Sheet Film Processing Options - Large Format Friday
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- Опубликовано: 4 июл 2024
- A photographer’s darkroom is their sacred space. Free of the burdens of the outside world where one can relax, focus on soothing sounds of your favorite jams, and make art. If you don’t have access to one of these photographic safe spaces, don’t fret. Today on LFF, we’re going to be covering the various options for developing sheet films.
This list is going to be divided into two major categories, Complete Darkness and Daylight Processing. Both will need access to a space that can potentially get wet, but daylight processing systems are a little more versatile for their usability outside of the darkroom.
Mod 54 Reel: mod54.com/
20th Century Camera Quick Load Reels: 20thcenturycamera.com/collect...
Stearman Press Processing Systems: shop.stearmanpress.com/collec...
Questions? Send me an email: largeformatquestions@gmail.com
Content by Mat Marrash
www.matmarrash.com 
Хобби
The Nikor(single K) stainless tank. Does 4x5 but adjustable spacers for smaller sheets. Expensive used but are very good. Make sure it comes with the band that you place around the loaded reel so the sheets don’t end up at the periphery all stuck together.
Thanks for mentioning that specialty tank! Never knew that it came with a band, I've only ever seen the reels by themselves.
Excellent video, many thanks Mat!!!!!
Maybe worth mentioning:
- you can print your own film holders from Thingiverse if you have a 3D printer
- some people use Combiplans to do dip and dunk with 6 sheets of 4x5
- you forgot rotary bases with drums such as Unicolor or Beseler
The thing with Jobo is not only that it’s expensive but very expensive for plastic containers with very little technology.
Thanks Nico!
Excellent information as I begin the processing tango with my newly acquired Graflex 3x4 Crown Graphic. Loving it and your site. THANK YOU!
Great information.
I am planning to develop 4x5 bw film.
Thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
I don't normally wear an apron in my darkroom, but I'm totally digging that MPEX apron!!! Also, I have the latest version of the Stearman Press 445 and it works GREAT!!
Great video. I started with the Mod-54 and then got the SP-445. The Mod-54 is in the back of the cupboard now :)
I love this channel. Actually purchased the 20th Century Camera 4x5 Reel a few days ago. Should be coming in this week. It is the best alternative to the sold out B's 4x5 Reel.
I used to use the Unicolor Drum years ago, now trying to get back into doing large format after a decade away, great to see the many options!!!
Absolutely! With easier access than ever to other photographers' insights, this is one of the best times to be into large format!
Swoosh! Great work Mat!
Haha, I didn't want to make it a weird cut, so I kept in the hair shot. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank You very much!
SP-445 it is for me (Jobo for MF and 35 mm film). I especially appreciate the small dimensions and efficiency with chemicals, as I don't have a darkroom and have to fit all my development gear into two 22 liter Ikea Samla boxes (chemicals for B&W and C-41 in one box, "hardware" including a CineStill TCS 1000 in the other box). Works fine as long as you don't put *too much* chemical in the tank (this is crucial, as the tank than starts to leak).
Very informative and useful video! Your channel has great content!
Thanks so much!
I love my 20th century 2x3 sheet holder!
Great to hear! I'm excited for all the new ULF reels they're making!
Some folks hate the Yankee Agitank. I've got one, and I can only presume they didn't use it long enough to figure out its quirks. First, it's *cheap* -- $35 to $40 new plus shipping makes it the cheapest daylight solution other than tacos (which require you have a daylight roll film tank), and it's still in production. Second, it holds up to *12* sheets (and comes with a loading aid to be sure each sheet is in the same slot top and bottom); third, it's adjustable for any standard sheet film size: 2x3, 6.5x9 cm, 3x4, 9x12 cm, and 4x5 (I use the latter two -- none of those other daylight solutions takes 9x12 in the same equipment). Yes, it needs a lot of solution -- 1630 ml for 4x5 -- but it can process a DOZEN sheets in that, and if you replenish your developer, you'll use the same amount of replenisher for a given number of sheets that you would in the SP-445.
