greenhood
Newbie
Curious if anyone has tips on using the new Jobo CPE-3 processor (or the previous CPE-2 model). I'm making the transition from developing BW and E-6 in the kitchen sink to trying for more standardization/automation and hopefully reusing chemistry more efficiently. Also maybe safer with three toddlers in the house.
Any tips would be much appreciated; 120 film isn't cheap esp the way 6x9 burns through it, so would love a headstart to avoid wasting more rolls than necessary.
The expertise of this group would be much appreciated.
Btw, Catlabs has them in stock now.
Thanks!
Any tips would be much appreciated; 120 film isn't cheap esp the way 6x9 burns through it, so would love a headstart to avoid wasting more rolls than necessary.
The expertise of this group would be much appreciated.Btw, Catlabs has them in stock now.
Thanks!
mcf
Member
Congrats on the purchase, it makes dev'ing colour much easier.
However, beware, it's a bit more of a physical process than B&W, I find. I've developed about 15 rolls in mine so far. Because the timings are much more critical than B&W, it feels like your deejaying at nightclub with all the moving about, tweaking, and changing things. Here's some thoughts off the top of my head:
The tanks: make sure you pop the rubber 'popper' lid down before rotating. The popper lid needs to be pushed down because of the build up of pressure in the tank when rotating. I've forgotten (once) and the lid blew off spilling Blix everywhere. Beware, even when I have popped the little rubber part of the lid down, the lid has blown off as well. So, until your confident, keep near the rotating tank for the first few go's, just incase it decides to pop off. It happened to me a few time always when doing the Blix part.
I reckon part of the problem of the above was that the temperature control was slightly off (too high) on my machine. So, make sure you've got a thermometer in the chems (particularly dev) and don't just rely on the temperature dial as being correct.
Make sure you've fasten the lid down tight when putting your rolls in. For similar reasons as my first point above. If it can come off, it will.
Remember that your chems are to go back into the correct bottles. I was so used to b&w developing early on, I forgot and chucked some of the colour chemicals away, absentmindedly. (Mainly the stabiliser as the last process because you're taking the film out of the tank.)
Since it's standardised times, try and get as many rolls done in one tank/session.
Make sure you've got the guide rail in the correct place for the tank's rotation. It's a thin strip of plastic with wheels that sits inside the water near the rotator mechanism.
There's more but that's all I can think of right now. Will add more if others don't before me. Good luck!
However, beware, it's a bit more of a physical process than B&W, I find. I've developed about 15 rolls in mine so far. Because the timings are much more critical than B&W, it feels like your deejaying at nightclub with all the moving about, tweaking, and changing things. Here's some thoughts off the top of my head:
The tanks: make sure you pop the rubber 'popper' lid down before rotating. The popper lid needs to be pushed down because of the build up of pressure in the tank when rotating. I've forgotten (once) and the lid blew off spilling Blix everywhere. Beware, even when I have popped the little rubber part of the lid down, the lid has blown off as well. So, until your confident, keep near the rotating tank for the first few go's, just incase it decides to pop off. It happened to me a few time always when doing the Blix part.
I reckon part of the problem of the above was that the temperature control was slightly off (too high) on my machine. So, make sure you've got a thermometer in the chems (particularly dev) and don't just rely on the temperature dial as being correct.
Make sure you've fasten the lid down tight when putting your rolls in. For similar reasons as my first point above. If it can come off, it will.
Remember that your chems are to go back into the correct bottles. I was so used to b&w developing early on, I forgot and chucked some of the colour chemicals away, absentmindedly. (Mainly the stabiliser as the last process because you're taking the film out of the tank.)
Since it's standardised times, try and get as many rolls done in one tank/session.
Make sure you've got the guide rail in the correct place for the tank's rotation. It's a thin strip of plastic with wheels that sits inside the water near the rotator mechanism.
There's more but that's all I can think of right now. Will add more if others don't before me. Good luck!
brbo
Well-known
I don't know about CPE-3 (I only have a beat up CPE-2):
- never rely on the temperature that is set on the Jobo - use thermometer to check the actual temperature you are getting
- measure the temperatures you get in various slots of your Jobo (pick the one that is closest to the set temperature and use it for warming up the developer)
- with E-6; after you pour the 1st Developer into the tank move the Color developer into 1st Developer's slot
- with C-41 (roll film especially); be REALLY quick with pouring in the Developer and getting the tank on the processor, same with pouring out the Developer and pouring in the Bleach
- with C-41; use starter in the Developer and/or only do roll film development after you've processed a few 135 films in the Developer
- if you are doing multiple runs check that your bleach and/or fixer is not leaking into water bath; I always end up with some bleach in water bath so I'm extra careful that I don't transfer any of the contaminated water into the film tank
- Stabilizer is never done in the tank and never on the reel you are using for developing
- never rely on the temperature that is set on the Jobo - use thermometer to check the actual temperature you are getting
- measure the temperatures you get in various slots of your Jobo (pick the one that is closest to the set temperature and use it for warming up the developer)
- with E-6; after you pour the 1st Developer into the tank move the Color developer into 1st Developer's slot
- with C-41 (roll film especially); be REALLY quick with pouring in the Developer and getting the tank on the processor, same with pouring out the Developer and pouring in the Bleach
- with C-41; use starter in the Developer and/or only do roll film development after you've processed a few 135 films in the Developer
- if you are doing multiple runs check that your bleach and/or fixer is not leaking into water bath; I always end up with some bleach in water bath so I'm extra careful that I don't transfer any of the contaminated water into the film tank
- Stabilizer is never done in the tank and never on the reel you are using for developing
mcf
Member
Hogarth Ferguson
Well-known
I am actually going to pick up a jobo cpe-2 today! A friend in giving me one as he does not need two, and it means i can give back my cpa2 that my other friend loaned me.
Now, I just need to find a lift for the cpe2
Now, I just need to find a lift for the cpe2
brbo
Well-known
1. It will foam with continuous agitation of Jobo.
2. Stabilizer can contaminate the reels.
Put your stab in a separate container (with a diameter that is a bit wider than that of the film reel), twist the reel and separate the two parts and toss the film into stabilizer. Swirl it gently and leave it in stabilizer for a minute.
mcf
Member
Yes to number 1. Good point, though I've not had any side-effects in my negs from this. As for 2, sounds more critical I guess. Your solution seems easy and sensible enough.
greenhood
Newbie
Thanks, everyone! These are super helpful tips. Will be printing these out to hang near the Jobo while I work to get the hang of it.
brbo
Well-known
For a while I did use to leave the film on the reel when I submerged it into the stabilizer and I didn't notice any problem with contamination or stabilizer residue building up on my reels (I do scrub my reels thoroughly immediately after developing). So, stabilizing off the reel might be unnecessary work, but why risk it if the alternative is easy enough.