[LargeFormat] Processing 4X5 recommandations.

[Paul and Paula Butzi]

> I'm new to large format. And I'm a bit scared with the hanger technique
> processing, so I plan on going with a daylight tank or drum processing. The
> drum is quite appealing to me, but I'm not really sure what's available out
> there and what I really need. I've even heard of some people building their
> own drum.......so please help me, and guide me trough this maze of
> possibilities!


I use a Jobo cpp-2 and Jobo 3010 drums to process 4x5 film.  I'm perfectly
happy with that solution, because I can also use the Jobo to process up to
8 rolls of 35mm film at once (I do theater photography as well as large format
landscape stuff, so I sometimes come home with 20-30 rolls of 35mm film to process
in one evening.  Doing 8 rolls at a time, I can run 24 rolls in about an hour and
a half, two hours including drying, cutting, filing, etc.)

Unfortunately, the Jobo route is NOT inexpensive, although it's awfully hard
to beat in terms of performance and results.

But if I had to ONLY develop 35mm film, and it was going to be B&W, not
color, I'd probably buy a bunch of BTZS tubes and go that route.  The results
are reputed to be outstanding (better evenness than hangers and daylight
tanks), they're relatively inexpensive, they're easy to use and allow you
to adjust processing times for each individual sheet, and they allow
working in daylight.  You can buy them pre-made from the View
Camera Store, aka Darkroom Innovations aka Fred Newman.

All the people I know closely who've tried the Yankee tank have gotten
uneven development, with streaking and blotches.  Likewise the
HP Combiplan.  This is hearsay - I've never tried them myself.

-Paul