It took me a couple runs to figure out the best way to agitate it (by rocking, end to end, once left and once right equals a single inversion), but I get perfectly even negatives now, good enough that I'll be confident using it with C-41 when I'm willing to spend the money for color sheet film (I'm already replenishing Flexicolor C-41, so once again, needing a lot of solution doesn't mean it's expensive to operate). It's a little splashy when pouring out the chemicals, but I'm using 2l graduated pitchers, which are plenty big enough to catch everything.
I can't use it to process glass plates from J. Lane, but of all the methods you've showed here, only trays or hangers and tanks can (the corners of a glass plate would puncture your zipper bag) -- and if I had a 3D printer, I'm sure I could print a rack for the Yankee that would accept and retain the same sizes of glass plates as it does sheet film.
Good to see some love for the Yankee tanks in the comments. 3D printing would definitely be a way to upgrade the Yankee for plates. And agreed on capacity, just because it takes a lot doesn't mean it's that expensive. There are plenty of developers out there that are very economical and have their own unique benefits and can be heavily diluted.
Very helpful: Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Really appreciate you share this. I was planning on getting a Paterson 3 reel with mod 54.
Glad this could help!
Go for the 20th Century! It's awesome.
Thanks for sharing! I am looking for my tank as well... new in large format..
Big fan of my SP-445, has certainly helped with my 4x5 processing! And do plan on getting the plate holders for the SP-445 and a 20th Century unit for larger number of sheets.
The 20th Century holders are definitely super exciting. Currently using the Instax Wide adapter for 4x5 plate holder!
Another great video. Definitely subscribed :-)
Welcome aboard!
That was informative, I haven't done LF tray processing before
Thanks Craig, if you have the space and trays, it's definitely worth a try!
I process my 4x5 on a Jobo CPE-3 I bought second hand with their Expert 3010 drum -- it holds 10 sheets of 4x5 in tubes. Mostly do C-41 and occasionally D-76. Easy to load and very even processing. One cute thing is the air pump to blow to drum open after processing.
It's funny you should mention that Jobo pump Gregory. The first time I saw one of these processors demonstrated, I turned away from the drum to a darkroom timer that was going off to signal the end of washing. Right as I looked to the timer, I heard the "bang" of it opening (it was a drum of 7x17" film!) and hit the deck.
Good overview. I use the CombiPlan for 4x5, and its size is economical (1l or 1 qt for 6 - 4x5" films)
I did set up an industrial darkroom with two JOBO systems, however many purists feel the constant agitation of this system is too aggressive, so the tank systems were just as popular.
I just bought the Stearman 8 x 10 system. And I’m really excited about it. Maybe now I’ll finally get into some RA-4 printing as well!
Keep up the great work Mat!
Awesome news Jesse, you should definitely try it with some RA-4 printing!
It doesn't work well, unfortunately. The hold down tabs create channels between which currents are created when agitating, leading to uneven development.
Love your work Matt - please consider doing 8x10 b/w contact printing.
Great suggestion! There's already a few more darkroom videos in the works, stay tuned!
Great video May. For 8x10 I use ilfachrom tubes, one sheet at a tome and use 225ml of chemicals, they have a motor for rotation and can be got for as little as 30€ a piece. The results are great.
Thanks Phillip! There's a lot of positive buzz in the comments about single sheet tubes. Might be worth a try.
I love my Jobo CPP2. Back when I was processing my film I processed it in the kitchen lol I plan to build a workshop soon and guess what space is #1... yup, a legit darkroom.
A dedicated workshop with darkroom space?! Hell yeah!
Hey Mat, i remember you from the tumblr days, i wrote a blurb about the relevance of light meters in the "modern" age (2011 at the time... lul) and you gave it a repost. I havent shot any film in like 8 years and the little stearman daylight tank is really piquing my interest again since developing was one of the biggest hurdles i had with film. Good to see youre still active, hope youre doing well!
