JOBO verses Stainless Steel

[Calzone]

I presently do not intend on using a processor and currently use a 2 liter SS tank and Hewes reels for B&W (135 and 120). My intent is to use the JOBO for manual processing, but I like the idea of possibly using a processor in the advanced future.

I am wondering if I get a JOBO 2560 to have the advantage of doing 10 rolls of 120 since also I might be starting also to do 2x3 and 4x5 sheet film. With 120 I can only do 4 reels of 120 and sneak in a roll of 135.

I shoot a lot and am trying to maximize batches. I exploit Diafine which gets reused so the volume of the tank is of no concern.

Are the JOBO tanks free from leaks and unlike the cronic leaky lid of my SS tank? How fast is the fill and empty over my SS tank? Also how is the loading of the 2502 reels? What is it like to stack two rolls of 120 on a 2502 reel?

For B&W is it worthwhile to go with a processor? Are there trade offs? Not interested in color at this time.

Anyone have experience with the 2509N reel for sheet film?

Thanks in advance.

Cal

 

[airfrogusmc]

I always preferred stainless for temp consistency.

 

[Calzone]

I always preferred stainless for temp consistency.

Allen,

This makes sense. Stainless suits water baths.

It is just so slow doing just 4 rolls of 120 at a time. Wish they made a 3 liter tank.

Cal

 

[Dralowid]

I find it easier to load 35mm onto stainless reels rather than plastic.

 

[Calzone]

I find it easier to load 35mm onto stainless reels rather than plastic.

D,

Thanks. You guys are reminding me of why I went stainless in the first place.

Cal

 

[presspass]

I have used JOBO reels and tanks for more than 15 years. For eight of those years, when our weekly newspapers were using film, everything we shot went through JOBO tanks, all done by hand, not processor. I still use them at home. The only leaking issue is the rubber cap - it has to be seated firmly. The lid itself snaps on and holds well. My darkroom is a consistent 68-70 degrees f all year long, so the developer temperature is not a concern. The tank top will take a half-inch hose for washing. The reels are easy to load and can, if needed, be loaded damp/wet. All of the tanks and reels I use are nearly 20 years old and have no problem. You do have to wash/scrub the reels to get them clean.

 

[pschauss]

My stainless steel tanks (original Nikors) do not leak as long as I use the matching lids.

 

[Calzone]

I have used JOBO reels and tanks for more than 15 years. For eight of those years, when our weekly newspapers were using film, everything we shot went through JOBO tanks, all done by hand, not processor. I still use them at home. The only leaking issue is the rubber cap - it has to be seated firmly. The lid itself snaps on and holds well. My darkroom is a consistent 68-70 degrees f all year long, so the developer temperature is not a concern. The tank top will take a half-inch hose for washing. The reels are easy to load and can, if needed, be loaded damp/wet. All of the tanks and reels I use are nearly 20 years old and have no problem. You do have to wash/scrub the reels to get them clean.

PP,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Any experience with loading two rolls of 120 on a 2502 reel? This would be a great asset for me and would halve the amount of time required to develop the 120 I use. It would definitely encourage me to shoot more 120.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

My stainless steel tanks (original Nikors) do not leak as long as I use the matching lids.

Peter,

I have some Japanese tanks with plastic lids. They kinda piss all over, and one has to be careful not to pop the lid when doing inversions.

The Nikkors from what I hear are the best. Looks like a two liter Nikkor tank would serve me well for 135.

I do have what I believe is one Nikkor tank but it has a capacity for only one roll of 120, or two rolls of 135. This tank has a SS lid and SS cap with a tab.

My thinking for 120 is the JOBO would be convenient and save mucho time.

I will require a JOBO for sheet film so I really trying to find out if I should go big for additional use for 120 and exploit a large JOBO.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

My thinking for 120 is the JOBO would be convenient and save mucho time. I will require a JOBO for sheet film so I really trying to find out if I should go big for additional use for 120 and exploit a large JOBO.

