Combiplan 5x4 Developing Tank

[Dave Parkin]

Does anyone have any experience in using the combiplan 5x4 developing tank for black and white negatives?

I am looking at an easy way of devleoping my own negatives rather than sending them away for processing. I have no experience in developing 5x4 but have developed, dare I say it, 35mm and medium format in the past.

What is the best or easiest way?

All suggestions would be welcome

Thanks

Dave

[gari]

Hi Dave, I use a Doulab by Jobo, mainly for E6. It has settings for 24deg rather than 20deg but you amend the dev time appropriately.

I got mine from Second Hand Darkroom Supplies, I noticed that they have a BTZS tube set on the site when I was on there today.
I have considered this myself, very useful apparently, B+W Mag had an article on using them, I have a copy around here somewhere.

I am sure others will chip in with suggestions too.

Gari

[Lynne Evans]

Hi Dave, I have just used my CombiPlan daylight developing tank (bought off ebay with no instructions!) for the first time last weekend after our trip to Woodchester mansion. Given that I have never developed anything other than a cold before, I found it remarkably easy. Had a minor problem on the first run getting the stopbath in, but it was just a matter of opening the vent a bit more. A couple of dummy runs with plain water and no film sorts out those sorts of glitches.

Lynne

[BarryWilkinson]

Hello Dave,

I have been using a Combi-Plan tank for quite some time. They need a little practice as Lynne has found. Some people have shown concern that they take some time to fill, which they do. However I have never noticed any uneven development with mine.

I am having to move to tray development to get development consistency across several LF formats, else I would continue to use the Combi-Plan.

Barry

[Joanna Carter]

I use a Combi-Plan and, as others have said, it can be tricky to get the hang of opening the top spout enough to let the air out when pouring chem in; that said, I also have never had any problems with uneven development.

I pour the developer both in and out of the top spout as this should mean that as the bottom of the film gets wet first, inverting the tank ensures that the top gets that little bit longer to catch up when pouring out.

I did wonder about whether how long it took to empty the dev and pour in the stop would affect the dev time but young Marc S insists that the little dev left on the film exhausts too quickly to matter.

Finally, after using a wetting agent, I find the ability to leave the film in the rack, whilst using a hair dryer to dry it, produces good mark-free negs; the only caveat is to gently lift the sheets to allow you to mop up the water in the bottom of the rack before drying the film.

[keffs]

I have used one, and have had one or two problems, however, if you follow the instruction exactly, it should be ok. Specificaly, the axis of rotation is significant, especially with thinner films such as Rollei IR. The axis should be along the shorter vertical faces as opposed to the longer faces. Otherwise the film might become dislodged.

Steve

[BarryWilkinson]

I'm glad you mentioned that Steve. I had forgotten that I had dislodged film when I first started. by not rotating the tank in the same plane as the film.

Barry

[jollyroger]

Hi Dave,
I have not used a Combiplan tank but have used a Unicolor tank to develop 5x4 negs. http://www.largeformatphotography.info/unicolor/ very good article on the suject can be found here.

Roger

[buze]

I use a Paterson Orbital to do up to 4 sheets at a time. Quite nice because it uses very very little solution, so even one shot developers are still economicals (mini = 150ml of DDX for 4 sheets!)

Of course for bigger shoots it becomes quickly a pain in the bum doing them 4 by 4...

[keffs]

...Of course for bigger shoots it becomes quickly a pain in the bum doing them 4 by 4...

And you have to continually rotate it!

There are some who only do 4 in the combiplan.

Steve

[buze]

Nol I don't rotate it full time ! Even with 150ml I rotate maybe 20s per minute.. I still get even development...

If I use more solution (450ml seems to be "ideal" ) I just rock the tray a few times per minute and thats it...

Works really well I must say, it allowed me to shoot and process one sheet at a time if necessary, without wasting 1+L of solution!

I know most "old timers" seem to think darkroom+tray is the way to go, but quite frankly, I'll stick to the Paterson until I get an alternative method for daylight processing of more sheets...

[Richard Kelham]

I too use a Combiplan. Once you get the hang of loading it, allow for the slow input/draining of solutions (I make sure dev time is 10mins+) aand remember to agitate it in line with the film (as stated above).

I also found a tendency to leak 'juice' while agitating – cure that by arranging to have the load/drain holes at the same end of the tank and then turning the tank so they remain out of the solution (ie if the drain holes are on the left hand end turn the tank through 90 degrees clockwise).

Once you get the hang of it the Combiplan is as good a way as any of processing sheet films, at least for those of us who don't have access to deep tank lines!



Richard

[Dave Parkin]

Many thanks to all who responded

I think I will give the combiplan a go

Dave

[Keith Tapscott]

Out of curiosity, how much processing solution volume is required for the CombiPlan?

[BarryWilkinson]

1250mL

Barry