Help on Jobo System Tanks 1500/2500

[ashfaque]

Hello everyone,

I am slowly gathering some of the stuffs to develop negatives (both 35mm and 120). However I need some help in selecting a tank and related accessories.

However I can not decide which Jobo tank system I should get between 1500 and 2500. I'm planning to develop 35 mm and 120 films.

From what I understand, 2500 system tank (say item # 2520, which I like,) also allows 4x5 sheet processing as well, which 1500 tanks does not. I'd be grateful if you can share tips, or important issues I should consider about these two systems.

The most cost efficient system without reducing the quality of the output is my main requirement. So please feel free to suggest alternative products from other companies, if you think they'd perform better.

Bests,

Ashfaque 🙂

PS: (Perhaps a stupid question) Is there any difference between 'processing a film' and 'developing a film'? Am I right to say that they are same?

 

[Johnmcd]

I have both but use the 1520 daily. 2 x 35mm or 1 x 120mm. Very economical with chemicals (475mls) and fits my Jobo CP2 for colour work.

I also have some Hewes steel reels and have used both systems over the years. For me the Jobo reels are very easy to load though I don't ratchet back and forth. I just 'push / slide' the film into the reel. Only ever a problem if there is extra humidity.

I suppose it depends how much 4x5 you plan to do. The reels are expensive. I was lucky and picked up a quite a few 4x5 reels from a deceased estate.

Yep, 'process' and 'develop' are the same 🙂

Cheers - John

 

[sevo]

I use the 1500 series for all manual (inversion) processing, and 2500 for all automatic (rotation, with Jobo lift).

Besides Jobo's own more theoretical than practically evident concerns about development differences across the roll length due to the bigger relative difference between inner and outer spool rotation speeds on the small system, the former does not have enough liquid capacity when used in horizontal to hold the minimum specified for many relevant developers and process kits, so that you can't do E6, nor popular HC-110 concentrations or XTOL one shot to spec with a rotating processor and the small drums unless you operate them at half capacity (with the corresponding waste of time and chemistry).

The large drums are hard to handle by hand due to sheer weight once you use high capacity drums. If you plan to move on to rotating processing, you can get away with inverting the smallest 252x (2-film) tank for a while. But if you upgrade to higher capacity drums, you'll either have to switch to the 1500 series or get a rotating processor - a three-second inversion regime with a (3l) five film tank is past being a healthy exercise, and using that much excess chemistry is not economical either.

 

[brbo]

the former does not have enough liquid capacity when used in horizontal to hold the minimum specified for many relevant developers and process kits, so that you can't do E6, nor popular HC-110 concentrations or XTOL one shot to spec with a rotating processor and the small drums unless you operate them at half capacity.

I can do two 120 or two 135 rolls of E-6 (Fujihunt Chrome 6X kit) in a small (Jobo 1520) tank with no problem. With a minimum of 240ml of solution for the 1520 tank you only reach 90%/95% exhaustion of first and colour developer (according to the manual).

I don't do BW in Jobo but people usually do higher dilutions with less agitation, so Jobo wouldn't be the most suitable processor for them anyway. Besides, you can use more than minimum amount of developer if you are using highly diluted developer.

 

[sevo]

I can do two 120 or two 135 rolls of E-6 (Fujihunt Chrome 6X kit) in a small (Jobo 1520) tank with no problem. With a minimum of 240ml of solution for the 1520 tank you only reach 90%/95% exhaustion of first and colour developer (according to the manual).

YMMV depending on the kit used - but don't mix up calculations for chemical consumption (in other terms, replenishment rate) and minimum volume. You will be off specifications when the volume gets too close to the former. 90% exhaustion on a single-shot developer sounds much closer than safe, even Tetenal, a far more unorthodox and less standard conforming maker than Fuji, asks for twice the volume. But with commercial compatibility requirements a matter of the past, it is pretty much up to you what you do, at least as long as you like the way the results look - if you develop all your film the same way, you will have consistent results within your work, even if your house standard is off E6 specifications.

 

[brbo]

I don't get it.

Fuji states capacity of first and colour developer is 2.2 m2 of film. How is 0.4 m2 of film in 1L safer than 0.1 m2 of film in 250ml?

 

[sevo]

I don't get it.

Fuji states capacity of first and colour developer is 2.2 m2 of film. How is 0.4 m2 of film in 1L safer than 0.1 m2 of film in 250ml?

It is not - that would be just as problematic. If the Fuji Hunt kit is not special where that is concerned, it will not be specified for a single shot run of 2.2m². E6 proper was formulated so that it delivers consistent results if the full volume is used with a consumption (and corresponding replenishment) rate of up to 10% per run. That is, if Fuji were a original Kodak E6 (hanger processor) process, you could do up to 0.22m² per run in a kit of that size, no partial volume permitted. Small kits generally were modified/improved from that and permit higher loads, as 10% load capacity would be prohibitive for rotary processors which can't hold enough liquid to permit 10% replenishment rates. But I am not aware of a kit that permits anything like a 90-95% replenishment rate per run, even somewhat non-standard processes frowned upon by Kodak and Fuji engineers generally permit no more than 50%.

 

[brbo]

Ok. That makes sense.

Thanks!

 

[Frontman]

I use the 2500 series tanks, they are great for the formats I shoot. I don't have a processor, I just fill the tanks to the top and use the inversion method. The 2500 series (the short versions I use) hold about 1-3/4 liters of chemicals. I mix 2 liters at a time, which gives me enough to develop twenty, 36 exposure rolls of 35mm film. I use the common 2502 reels, and I also have a reel for 4x5. The larger capacity tanks are more temperature-stable than the smaller ones.

 

[ashfaque]

Thanks a lot, everyone. 🙂 Please keep them coming.

Somewhat related, is there a soft copy of Fuji Hunt Chrome 6X (E6 Kit 5 liter) available online? I just want to have a look at it. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[presspass]

I use the 1500 series tanks and have done so for more than 20 years. I mostly use inversion rather than roller processing, but the larger 1500 tanks will work with an Uniroller. The 1500s are expandable - they made an extender that can be put on to do more rolls - I think four 35 at a time. The reels are easy to load, but should be cleaned after each use.

 

[brbo]

Somewhat related, is there a soft copy of Fuji Hunt Chrome 6X (E6 Kit 5 liter) available online? I just want to have a look at it. 🙂

There is. If you can't find it, give me your email address (through PM) and I'll send the manual in pdf.