Processing 12x20 negs in trays

[Michael A. Smith]

Markus,

13.5 would be a little tight. I use 16x20 Cesco-lite trays for 8x20s and have processed up to 12 negatives at a time. But processing 6 at a time is probably optimum. Process the film horizontally and rotate it by pulling out of the top of the tray (the side away from you). 13.5 in that dimension would be awfully tight for 12x20s. Do get at least one 16x20 tray for the developer. For the other trays the 13.5 would be okay.

I process emulsion side up, but emulsion up or down seems to make no difference. There are good arguments for doing it either way. I think one's preference is a matter of habit more than anythng else.

And I use flat bottom trays. I switched to flat bottom after one negative, once, had a big "X" on it from the molded form of the bottom of the tray. To this day I cannot figure out how that happened. Otherwise the negative was fine.

I have found that rotating the film, so it is pulled out by a different side, makes no difference whatsoever in densities on the negatives. For years I rotated the film every few shuffles. I then did some tests, developing film with rotation and then without--always pulling from the same side. No difference in the prints that I could see. So I haven't rotated film in the developer in over ten years. It won't hurt anything to rotate the film, so if that feels better, go right ahead.

But do get a developer tray larger than 13.5 inches.

I use close to 4 liters of developer per batch of negatives. Three liters would be okay, too, but not less.

[Murray@uptowngallery]

What does a brush do for you when developing? Does it affect speed or agitation requirements?

Thanks

[RobertP]

Murray, Naturally the brush doesn't actually touch the negative. It is primarily an agitation technique. It is moving the developer that is in contact with the negative surface off of the negative so it is replenished with fresher developer. I hope that makes sense. It gives beautiful even development. The development times may be somewhat faster than the shuffle technique but not by much. I find development times very close to rotary devlopment times. I use a 4-5 inch wide hake brush

[Murray@uptowngallery]

OK, thanks. Are the results different than than tray tipping? I imagine less chance of mess than tipping.

Murray

[argus]

I don't know if I already posted my method here, but it won't hurt to give another method of tray developing.

I develop my 7x17" negatives 2 at a time in a 15x20" tray, neatly divided in 2 equal parts with the use of some suction cups. Actually, the negatives are develope side by side and don't touch eacht other in the whole sequence from prewash to final wash. I empty the chemistry in 8x10" trays and never had a problem with a negative tipping out as they tend to stick to the bottom of the tray when there's no liquid in it.
I takes 1,5 liters of chemistry to cover the negatives, but I mostly use 2 liters to be on the safe side.

Since if have only 2 finished filmholder (3rd is still in the making), the time consumption is manageable. But I see this less as a drawback against scratched ULF negatives.

Greetings,
G

[RobertP]

Murray, I'm sure tray tipping would work fine but I have found with brush development I get very even development as opposed to when I tried tipping the tray for agitation I would at times get uneven development along the edges of the negative.

[Murray@uptowngallery]

Thanks