Thanks for the comment and good to see some folks still interested in the process! I have several LF photographer buddies that love Stearman Press products for their efficiency in processing small batches of sheet film. "lfquestions" has found a successor in Large Format Fridays!
Thanks Mat. Great to see the 20th C reels. I wish I had bought a 3 reel Paterson from the get go. Now I have to buy that and the reel. I have used taco method after trying Joe Van Cleeve's desktop organizer tray method in a closet (not very fun!). I have literally squeezed 4x5 sheets into a 2 reel tank using taco method. While not advised, along with the zip lock method it does work. I did 4 sheets this way this week. But, I realize I have to get the bigger tank and a reel. More $$$. C'est la vie...
Hey Peter, thanks for the comment on your experiences! I have a friend that made the rolling darkroom cart, and while it was an engineering feat, it always looked to me like a mess waiting to happen.
Peter, I just ran my first sheets of 4x5 in the 20th Century reel and they turned out awesome. I've been a longtime Stearman Press user, but I think I'm sold, especially when running multiple sheets with standard development.
Thank you for the great overview 👍 first I heard "motion side" of the film as non native us english speaker 😉 At least the emulsion side catches the motion..
I really like that play on words there! :)
Hey Mat love love love large format Friday !! Looking to the future will you shot some videos on wet plate collodion... the dummy guide from start to finish , as I really would like to have a go but it seems so confusing.. cheers mate
Hi Michael, if I ever do an extensive wet plate video, it won't be solo. While I've dabbled in the process, I'm no expert when it comes to making plates.
You did miss the (long out of production but very durable) Nikor stainless steel tank and cage for 4x5 (12 sheets in about a liter) and the very similar B&W King stainless system, still in production, 10 sheets of 4x5 in a liter, and comes in 5x7 (6 sheets) as well. Cost is comparable to a Jobo tank and 4x5 reel, if not a little higher, but some folks just like stainless and they handle exactly like a stainless 35mm or 120 tank once they're loaded. I have one of the Nikor tanks, but not the 4x5 cage for it; mine has a pair of 220 stainless reels instead. I don't use it, and now likely would put it up for sale -- too slow to fill and drain after getting used to the Paterson (for 35mm and 120) and Yankee (for 4x5 and 9x12).
I use BTZS tubes in both 4x5 and 8x10 ,work well
When I got started, the only options were the Yankee tank (which no one has ever said anything nice about), the HP Combi-Plan tank, and scores of old guys telling you to just do trays in the dark. I'm glad there are many more options these days.
(I started with the Combi-Plan tank back then, and now I use a Jobo Expert Drum. Sure, its probably the most expensive option, but I love how efficient it is on chemistry use.)
Thanks Derek! Jobo drums are great and definitely one of the most efficient systems out there. I'm stuck in my ways with tray processing, but there are so many more convenient and cost effective ways. It's a good time to be into large format!
This was everything I needed! :D
One thing which isn't mentioned: I'll try 3D printed holders for developing in tanks. There are a few models on thingiverse and it seems like a cheap option.
Ah yes, open source 3D printed options are plentiful nowadays. Thanks for the reminder!
I've used just about every system out there and the Stearman SP 445 is hands down the best system. For the price and ease of use there is nothing better.
Now that's an endorsement! Thanks Michael, I've not personally used the SP tanks but they make some pretty nice developers!
@@MatMarrash Did you participate in their Beta testing of their developer? I liked it but I still prefer Pyrocat HD
@@MichaelWellman1955 It took some getting used to, full video is a bit late, but coming up soon.
@@MatMarrash You're such a tease. LOL. Looking forward to it.
Some commercial studios used 15litre tanks with nitrogen suppling gas bubbles to evenly develop the film.
Oh yeah nitrogen burst tanks! Those were a great option for commercial operations but needed a lot of film throughput to keep working well.
The HP Combiplan has a disatvantage; it takes about half a minute to fill and draining the tank takes the same time. So better not use this tank with short developement times.
