New to 120/220>Need the best & easiest film developing tank

L

l2oBiN

Newbie
Local time
9:41 AM
Joined
Apr 12, 2012
Messages
7
View My Gallery
Never developed 120/220 (or 135 for that mstter) in my life. I am need your your suggestions/advice on the best and easiest 120/220 film developing tank/reel system to get me started.

Thank you in advance!
 
If "easiest" is what you're after, avoid metal tanks. I've always liked Paterson's "Universal" tank: you can develop one roll of 120/220 or one or two 35mm rolls at the same time. Some other plastic tanks are difficult to load, but I've almost never had a problem with a Paterson tank.
 
+1 to Paterson plastic/self-winding tanks

120 I can do on metal reels, but I got Patersons for 35mm and it was just easier all around.

Make sure the plastic reels get bone dry before you try using them again.
 
depends. Are you planning on hand inversion or using a rotary processor?

If its the latter then Jobo 2500 series tanks are the ones to go for.

If you are planning on hand inversion then either the Paterson tanks or the Jobo 1500 series tanks. Personally for hand inversion I prefer the Jobo 1500 series tanks. But the patterson reels are slightly better. Unfortunately the reels between the two makes aren't interchangeable.
The Jobo have the edge if at some stage in the future you decide to get a processor because you can attach magnets to them and use 1500 series tanks on a processor. You can't do that with the paeterson tanks.

But if you never intend to use a processor then either jobo or paterson. There's little if anything between them. One other option is the AP tanks and reels for hand inversion only. They are cheapest and will develop just as well.
 
Loading 120/220 film onto a Paterson reel is a great way to send one's blood pressure through the roof. I've found the combination of Kindermann steel tanks and Hewes reels to be just about perfect for 135 and 120 film.
 
ruby.monkey said:
Loading 120/220 film onto a Paterson reel is a great way to send one's blood pressure through the roof.
Click to expand...

Do you think it's that bad? The other night, I loaded a roll of 120 onto a Paterson reel for the first time in 27 years. It only took me a few minutes and I didn't even curse! 🙂
 
I agree with the Paterson tanks. For reels, the tabs on the Paterson reels are too small. I use these with ease:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/55043-Arista-Premium-Plastic-Developing-Reel

They load up very easily. They need to as I develop in batches of around 50 rolls (combined 135 and 120). You can load 2 rolls of 120 on a reel and double your development effectiveness.
 
First of all, thank you everyone for your suggestions.🙂 I have a couple of questions.

I was not aware that you can actually do rotary development of the 120 film! I would like to know more about this method for develoing 120 roll film. How does the chemistry get in between the rolled film while its rotating? Would there be any inconsistencies in agitation? I already have a jobo 3010 for 4x5 film and I use it on a cibachrome motor base, so being able to do rotary processing would be great, but I would also like to be able to do inversion and/or stand development.

I have noticed two types of jobo tanks would likely work for rotary, stand and inversion development...

Jobo 1520 and 2520. I am presuming the 1500 and the 2500 series tanks were originally made to be compatible with their JOBO ATL1500 and ATL2500 processors?

The 2520 has the capacity to take film up to 4x5' (a bonus) and uses only 170ml of chemistry for minimal rotary development of 1x120 film roll (270ml for 2x120 rolls), but its capacity is reached with 2 rolls. However it requires 1.275L of chemisty for inversion development of either 1 or 2 x 120 film rolls.

The 1520 uses 240ml for rotary processing one or two rolls of 120 with 475ml for inversion development of one or two rolls. The neat thing is that it takes the 1530 extension module which increases its capacity by up to four 120 films and its still compatible with rotary processing.I am not quite sure how the 1530 extension actually attaches.. perhaps its hollow on both sides?

So perhaps it seems that getting a 1520 tank which uses minimal chemistry for both rotary and inversion might be a better way to go and the 1530 extension could be later added to expand capacity if need be?

Is the 1520 tank long enough to be rotated on a cibachrome motor base?

Now, in terms of reels...it gets a bit confusing..😕

I suppose the 1520 takes the 1501 reel which according to JOBO takes 1x35mm roll of film or 2x120rolls (I don't understand how or why it takes 2 rolls of 120 and only one roll of 35mm? Is the 35mm film roll longer? How is the reel able to take these two formats with one reel.. does it extend? How does one load the reel with two 120film rolls?).

