Topic: 5x4 sheet film processing

[This-is-damion]

Found this on eBay, for use with a Paterson three reel tank.  Looks good!

Mod photographic

[LT]

it does indeed Damion.  I wonder if there'll be any problems with the films being too close together??? My Combiplan tank cannot manage 3 sheets together like this (even though it is designed to) as it always results in uneven development. I leave the middle slot free and only dev 4 sheets at a time.  A bit wasteful chemical wise, but its a necessity.

[sapata]

Found this on eBay, for use with a Paterson three reel tank.  Looks good!
Mod photographic

Seems to be a great and cheaper option to the Combiplan Damion

it does indeed Damion.  I wonder if there'll be any problems with the films being too close together??? My Combiplan tank cannot manage 3 sheets together like this (even though it is designed to) as it always results in uneven development. I leave the middle slot free and only dev 4 sheets at a time.  A bit wasteful chemical wise, but its a necessity.

Leon, I do also have a Combiplan and I love it...  I'm pretty happy with the results and never had any problems developing 6 sheets. Maybe the agitation ?

[Walter 45]

I have a couple of these an d find them a great convenience when I have small batches to run  through the soup.  Easy to load, small liquid quantity in the tank to lift and agitate,very easy to dry.

For bigger batches I use Jobo 2509N reels but a couple of reels in a big tank means heaving 3 litres of fluid about.  It can also get a bit expensive with one-shot developer (except Rodinal).

I am happy with them.

Walter

[LT]

...  I'm pretty happy with the results and never had any problems developing 6 sheets. Maybe the agitation ?

I don't think so, I'm quite careful about getting agitated ... maybe something to do with my homebrew chems and overly exacting standards

Coincidentally - do you actually use the spouts to pour chems in/ out?  It takes far too long for me - especially when needing to stop development quickly. I just work in the dark and open the top to pour in and out.

This Mod one looks ideal - but I'd need to buy a 3 reel jobo first

[Heather]

I like my combiplan and always load it up full (3 on each side) with no problems. They do work well but only if you read the freakin' manual and follow the directions fully (remembering to loosen/tighten the little filling spout/light trap thing in the right order, only tilt agitation gently by turning it along the short sides etc).

[Francois]

The Mod one probably has an added bonus: you can leave it on the living room table and it looks like a piece of modern art

For the curious, here's the site
http://www.mod54.com/

And the how it works
MOD Photographic 5x4 Film Processor Instructions For Paterson 3 Reel Tank.

[sapata]

...  I'm pretty happy with the results and never had any problems developing 6 sheets. Maybe the agitation ?

Coincidentally - do you actually use the spouts to pour chems in/ out?  It takes far too long for me - especially when needing to stop development quickly. I just work in the dark and open the top to pour in and out.

It works fine for me when loosen the spouts like Heather mentioned, I like the idea of opening the lid to get the chemicals out quicker but I haven't got a darkroom

[LT]

It works fine for me when loosen the spouts like Heather mentioned, I like the idea of opening the lid to get the chemicals out quicker but I haven't got a darkroom

Even with the spouts loosened as per the instructions it still takes in excess of 45 secs to drain/ fill - far too long for reliable even development for my tastes. And the 4 vs 6 sheet thing is covered in the instructions also (e.g. only use 4 sheets if you value your negs!) , so at least I had a warning

[Paul Mitchell]

I had a devil of a job getting used to the Combiplan having had similar problems as Leon. I now use a Paterson Orbital which can process 4 sheets at a time using only 300ml of chemicals. I did have to score deep grooves in the base to stop the film from adhering to the smooth plastic but apart from that it works a treat!

Paul

[Magnus]

I have one of these as well (the mod thingy) and I like it. I can do six negatives without problem. Even tried one hour stand development with good results. The paterson I'm using is the larger one (takes three 120 reels), so I can squeeze in another 120 film on top together with the 4 x 5's (there always seems to some 120 film needing development, right?).

I have the combiplan too. I have no problem with getting the chemicals in and out fast enough, but I do think the lid is a bit flimsy. I can never get it to fit good enough, so more often than not I'm ending up with developer and fixer all over the place...  

[sapata]

Other thing I like on the Combiplan is the fact that allows you to process glass plates by inverting the plastic hangers. I have a few boxes of expired Ilford plates I wanted to try, I also want to do my own dry plates one day and the tank seems perfect to process...

I do think the lid is a bit flimsy. I can never get it to fit good enough, so more often than not I'm ending up with developer and fixer all over the place...  

Put the lid on the tank starting from one side, let's say left and close the lid towards the right by pressing about 2 inches at time, in that way you expel most of the air which is inside the tank making the lid stay tight.
I always do that and works perfectly for me...