Best 4x5 Daylight developing tank

[Shangheye]

I'm going slowly mad trying to understand what the best system is for this. The main concern seems to revolve around how long it takes to fill and empty these tanks. The HP combi was looking good, until I read a review that suggested the design would result in upt0 1 minute extra developing to the bottom half of the negatives (due to time to fill/empty). Does anybody have any experience of this? I want a "cheap" effective system that does not involve tray development at this stage (I have limited space). I am also interested as to whether people who use day tanks invert/roll etc....

Thankyou for any help you can give!

Rgds

Kal

[David A. Goldfarb]

I like my Nikor stainless tank, which is invertable just like an ordinary stainless steel tank used for rollfilm, but they're only available used and aren't necessarily "cheap". Jobo makes a similar sheet film reel for their system, but it only takes 6 sheets, and the Nikor takes 12 in approximately the same volume of chemistry (1200 ml for the Nikor).

[CPorter]

I bought three combi's when I started in LF---I tried the "dip-n-dunk" method using the combi-plan tank but I got pretty uneven negative densities. I now use the combi-plan as a daylight system with no problems.

I don't fill and empty the tanks because it does take so long. Instead, I load one tank in the dark then put the lid on and set it in the water bath along with the other two tanks, one with the stop bath and one with the fixer.

I agitate with inversion in the light. I turn out the lights one minute before the developing time ends (to give your eyes time to adjust to the dark), remove the lid carefully, then transfer the films to the stop, then transer to the fixer tank, put the lid for the fixer tank on, turn the lights back on, agitate normally.

This works for me quite nicely and I don't have to be concerned with the long filling and draining times.

[Uhner]

I use a combiplan tank. Since it takes forever to fill and empty this thing I have resorted to semi-stand and stand development. These techniques work very well, in my opinion, and the bottom parts of my negatives show no discernible difference in density compared to the upper parts.

But – I would stay clear of slow filling and slow dumping tanks. edit - or use Chuck1's system.

[David A. Goldfarb]

The Nikor tank is still a big tank, so if I'm using pyro or a developer with a short development time, I'll fill the tank in the dark with the lid off or fill the tank and immerse the reel, and then proceed normally with the lid on. As long as the beginning of the development stage all happens at the same time, I haven't had uneven development issues.

[Laurent]

I like the HPCombi. I'm able to fill it in 30 seconds. I just have to make sure the vent is open (unscrew the top screw-on cap a bit), and be concentrated when filling so that the funnel is always as full as possible (to make sure I fill in the less possible time)

My standard development time is about 10 minutes, starting when the tank is full.
I start emptying it 30 seconds before the time is over, and haven't have uneven development (yet ?).

The 3 pics in my gallery where developed for 9'30" using this method, and are straight scans of the negative.

[Barry S]

I considered the Combiplan, but they seem finicky and there are no shortage of stories about people that dislike them. I appreciate the fact that they work well for some people, but on multiple recommendations, I bought a Jobo 3010 Expert Drum. I use my 3010 on an inexpensive old Chromega motorized base and it's very easy to use and almost idiot-proof. Loading the drum is very simple and the 3010 has exactly two pieces--the drum and the lid--that's it. The only mystery is the high cost of a simple plastic drum, but they're available used in the $125-175 range. A little more expensive than the Combiplan, but I see it as simpler, more hands-off and potentially more consistent because the agitation never varies.

[Mark Fisher]

BTZS tubes .... a little more finicky to set up, but you can vary the development for each sheet of film and it takes very little developer. The expert drum is probably a better way to go if you shoot a lot of film. I might shoot 10 sheets at a time. If I shoot, say, n, n+1 and n-1 then I need to set up the combiplan I used to use at least 3 times. With the tubes I can do it in two (six tubes).

[bwakel]

I haven't seen any uneven development with the Combiplan despite the time it takes to fill and empty. As mentioned previously, make sure the top cap's unscrewed when emptying and start emptying about 20 seconds before development's due to complete. Maybe it hasn't been an issue for me because I use Ilford Delta 100 in DDX which is a long dev time so variances of 30 seconds aren't going to make huge amounts of difference.

There are problems with the Combiplan:

It leaks every time you invert it so wear gloves

You have to be careful to fit the film holder clip when it's fully loaded with six sheets or you can push sheets into one another or the outer sheet can be left loose which results in partially developed film

These issues are relatively easy to overcome and although it always feels like a pretty cheap and clumsy solution it works fine and is about the cheapest option for sheet film.

The images taken with my Toyo 45A and posted to the gallery were all developed using the Combiplan.

Barry

[Trevor Crone]

I use Combi Plan's like Chuck1 but I use just 2 tanks. Negs very evenly developed.