5 in the search. I get bored sometimes, and looking for neat things people don't know what are is fun. If I recall, this tank was listed under storage, or something like that. It also had the most elegant description: "Film storage tank with lid".

I think I lucked out.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 13, 2009

Have you processed film in it? Run some tests before doing anything important with it to be sure you're getting even development with the film and developer and agitation method you're using. My understanding is that the FR sheet film tank is much like the Yankee tank in principle, and few people get along well with the Yankee tank. There's a thread about the FR tank at the lfphoto.info forum.

salihonba · Sep 13, 2009

How much developer needed to fill the tank? how to deal with it when you just have one or two films to process?

Anscojohn · Sep 13, 2009

JohnRichard said:
I paid $50 after $12 or so shipping. So almost $40 I say.

Also, I am shooting my cousins wedding (just as a favor) in 4x5 black and white, complete with flashbulbs and Speed Graphic.
Gonna set f22 at 1/50 or so and shoot away. Old school indeed!

******
Have you checked your solenoid adjust for proper flash synch?

Anscojohn · Sep 13, 2009

Ektagraphic said:
I use FR Corp 35mm tanks and I think they are the best. They work like a charm.

********
Ekta,
Have you been around as long as those tanks have?

mopar_guy · Sep 13, 2009

Fink Roselieve Cut Film-Pack Developing Tank

Hi,
I own and have used several of these with mostly good results.

The Good: Adjustable to different formats (4x5, 3 1/4 x 4 1/4, 2 1/4 x 3 1/4), Daylight processing, also can be used to wash films or 4x5 papers.

The Bad: Some have reported uneven development (that is streaking)

The Ugly: Baklite plastic can break easily, Vintage item no longer produced, sometimes not all of the parts are included.

Some points to consider: too vigorous agitation can cause streaking, I also use a slight tipping motion at the beginning of each side-to-side agitation motion which gives satisfactory results, there is a loading guide that makes loading sheets of film about 10 times easier in the dark and this is often missing.

The first one of these that I got came with a Pacemaker Crown Graphic in 2x3 size along with the original manufacturers instructions. I really like these tanks.

Found on eBay for between $10-40.

Regards,
Dave

donbga · Sep 13, 2009

JohnRichard said:
SWEET! I just, in the mail, got a nice FR Corp. 4x5 adjustable daylight developing tank. Thick plastic. Holds 12 sheets, which is good because I only have 4 carriers at the moment. I am excited.

Everyone should have one of these.

It's got this cool double lid system, that acts as a light barrier, and liquid guide that dispenses liquid down the sides rather than across the middle of the film.

My condolences!

After Rodinal developer, a 4x5 daylight development tank is the worst evil known to Man.

BenZucker · Sep 14, 2009

I have used this tank and always had uneven development....perhaps you will have better luck

theblood · Sep 14, 2009

Its very difficult to get even development with any of the daylight tanks. Its worth checking before you shoot lots of film. I think its called a flash test. Many years ago view camera did a survey of the various methods and I found them to be accurate.

Uneven development will show up in the skies or other very smooth areas. It won't show in things like forest scenes, where there would be no smooth gradations.

Francis in VT · Sep 14, 2009

Chazzy said:
I haven't heard of the company or the tank, so I will be interested to hear further news of how you are getting along with the tank. Where did you get it?

The tank was originally sold under the FR brand.
When they went out it later appeared under the DORAN brand.
I never got along with the YANKEE tank. It didn't have a loading guide as the FR did.

Francis in VT

JohnRichard · Sep 14, 2009

Lets see: To answer some question,

I don't have a solenoid. I will be using the cable. I haven't tested the tank yet, but I will be this week sometime.
It did come with the loading guide, and I have practiced loading with test negatives. Works like a charm.

"...the worst evil known to man..."

I have tried single sheet development, and it came out ok... of course it was a quick test using my fingers as tongs.

Venchka · Sep 14, 2009

Correction.

Everyone should have a Jobo 2551/2553 tank, 2509 reels, Uniroller motor base and Harrison changing tent.

The FR tank is a relic from a bygone era.

calceman · Sep 14, 2009

I used one of these. Got worried when I 1st used it because it did not work so well for many people (probably the ones that dont read the manual, or got the tank without a manual). Easy to use, no problem whatsoever, except the occasional 2 sheets inserted in the same notch. 12 sheets at a time is a time saver. I used to gather my negatives in groups according to development times, and when I get to 10/12 I process.

michaelbsc · Sep 15, 2009

Nah, everyone should have a Phototherm

Venchka said:
Correction.

Everyone should have a Jobo 2551/2553 tank, 2509 reels, Uniroller motor base and Harrison changing tent.

The FR tank is a relic from a bygone era.

Nah, everyone should have a Phototherm with the 4x5 adapter.

You load the tank, put it on the machine, and come back when it starts beeping at you. YOu can develop a thousand sheets or a thousand rolls of film exactly the same way every time.

The only downside is that the 4x5 holder is expensive, only holds 4 sheets, and I have *NEVER* seen one in an auction.

Anscojohn · Sep 15, 2009

JohnRichard said:
Lets see: To answer some question,

I don't have a solenoid. I will be using the cable.
*******
The cable plugs in where to fire the shutter?

YAY! 4x5 Daylight tank!

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