The advantage with this tank is that the filmholder is adjustible, it takes 4x5, but also older sizes like 9x12 cm and 6,5x9 cm. When you turn the sides of the filmholder around, you can also develop glasplates. Due to the long fill and drain times I use it only for my 6,5x9 and 9x12 sheet film. For 4x5" I use the SP445
Thanks for sharing those tips on the combiplan tank!
Why am I just finding this channel!!
Welcome, glad you found it!
Another great video, Mat! Have you processed your own C-41 or E-6? If so, are there particular systems you suggest for those specifically?
I've dabbled in home C-41 and E-6, but don't trust my own process for large format. The Jobo processors are some of the most consistent out there for temp and agitation, but can get pricey once you factor in tanks and accessories.
The hair is strong 💪🏻
Haha, thanks!
really first rate Mat, thanks, please keep it up
I have several systems to develop 5X4 including some of the items you have listed here but I find the Steerman Press system the easiest to use.
Thanks for the testimonial!
Mat, loving these--thanks. I started with a Yankee tank, found it to be total crap, and picked up a Stearman Press 445. I was at first satisfied with it, but I've noticed a few problems. First, the leaks. It will leak, no matter what the company tells you. For this reason, I find it only suitable for black and white. Color chems, which naturally put off gasses in the early moments of development, cause substantial spillage of chems into your water bath, potentially ruining your suis vide. The other problem is with stocks with thicker bases, i.e. the pro-level films. They often adhere to the film holders, creating residual anti-halation layers and ultimate damage that shows up clearly in scans. Strangely enough, cheaper films like Arista, with their thinner bases, do not seem to have this same problem. I just got a 20th Century insert in the mail this past week. I'm hoping it will both be easy to load and flawless in development. I've got a lot more confidence in the Patterson tanks for color chems.
Thanks for the testimonial on the different methods Jon, hoping you like the 20th Century reels!
For developing my 4x5" B&W sheet film in my bathroom/darkroom, I have either an HP Combi-Plan which works well or I have over 20 Kodak #4A Stainless Steel sheet film racks that I have picked up over the years.
The problem was finding something to use with those Kodak racks because my light tight stainless steel dip 'n dunk tanks disappeared long ago. (Insert the sad emoji.)
I started searching retail stores for *something* that would hold a dozen or so Kodak racks then finally found what would work at Dollar Tree stores. They are 116-ounce food storage containers that perfectly hold 10 sheet film racks or 12 if I want to risk scratches in the emulsion.
Yes, they are clear plastic so I need to pre-soak, develop, stop bath, rinse and fix in total darkness but that does not bother me a bit. Once in the fixer, I can turn on the bathroom light to see how the film sheets look and get ready for another developing run, if needed.
After fixing, I rinse well, use a hypo clearing agent (just in case) then wash well again. The final dip is a tank of Steam Distilled Water + a bit of Kodak Photo-Flo. I hang the stainless steel racks on a knotted Nylon rope strung above the bathtub. The knots prevent the sheet film racks from sliding down the catenary and touching each other. Once the film sheets are dry, I place them into clear 4 per page acid-free negative storage sheets. Then I wash the Kodak racks in hot water to remove any Photo-Flo and hang again to dry.
While the sheet film racks are drying, I transfer notes from my field notebook to the negative storage sheets using an Ultra Fine Point black Sharpie marker. I also add my filing number code to each sheet of film in the blank area along the edge using an India Ink pen that I get from an art supply store.
I have been working with 4x5" cameras since I was in high school in 1963 and these procedures work well for me. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Terry Thomas...
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia USA
Thanks for sharing your process for working with stainless hangers and tanks! I may have to pay a visit to a Dollar Tree to pick up some of those containers.
@@MatMarrash
Take a couple sheet film racks with you to make sure about the fit.