Furthermore, JoBO's website states the 1520 tank can process "...2 films 35mm or 1 or 2 films 120". If one presumes that the the 1520 reel can only take one 35mm roll, then two 1501 reels would be needed to process the 2x35mm rolls of film. However, the tank can only process 1 or 2 rolls of 120. Does this mean that the 1520 tank can only accommodate a single reel when the 1501 reel is configured to take 120roll film (therefore, since the 1501 reel takes two 120 film rolls, the 1520+1501reel could be used for processing two 120 film rolls), while in 35mm film configuration, two 1501 reels fit, hence two rolls of 35mm could be processed ?


Beyond the 1501 reel, are there any other reels that are compatible with the jobo 1520 tank? for example is the Arista Premium Plastic Developing Reel (http://www.freestylephoto.biz/55043-Arista-Premium-Plastic-Developing-Reel) compatible?

Does the reel design impact on the films ability to be processed with rotary/stand/inversion processing?

Is there a reel that takes 220 film and is compatible with the 1520 jobo tank?

Does anyone have any recommendations or experiences with the jobo 1520 tank and 1501 reel for 1x or 2x 120film development using the rotary/stand/inversion method?


For reference, the info on the 1520 can be found here: http://www.jobo.com/web/System-Tanks-1500.854.0.html

The info on the 2520 is located here:
http://www.jobo.com/web/System-Tanks-2500.853.0.html
 
the 1500 series reels and the 2500 series are indeed adjustable for 35 or 120 film formats. You can put two 120 films into one reel because 120 film is shorter than 35mm film and the reel grooves are long enough to take it.
So yes you need two reels to do two 35mm films and only one reel to do two rolls of 120 film.

The 1500 series tanks are much more economical for inversion processing than the 2500 series tanks which are bigger diameter.

There were various rotary Jobo processors. The CPE being the most basic but has a temp controlled water bath good for c41 processing colour film. Its hands on and you have to be there to change the chemicals at each step.
The CPP-2 (new version coming available soon) is a step up and will also take your 3000 tanks with a cog lid. Again hands on but simpler if you have the lift attachment.
For 1500 series and 2500 series tanks either the cpe or cpp-2 work fine. note that you have to make a choice of magnet or cog drive and that determines the tank lid or base you need on the tanks. note if you have the lift attachment then must use cog lids. I'm not sure that there are cog lids for 1500 tanks.
The ATL series processors are another step up and are fully automatic. 2500 series tanks are best for those and the ATL-1000 and ATL-1500 don't take 3000 series tanks.
The bigger ATL processors will take 3000 series tanks.
None of them are made anymore and parts are difficult to source.
The only processor they are making now is the CPP-3 which is due for release later this year and replaces the CPP-2.
The 1500 series tanks are very short so without the extension tube probably too short for a roller base. Even a two reel 2500 series is quite short and again without an extension tube is barely long enough to go on a roller base.

In short for rotary processing I would look at a CPP-2 or CPP-3 when it comes out and 2500 series tanks and reels with cog lids.
Then I would get a 1500 series tank for the occasional hand inversion processing.
This way you can use your 3000 tanks on it too, or use a 2509 4x5 reel in a 2500 series tank but the 3000 are supposed to better.
 
l2oBiN said:
Beyond the 1501 reel, are there any other reels that are compatible with the jobo 1520 tank? for example is the Arista Premium Plastic Developing Reel (http://www.freestylephoto.biz/55043-Arista-Premium-Plastic-Developing-Reel) compatible?
Click to expand...
I don't think so. I think its design to be compatible with paterson which are slightly bigger but I'm not 100% on that one. If its a rebadged AP reel then definitely not. The AP reels are too big.


Does the reel design impact on the films ability to be processed with rotary/stand/inversion processing?
Click to expand...
No although some say that for 4x5 you might sometimes get flow marks on film when using a 2509 reel.

Is there a reel that takes 220 film and is compatible with the 1520 jobo tank?
Click to expand...
the standard 1501 reel should take a 220 film (if you can push it all the way in).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom