Has anyone any experience of using a Agfa Rondinax 35U Daylight Developing Tank?
Am I right in thinking that you jam the film in one end, twirl a handle, pour the chemicals in, wave it around a bit and hey presto you film is developed?
I've got one of these but don't use it anymore. The only advantage it has over any other tank is that you don't need to load the film into the spiral in darkeness (or a changing bag) first. The spiral has a leader attached to it which you attach to the end of the film and the film is drawn from the can onto the spiral which is already in the tank. Once the film is loaded, then it works like any other tank - only a lot worse.
The biggest drawback is that you have to turn the handle continuously during processing as the chemical doesn't fully cover the film. This has other implications as continuous agitation will effect the final result when compared to a film done with intermittant agitation which is more common.
The Rondinax is an old tank, made of bakelite, and prone to cracks. If you are thinking of buying one, make sure you fully check it first. The built in thermometer is pretty much guaranteed not to work and the sealing washer that fits behind the big knob will probably be missing which means all the chemicals come out. The leader that drags the film onto the spiral may also be perished.
In short, more trouble than it's worth. Get a changing bag and learn to load films into spirals in it, then use a normal tank.
If you really want to try one, you can have mine for the cost of postage.