Thanks Mat. I started out my LF journey only a few months ago. For my initiation I used FP4 and processed it in a tank a pal gave me. It's an old bakelite one made by Doran. It is a similar thing to the Yankee tank I think. It worked well but I just jiggled it to agitate as I guess that's how to do it as the top is light tight but not sealed; it just sits there. Also it takes well over a litre to fill it, though it will take up to 12 sheets of 4x5. Years ago I bought a Paterson Thermodrum which is a similar layout to the Job. I thought that while it is meant for paper processing it may work with sheet film. What do you think?
Thanks Jeremy! I think the thermodrum would work for 4x5, the only fiddly part would be getting film to stay still in the drum. I've processed big sheets in an old Unicolor print drum with two sheets of 8x10, so it's definitely possible.
Hey Matt, is there a method or a special reel you can add into the large jobo tanks to develop 10x8?
I’ve bought a cpe2 in the hope you can develop 10x8, hoping you can point me in the right direction!!!
Thanks so much ✌🏻
Zip lock bags may not be sustainable, but they can be reused.
I have no sense of political correctness so I'll just go ahead and say it..."Yankee tanks are awful" lol.
The Steerman Press SP-810 is also a good solution for X-Ray film in 8x10 as well as 5x7 sheets and it may be the hands-down best non-tray option for developing Jason Lane's dry plates.
My choices for 4x5 if I have a lot of sheets to do is the Jobo Multitank 5 with dual 2509N reels and that's placed on a Uniroller 352 auto-reversing motor base for rotary processing. For smaller batches, I use Jeff's 20th Century Camera 4x5 six-sheet reels in the Paterson tank. I find 20th Century reels much easier to load than the Mod 54.
For 5x7 I've been using 20th Century Camera's four-sheet 5x7 reels for the Paterson 5 reel tanks. Jeff has a version now that will work with the Jobo Multitank 5 and I'm looking forward to trying those soon.
For 8x10 panchromatic films, I use the 20th Century two-sheet reels, again in the larger Paterson tanks. Jeff also has a version of that reel that works with the wider Jobo Multitank 5 tanks. The loading system on the 20th Century reels is the same across all the sizes so once you feel comfortable with one it's easy to use them for all formats. I also use those 20th Century reels for single-sided Carestream Ektascan B/RA from ZZ Medical. For double-sided Fuji HR-T and HR-U I line trays with cheap glass from dollar store picture frames and try to be super careful about scratches when the emulsion is wet.
Another superb video Mat! Maybe you will cover this in the future but as far as continuous agitation for B&W I've read that Xtol is the best way to go though. Is that correct?
Thanks Dave! I might not end up covering all developer and LF combinations, but I used to process with XTOL with inversion agitation in tanks. Haven't used it on my large format film in years. It will definitely work well with rotary processing, with a nice reduction of times when using as a one-shot developer as 1:1 or 1:3. One caveat I'll add is there's no magic bullet film and developer combo; find one you like and can consistently use for your preferred results.
Nice video! I was wondering, if you do tray processing in total darkness, how do you keep track of development time? If I were to use the stopwatch app on my phone, the films would be fogged by the light of the phonescreen.
Good question Erik! The glow-in-the-dark material on a GraLab darkroom timer is just dim enough that we can see it once our eyes adjust, but the film won't see it (as long as it's about a meter away). If you want to use your phone's timer, you can use a dark green gel filter taped in front of a dimmed screen.
Hey Matt. For the tray method, do you just shuffle the negs during the agitation cycle? Essentially replacing something like the inversion agitation you might do with a Paterson tank every minute? Reason I ask, is Massive Dev Sheet has some pretty long development times for the dev/dilition I use (Ilford HC 1+31) - like 9 mins. That's a long time to be shuffling the pack if you need to do that for the full 9 mins. TIA. Keep up the great videos!
Hey Greg, great question! Shuffling the stack in trays does replace agitation inversion in a tank, so they'll be the same processing time. It might be the fact that I've been doing it for over a decade, but I find that time in the dark relaxing.
Fred Newman's BTZS tubes can also be used for single sheets.
Thanks Nick I do remember these but have never tried!