It's expensive and some pieces are hard to find, but GO FOR IT. I process 4x5, 9x12cm, 6x9cm sheets, and MUCHO 120 B&W. It works perfectly for me, I use the original Unicolor Uniroller to spin it. Buy the washer although you will have to modify it to fit U.S. faucets. Lowes or Home Depot have the plumbing parts to make it work.

I shoot a lot of film and this made perfect sense to me. It just works.

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Livesteamer]

Many years ago I did a lot of rolling two 35mm rolls, back to back, on one stainless reel. I was working for college newspaper and yearbook. I would call it a utility grade process, not something for high quality. No experience with 120, might work for you but be sure to take them off the spool for washing. Good Luck. Joe

 

[Calzone]

It's expensive and some pieces are hard to find, but GO FOR IT. I process 4x5, 9x12cm, 6x9cm sheets, and MUCHO 120 B&W. It works perfectly for me, I use the original Unicolor Uniroller to spin it. Buy the washer although you will have to modify it to fit U.S. faucets. Lowes or Home Depot have the plumbing parts to make it work.

I shoot a lot of ilm and this made perfect sense to me. It just works.

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

N,

The scary part of going JOBO is pretty soon it will lead to cut sheets of 8x10 and contact printing.

Anyways I'm thinking of all the money I will save by going big. Mark Cuban says, "Go big or don't go." LOL.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Twelve 35mm rolls at a time ^




8x10 sheet film JOBO insert from China:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8x10-810-sh...451828?hash=item1a297177f4:g:n84AAOSw32lYqvx8

 

[Calzone]

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Twelve 35mm rolls at a time ^




8x10 sheet film JOBO insert from China:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8x10-810-sh...451828?hash=item1a297177f4:g:n84AAOSw32lYqvx8

N,

The GAS begins. For me the road to JOBO comes from my recent bout of "Linhof Disease." I bought one Linhof and now I have three. LOL.

BTW at B&H right now they have this wonderful 4x5 Deardorf, and if you prefer a metal camera the have a 5x7 Tencknika V. Then again there are Ebony's.

A 2x3 Tech IV from 1958 (old as me) that basically is a shelf queen is getting a CLA at Nippon Camera Clinic (new authorized Linhof Service Center) with a 100/2.8 Planar.

I found this odd Linhof Prototype that has no serial number in the accessory shoe that basically is a 2x3 Technika V that oddly has no front standard or rear standard movements. I secured a 53 Biogon and more or less am creating a 6x9 SWC out of a Linhof folder. I secured a 2x3 Grafmatic and an extra/spare set of septums. I have a friend who I consided my Linhof consultant who can 3-D print a raw cam, and will help me cam this Linhof.

The there is the early 50's 4x5 Tech IV that was made when they covered Linhof's in real leather. The wear and tear on this Linhof is displayed by a wonderful patina.

Thanks for the added GAS. LOL. 8x10 becons.

Cal

 

[rybolt]

Several points: I've used both stainless and Jobo for 35mm and 120 for many years. I only did E6 in the Jobo. I used both stainless and Jobo for 4X5. I had one of the Nikor 4X5 tanks and a reel that held four sheets.
I found the stainless steel to be much better but used the Jobo for the temperature control for E6 and for being able to use less chemistry.
In stainless steel processing I never used the fill hole to get chemistry either in or out. I would fill the tank and then after loading the reels I would walk over and VERY carefully find the tank and put in the reels. They were on a T Bar of course. I would go dark and dump the developer, do the stop and add the fix and then put the lid back on. A tank that holds two litres is going to give you some funky results just because some of the film is in solution longer than other parts.
I like Jobo for consistent agitation and temp control but for black and white I'd stick with stainless.

 

[taemo]

I've been developing B&W film with Jobo 2500 drums for a couple of years in conjuction with a uniroller so that I don't have to manually rotate or inverse the film.
WIth the Jobo I can also develop 35mm, 120 and even 4x5 simultaneously, and also rotation requires less chemical than inversion. I basically only use about 270ml of HC-110 dilution B to process 2x 35mm or 1x 120 or 6x 4x5.
I have a Multitank 2 #2520 and a Multitank 5 #2550 depending on how many film I need to process. Also have 2800 drums so that I can process 8x10 if I don't feel like tray developing.

