Lab-Box has arrived!

[Godfrey]

Voigtländer Perkeo II + XP2 Super
ISO 320 @ f/5.6 @ 1/50​

This is the Guadalupe River, curving under the maze of overpasses and streets in downtown San Jose ... Adobe's headquarters are in a couple of tall buildings just up and to the left of the photographed area. 🙂

G

 

[MJ Buckpitt]

Freestyle photo now has them back in stock.

 

[Godfrey]

I finished the roll of ACROS 100 I loaded into the Perkeo II on Wednesday and processed it yesterday evening. The Lab-Box worked flawlessly. I've got the negs all scanned and rough-rendered, will spend some time with them later today and post a couple.

I used my standard "HC-110 @ 1:49 for 8 minutes at room temp" processing workflow and switched to my standard agitation when using the Agfa Rondinax tanks. Perfect results: 12 good exposures that scanned with no trouble at all. The Lab-Box does not leak a drop and makes processing a roll of film a quick half-hour affair, end to end.

😀

G

 

[tbhv55]

I finished the roll of ACROS 100 I loaded into the Perkeo II on Wednesday and processed it yesterday evening. The Lab-Box worked flawlessly. I've got the negs all scanned and rough-rendered, will spend some time with them later today and post a couple.

I used my standard "HC-110 @ 1:49 for 8 minutes at room temp" processing workflow and switched to my standard agitation when using the Agfa Rondinax tanks. Perfect results: 12 good exposures that scanned with no trouble at all. The Lab-Box does not leak a drop and makes processing a roll of film a quick half-hour affair, end to end.

😀

I'm very pleased to hear this, Godfrey. I received my Lab-Box today, but won't get a chance to use it, for a few days yet.

I'm looking forward to using it - particularly for 120 film. For some reason, I seem to be fairly useless at getting 120 film onto reels, and I really don't want to spoil any more films. 🙁 Strangely, I've not had the same difficulties with 35mm film, but since the Lab-Box handles both formats, I'm expecting (hoping?) that this will replace my 'regular' method, entirely. We'll see. 🙂

 

[Bob Michaels]

...... As I can see one as I type I searched for "Paterson" and not "Patterson" but now I see ......

Almost all my collection of Paterson tanks were purchased on E-Bay from sellers who listed using the misspelling with two t's, thus attracting the attention of few or no other potential buyers. It seemed I was the only one who searched using the misspelling. In several cases, I was the only bidder and paid less than the shipping costs.

 

[Godfrey]

A few photos from the second roll made with the Voigtländer Perkeo II, processed in the Lab-Box using HC-110 (1:49, 8 minutes @ room temperature):

​

Nearly all were guesstimated exposure, f/11 @ 1/100 or similar for the outdoor shots.

enjoy!
G

 

[Solinar]

Bravo again. Those are some crisp images from the Perkeo II.

Question: Was that 8 minutes @ room temperature with continuous or modern intermittent agitation?

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

First effort with my son's lab-box (green lid colorway) was a success. He chose a mis-exposed roll of 135 PanF50 shot at 200. We learned the lick-n-stick method of film extraction (genius) and everything went boringly simple. Thanks Ars-Imago for a great way to suck in the youth to the film photography vortex.

 

[Godfrey]

Bravo again. Those are some crisp images from the Perkeo II.

Question: Was that 8 minutes @ room temperature with continuous or modern intermittent agitation?

Sorry, I missed this query before ...
8 min @ room temp using continuous agitation (turn, turn, back, turn turn turn, back, turn turn turn, back ... etc). Saves on the amount of chemistry I have to mix up.

G

 

[MJ Buckpitt]

I too went with the continuous agitation but every 30secs tilted the Lab Box side to side, This worked well for me.

 

[kknox]

Received mine 3 days ago. Was ordered 10/2018

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Now I'm not so sure about the Lab-box. The extreme edges of the film are undeveloped in spots, not that affects the image, but the images have wavy streaks along one side, and places that appear "like" the film may have been in contact with the adjacent surface, or insufficient agitation. The box was filled with 500ml.
All that, and only one roll at a time. Not for me.

 

[Godfrey]

Now I'm not so sure about the Lab-box. The extreme edges of the film are undeveloped in spots, not that affects the image, but the images have wavy streaks along one side, and places that appear "like" the film may have been in contact with the adjacent surface, or insufficient agitation. The box was filled with 500ml.
All that, and only one roll at a time. Not for me.

None of my films have shown these problems. I've processed five rolls of 120 in the Lab-Box now and all have been evenly processed. The only error I've found so far is a camera issue: my Perkeo II tends to load a little "early" which makes it possible to clip development on the first frame. Easily worked around.

Was your poor result with 35mm film or 120? I have a roll in the R6.2 that will be processed in the Lab-Box. Perhaps it was a one-time loading glitch or an agitation issue? I'd suggest giving it another go and see what results. It might be a defect in your particular reel assembly.

G

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Hi Godfrey, son's first roll and mine both were 35mm, had the undeveloped edges, which is not really an issue, but it may point to the reason for the uneven development along the roll in various places.
Son's first roll was a PanF50 shot at 200 by mistake, which I pushed in ID11 (stock) to 10 minutes (from 6.5m @ 50) They came out thin but usable and had the grey streaks along the edge.
My roll reused in the next hour the 500ml stock ID11, which I figured was reasonable, maybe not? Agitation was not vigorous, was continious first minute, 10 seconds per minute thereafter. Maybe the reel has very tight film channels with not a very open network of holes, but it was full to the brim with Dev.
Thanks

 

[Gerry M]

Any updates on the Lab-Box use/results? In the long run, is it a worthwhile purchase? After buying/using, would you buy again? Or, do you have reservations/disappointment? All these questions because I am considering this as a replacement to my JOBO tanks. Any user input is appreciated.

Gerry

 

[MJ Buckpitt]

I've developed a dozen or so films and apart from the learning curve mistakes, it has been a success. I did not come to the Lab-Box via reels and tanks so not in a position to compare. I would buy it again.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I've always used tanks & reels, but encouraged my son to buy the box, so now I have used both. With the box you don't need a changing bag but the box is wetter, splashy, in use. Maybe with more careful practice it wouldn't be.
If you shoot more film tanks & reels are better. Even with one roll at hand I still reach for the dark bag.
The box is brilliant for someone new to film.

 

[kxl]

Not trying to be negative, just trying to understand...

From what I've seen on YouTube, the Lab-Box looks like it only works with one roll at a time?

Also, it seems like the primary benefit to the Lab-box versus a typical Patterson or Jobo tank is loading the film onto the reel without having to pop open the cannister and loading the film manually in a darkroom or inside a changing bag.

What other advantages does the Lab-Box have over a typical Patterson or Jobo tank?

-Keith

 

[aizan]

It's marketed as being less anxiety-inducing? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[frank-grumman]

With the departure of Philly Photographics, I'm getting a Lab-Box. That way I can screw up my film myself instead of paying to have somebody else do it for me and then having to wait to find out that was the outcome. 😀 😀 😀