Fairly straight forward to use.The main benefit is that the tubes require very little developer (less cost) but demands constant manual agitation by rolling the tubes within a basin,container or sink.
@@nickmoran1 I owned a set of those, got decent development but a bit of a pain since you had to fix them in a tray. Jobo/DIY rmotorized rotary seems to be the best strategy for my new foray back into 4x5.
Loving this series Matt. I got a 4x5 last fall and have been slowly easing my way into it. 1 question for tray processing. How do you keep track of time in total darkness?
Great question Will! The glow-in-the-dark material on a GraLab darkroom timer is just dim enough that we can see it once our eyes adjust, but the film won't see it (as long as it's about a meter away).
The Massive dev chart mobile app timer with the dim green screen activated works well also.
@@MatMarrash Thanks!, I have one but was afraid that would be too bright.
Wear gloves!
Seriously!! This is very very true. I can't develop my own film anymore because of this one thing that I wasn't taught.
(The result is a massive, head to toe, case of hives.)
Aw man, I'm sorry to hear that happened! One of my biggest fears is one day having that type of reaction and being unable to work in the darkroom. Are you able to utilize alternative developers like coffee or red wine?
@@MatMarrash sadly no, even fixer triggers it. And the amount of hives that i had was where I looked like one of those 3d globes where the mountains of the world were depicted as bumps
@@ganzonomy Oh no! Well on the bright side, there's way less chance of any later in life complications from inhaling fumes, etc.
@@MatMarrash this is true. But I still like shooting and getting developed medium format. I've been working on my channel a bit as well, and learning how to repair my cameras myself (within the limits of my tools). I wish I could find a large format developer in the nyc area, as that's holding me back from going from 6x9 to 4x5.
Stay safe in this, and your Friday videos are awesome!!!!!
Jason
Are the only advantages to traditional developing trays the spout and the deep grooves to allow you to more easily flip the film? Could I develop 4x5 sheet film in some regular plastic trays? I want to be able to develop 1 sheet at a time. Could I just lay the emulsion side up and gently slosh the developer back and forth, transfer it to a stop bath, then fixer- all while agitating/sloshing? I don't understand the point behind the flipping.
Ribbed trays are much, much easier to work with when developing more than a few sheets of film in trays. Shuffling through a stack of film is the only way to guarantee the developer keeps moving throughout development. When laid on top of each other, sheets of film will stick and become very difficult to separate. One sheet at a time can be done with any type of tray.
I've been curious about the B's 4x5 reel if anyone has experience with it I'd be interested to hear.
i wonder what effect 3d printing will have on people making their own systems eg if the gallon dip tank is to much why not just print a tank that takes 1 or 2 negs in stead of six ect ect
If the past few years of Kickstarted projects are anything to go by, I think you're right that we're at the beginning of a new generation of boutique, small manufacture gear for our niche hobby!
Is there any concern with the center arch support on the 20th Century 4x5 reel not giving even development? A cool design but seems like the film could bump up against that center part and block developer flow.
Hey Douglas, I wouldn't worry much about that, since the model you see in this video is an early Prototype. The latest 20th Century reels are sturdier and more efficiently constructed.
@@MatMarrash I bought a Bs 4x5 reel but will sell it and buy a 20th Century one since it can be used in a Jobo.
As I just started with LF (4x5 inch, 9x12 cm and 10x15cm with a Toyo View 45G and a Certochrom from 1925) I currently use the taco method and the results are not too bad. However, I just developed about 10 sheets so there is still room for error 🙂. Recently I just ordered a 3D print of a reel that can be adjusted to fit a number of tanks (www.thingiverse.com/thing:3826578) - if it works it would be great. However, it will use the same amount of chemicals (about 800ml) as the taco method. So in the long run I think I opt for the Stearman system.
Thanks Axel!
There must be something wrong with my mobile your hair seems to stretch off the screen.
If only I could optimize vertical video to include maximum height!
Calm down, I am using gloves.
Next step, good ventilation!