The only time my jobo leaks if I put too much liquid.
I've also tried develping 2x 120 in one reel and the key is to use the take to connect both 120 film for ease of loading.

In terms of ease of loading film, it's as easy as the Paterson reels, I've only had experience with steel reels once when I first started and it was hard and went Paterson and Jobo ever since.

 

[Calzone]

Several points: I've used both stainless and Jobo for 35mm and 120 for many years. I only did E6 in the Jobo. I used both stainless and Jobo for 4X5. I had one of the Nikor 4X5 tanks and a reel that held four sheets.
I found the stainless steel to be much better but used the Jobo for the temperature control for E6 and for being able to use less chemistry.
In stainless steel processing I never used the fill hole to get chemistry either in or out. I would fill the tank and then after loading the reels I would walk over and VERY carefully find the tank and put in the reels. They were on a T Bar of course. I would go dark and dump the developer, do the stop and add the fix and then put the lid back on. A tank that holds two litres is going to give you some funky results just because some of the film is in solution longer than other parts.
I like Jobo for consistent agitation and temp control but for black and white I'd stick with stainless.

R,

Thanks for the thoughtful post. With roll film the initial fill and the draining kinda even things out. I'm new to sheet films so I had not thought about using tanks. With 8x10 wetting the film all at once is an imperative. Still important with 4x5.

I had thought about tray development and going dark. Did lots of darkroom printing back in art school, but living in Madhattan of course I don't have the luxury of a darkroom.

Cal

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I've been developing B&W film with Jobo 2500 drums for a couple of years in conjuction with a uniroller so that I don't have to manually rotate or inverse the film.
WIth the Jobo I can also develop 35mm, 120 and even 4x5 simultaneously, and also rotation requires less chemical than inversion. I basically only use about 270ml of HC-110 dilution B to process 2x 35mm or 1x 120 or 6x 4x5.
I have a Multitank 2 #2520 and a Multitank 5 #2550 depending on how many film I need to process. Also have 2800 drums so that I can process 8x10 if I don't feel like tray developing.

The only time my jobo leaks if I put too much liquid.
I've also tried develping 2x 120 in one reel and the key is to use the take to connect both 120 film for ease of loading.

In terms of ease of loading film, it's as easy as the Paterson reels, I've only had experience with steel reels once when I first started and it was hard and went Paterson and Jobo ever since.

T,

There is a lot to obsess about, and thank you everybody. I really greatful for this engagement. Lots of stuff I would of not considered from the POV of the big boys.

I already learned from my research that using too much chemical can actually slow down a processor. The use of chemicals is a very practical concern due to expense.

I use Diafine basically because it gets reused. One summer when film was still cheap from Freestlye I averaged 150 rolls of film a month and I hated mixing ID-11 and pouring it down the drain as a one shot. I ended up figuring out how to make Diafine work for me with Acros (Legacy Pro) at box speed and with Tri-X (Arista Premium)at 800 ISO. I happen to like the compensating effect I get: it is a bit like HDR film.

Perhaps I better think about that processor...

Anyways thanks for helping me do my due dill-A-gence.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

DSC05763 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Cal.

For 8x10" my first choice is the Sinar Norma (the original Sinar). This camera is on permanent display at The Museum of Modern Art, as a design object. I've owned wooden and metal large format cameras of many types. My preference is for the Norma.

Here is my 8x10" Norma, with wide angle lens bag bellows, and Sinar Norma Shutter
Another good thing about Normas is that they are relatively plentiful.

 

[john_s]

I've done two rolls of 120 on one Jobo reel (smaller series 1500) using the supplied red tab to prevent the two rolls gradually overlapping. Worked well. I assume that the 2500 series reels come with the tab too, but I don't know.