First set of 4x5 negs with absolutely no physical blemishes!

[EdBray]

I have just finished developing my first set of four 4x5 negatives in my Paterson Orbital tray (without base) stood in 1.5 litres of tempered water in a 12x16 dish @ 22° C which was on a dishwarmer using Caffenol C-L developer semi-stand @ 21° C. This took 400mls of chemicals to cover the film.

I followed my normal processing/agitation regime of 5 mins pre-wet, 30secs constant agitation followed by 3 gentle tips of the Orbital tray at 2, 4, 8, 18 minutes with the Caffenol CL drained after a further 40 minutes, I then used the tempered water in the dish (300mls a time) to wash the caffenol away with constant agitation now using the orbital's base. A further 4 minutes of Alkali Fix (2x clearing time +1) before washing with 6 trays of 400mls agitated for 1 minute and left to stand for 2 minutes each before draining, a further 400mls with a couple of drops of photoflo for a couple of minutes completed the processing.

3 of the negatives were excellent (the 4th turned out to be Velvia 50) and there was also very little mess which was nice. There is no streaking anywhere on the negatives (common sympton apparently experienced by users of the Orbital) but this may well be down to the long developing time. Much easier to load than other options I have (Taco style or Yankee tank) and only takes 400mls of developer and 200mls of Fix (constant agitation).

Previously I have always had a least one negative that has had a blemish caused by the processing procedure. I am just hoping that the suspected Velvia sheet was not the one that would have had issues.

 

[GHP]

I often used to get blemishes on 5x4 negs when using a tank.
In the end we used deep tank and film holders and totally submerge them, agitate gently, and voila!!

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Many years since I processed 5x4 or larger, I Used to dev in 3Gallon tanks often with the sheets back to back to do more at once. You had to single them for a final rinse before the drying cabinet.
Never had processing problems. used D76 with replenisher to top up.
Some days I would have 100 or more shots to process.
Used the same tanks with baskets of stainless spirals for films.

 

[EdBray]

Hi Terry, thanks for your post although I'm not sure that your processing methods are really suitable for the low volume 4x5 shooting of an enthusiast these days, space, amount of chemicals required and there are only certain developers suitable for dip and dunk processing which make it a little out of date. In a Art College or University there may still be some mileage in it.

On a good day I might have between 4 and 10 images (once or twice a week) to process and to have a large area tied up with big tanks (oxidising whilst not being used) is just not feasible for that sort of low volume useage.

 

[brianwar]

Sounds complex. Glad I decided to go with paper in my 5x4 camera though this decision was made for other reasons entirely.

 

[Joenail]

Have you tried tray processing yet? I don't use tanks for 5x4 at all now, since trying it. Some things do needed to be adjusted though because it's a bit like agitating a tank for the full development, but nothing can beat standing in the dark for twenty minutes

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Hi Terry, thanks for your post although I'm not sure that your processing methods are really suitable for the low volume 4x5 shooting of an enthusiast these days, space, amount of chemicals required and there are only certain developers suitable for dip and dunk processing which make it a little out of date. In a Art College or University there may still be some mileage in it.

On a good day I might have between 4 and 10 images (once or twice a week) to process and to have a large area tied up with big tanks (oxidising whilst not being used) is just not feasible for that sort of low volume useage.

I only changed my D76 twice a year... the topping up kept it fresh.. .it also had floating lids, so ox

​

idation was not a problem.

There is no need at all for special developers on 5x4. I did not know anyone who used other than D76 or ID11. You could get both fixer and developer in 25 litre plastic cubitainers. Or in powder form if you wanted to be messy. But I did not like chemical dust anywhere near a darkroom. And chemical preparation rooms were rare indeed. (though I had one in the studio in Spain)

I would have thought there would still be a few old Dallon stainless steel tanks about, they only held about a litre of dev and special film sheaths.
If you rebottled it after use, and topped up the bottle with fresh dev it lasted almost indefinately.