Jobo CPA2, CPE2...makes it easier?

[sf]

I really want to stick with film until they stop selling it, but I have a problem with the darkroom process. I just don't want to wrestle with it. At least, I'd love a means of lessening the wrestle.

What exactly would this do for me? Would it make it more effective, in terms of time and mess, to work with one of these? All I want to do is B&W, and currently I use a tank and just warm water in the microwave, then mix all my chemicals, get the film into the tank, and go through the steps, dumping the waste into containers as I go. Messy in the kitchen sink. Messy anywhere.

Will jobo bring some control and cleanliness to my experience?

Will this allow me to run the process with the lights on?

 

[wdenies]

You only need darkness during loading the films into the tank.
Make shure you get a model with an "elevator". This will avoid most of the mess during chem. change.
For film devel. the smallest (and cheapest) model is OK. This model has a minor shortcoming: no forced watercirculation. I solved the problem for a few $$: a small aquarium pump and 30cm plastic tube.
As in the processor you will use continuous rotation there is a change you will have to revise devel. times.

Wim

 

[laptoprob]

Well, I have no personal with manual film development since I got myself a Jobo rotating device at the beginning. It is a system that can easily be operated without a darkroom, only the loading of film needs darkness.
Then the pouring in and out of all the fluids can be done in the light.
Pluspoint is the continuous agitation, always the same. That leaves a characteristic to the development process, I'm sure. I use about 5% less development time because of the continuous rotating.
Cleanliness? That is upto yourself. No real difference I guess, except it can all be done in the light. But that goes for any litht tight development tank.

I need to get more development done, but I am mostly working on the car right now.

 

[sf]

Light tight dev tank? I guess there must be tanks out there that will allow one to NOT have to open the lid to pour the chems in? That would be just as good, really.

Where are these tanks?

My major issue is just the misery of wrestling with chems in the dark. That just make it ugly. Especially since I never pour anything down the drain (septic tank), and re-use much of my chems.

 

[wdenies]

I forgot an important point:
Jobo prcessors work only with jobo tanks.
For models with no elevator: a strong magnet in the bottom.
With elevator : a special cover.
Yes, they are 100% light tight (if you do not forget to mount the spindle in the spiral).
This afternoon I could make some pictures of my processor.

Wim

 

[lZr]

B&W development are full daylight liquids. I use black sack double layered and load my films in the sack. Put the scissors in the bag (sack) to cut the film after rolling it. There is Jobo or some else tank for the job to do. No need to rotate continuous. The first 30 sec are conrinuous tilting to left and right and then once in a minute. The chemicals (dev, stop, fix) are all for daylight condition.

 

[sf]

thanks, guys. I am likely going to buy a setup soon. RIght now, I just can't keep doing the way I have been, and I can't give that nasy shop in Seattle $10 per 120 roll.

 

[clarence]

Seriously, what kind of tank are you using? Most tanks have a screw on funnel and another lid on top of that. The funnel is light tight, which lets you pour your chemicals in even while you are not in darkness.

Clarence

 

[nemjo]

If you develop one or few at once, this is a very useful tool.
Doesn't require any darkness, normally I use it in the kitchen.
For total safety put a tray under it...

nemjo

 

[sf]

Seriously, what kind of tank are you using? Most tanks have a screw on funnel and another lid on top of that. The funnel is light tight, which lets you pour your chemicals in even while you are not in darkness.

Clarence

I am using a Patterson tank of some simple kind. It is certainly not able to be used in daylight. Or any light at all, really. The funnel just sits in the tank, on top of the reel. Loosely.

I want the jobo, I think, but I want to be sure that it will actually serve me well.

 

[sf]

If you develop one or few at once, this is a very useful tool.
Doesn't require any darkness, normally I use it in the kitchen.
For total safety put a tray under it...

nemjo

what is that? Product name? What does it do?

 

[nemjo]

It's a daylight tank.
Mine is a Leitz Rondinax 35, but I've seen similar from different brand.

nemjo

 

[Screwy]

I have Rondinax tanks for both 35mm and 120 and apart from the fact that you have to continuously rotate them during development there fine for the odd single film and everything is done in daylight , though the 120 is a bit of a fiddle due to the need to remove the backing paper .

Obviously if your going to be developing multiple rolls a multi reel tank is needed .




Paul

 

[jgeenen]

I am using a Patterson tank of some simple kind. It is certainly not able to be used in daylight. Or any light at all, really. The funnel just sits in the tank, on top of the reel. Loosely.

I want the jobo, I think, but I want to be sure that it will actually serve me well.

Shutterflower,

Your tank is not complete. I have used both Jobo and Paterson and they are very similar. The reel sits on a black tube that perfectly aligns with light traps on the tank's bottom and the funnel in the top. In fact, I have never seen a tank in the past 30 years that was not daylight safe.

I can recommend both Jobo and Paterson tanks. For B&W, processor automation with CPA/CPE (which requires Jobo tanks) does not ease the process very much.

 

[Gid]

George,

I use a Jobo CPE2 with lift. I bought mine second hand about a year ago for about £120 (they are, or were, £700 new). It came with drums for film - takes 5 x 35mm or 6 x 120 at a time with just under 600 ml of chemical or you can split the drum down to take 2 x 35mm or 2 x 120 with 240ml of chemical. It also came with drums for print development - up to 16"x12". You have to load the reels in the dark (changing bag) but after that its all daylight. It has a temperature controlled bath which also keeps the chemicals at temperature. The lift allows you to pour in and empty out chemicals without getting your hands wet. The washing is simply 8 changes of water - 30 seconds each rinse. It really is very easy and relatively clean. Check out http://www.jobo-usa.com/ and click on Service Analogue for full details on all the Jobo processors. Note that you can also use the CPE2 for C41 and E6 processing using tetenal 3 bath kits or similar. For B&W you reduce the standard dev time by 10%.

 

[BrianPhotog]

I don't think your tank has the top...I have a 2-roll Paterson deluxe tank, a2 roll AP deluxe tank, a 2 roll AP standard tank, and a 1 roll AP tank. I do all of my development in daylight except for loading the film into the tank. Once the film is in and tank closed, I remove the tank from the dark bag, sit down on the sofa and find something good on TV, then pour in the developer. 🙂

 

[sf]

AH.

I don't know. Keeping my chemicals at temperature would be nice. I have a hard time with that. Being about to run my film for 10 minutes without having to stand there the whole time would be awesome.

I have a bit to think about it.

Thanks for all the input, people.


Is $650 too much to pay?

 

[Gid]

AH.

I don't know. Keeping my chemicals at temperature would be nice. I have a hard time with that. Being about to run my film for 10 minutes without having to stand there the whole time would be awesome.

I have a bit to think about it.

Thanks for all the input, people.


Is $650 too much to pay?

Really depends on the model, condition and what it comes with. If its a CPE2, then that is way too much. I've seen them on *bay for less than £100 ($200) with lift.

 

[sf]

Really depends on the model, condition and what it comes with. If its a CPE2, then that is way too much. I've seen them on *bay for less than £100 ($200) with lift.

I'm looking at the CPA-2

 

[350D_user]

To look at them, a disassembled Paterson tank doesn't look capable of blocking all light. However, having used one, I can say that it does... even if the top funnel doesn't need to be securely tightened in place. It's daylight proof, even without its top lid in place.

Stick the tank in a light-proof bag, along with scissors. Seal the bag up. Open the film cannister, snip off the leader, thread the film onto the spiral, snip the end off. Stick the spiral into the tank, put the "funnel" into the tank, you're pretty much done. All that's needed now is the chemicals.