Re: Developing sheet film in open-ended PVC tubes

Hi Bill,

      I'm staying wiith tray development, at least for now. I'm no
expert at it. When I shot 8x10, I'd develop one at a time. Now,
I'm working with 5x7 and still using just one sheet at a time. I'll
move on to two sheets as I gain confidence and control. In tray
agitation that's continuous, it's not necessary to slosh vigorously.
A gentle lifting of one corner of the tray, then the other gives
me evenly deveoped negatives.

Rich

William Laven wrote:

> Sandy,
>
> IF you want really minimal agitation, why not consider stand
> development. You need tanks for the film, but many report it's a
> great technique. Oliver Gagliani swore by it. I used to develop 4x5's
> in hangers and tanks and people always said they got agitation marks
> and I got none. Paul Caponigro showed me a very gentle technique of
> lifting the hangers out for very minimal agitation. Worked great. Of
> course, all these techniques require more hardware than a simple tube
> in a tray.
>
> Bill
>
> Bill
>
> >Bill,
> >
> >>
> >>BTW, I do all my film work (and print work with Pt/Pd) in Jobo
> >>drums. While I have a Jobo machine one can use (most of) their
> >>drums on a plain old Beseler rolling agitator. I don't see the
> >>advantage of open tubes in trays (in the dark) if one can easily
> >>use tubes in the light unless there's something I'm missing.
> >
> >
> >Yep, that is exactly what I though when I read that article years
> >ago. Why bother with open-ended tubes when you can just put caps on
> >the tubes and have the advantage of daylight processing? But time
> >passes and we learn. The advantage to the open ended tubes is that
> >you can cover them with developer (they sink in developing solution)
> >and develop with minimal agitation procedures.
> >
> >It is also an extremely simple solution for those who do not get
> >even development with tray development and/or who have a proclivity
> >for scratching or gouging their negatives with shuffle development.
> >
> >
> >Sandy
> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Oh, I think I know the article you are referring to. I have also seen it
> >>>very long time ago but can't remember either. I think it might be in
> >>>Darkroom Technique (or the name before that), but I thought for
> >>>Bibliography, you only need to cite the original idea rather than the
> >>>variations afterward.
> >>>
> >>>If I come across it I will let you know.
> >>>
> >>>Dave S
> >>>
> >>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: "Sandy King" <sanking@clemson.edu>
> >>>To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> >>>Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 12:00 PM
> >>>Subject: Re: Developing sheet film in open-ended PVC tubes
> >>>
> >>>> Dave,
> >>>>
> >>>> It was not Phil Davis. Phil introduced the BTZS type tubes in his
> >>>> book Beyond the Zone System but in this type of development the tubes
> >>>> are capped on each end and and development is carried out in a water
> >>>> bath with the lights on.
> >>>>
> >>>> In the article to which I refer the author recommends placing the
> >>>> film in open-ended PVC tubes and then developing the films in a tray
> >>>> containing the developer, with the lights off of course.
> >>>>
> >>>> Sandy
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> >Sandy,
> >>>> >
> >>>> >If I remember correctly, it was Phil Davis. The procedure should be
> >>>> >described in one of his book "Beyond The Zone System." While this is from
> >>>> >memory, I think it is correct since the tubes are also known as BTZS
> >>>> >(abbreviation from the title of the book) tubes.
> >>>> >
> >>>> >Dave S
> >>>> >
> >>>> >----- Original Message -----
> >>>> >From: "Sandy King" <sanking@clemson.edu>
> >>>> >To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> >>>> >Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:26 AM
> >>>> >Subject: Developing sheet film in open-ended PVC tubes
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> >> A number of years ago someone wrote an article that was published in
> >>>> >> one of the national magazines that described how to develop sheet
> >>>> >> film in open-ended PVC tubes in trays. This procedure offers some
> >>>> >> advantages over normal tray development in that it gives 1) very even
> >>>> >> development with no edge hot spots, and 2) minimizes the possibility
> >>>> >> of scratching that many experience in shuffle agitation.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> I am describing this procedure in a current writing project and would
> >>>> >> like to give credit to the person who originally suggested the
> >>>> >> procedure but I am unable to locate it. Can anyone on the list
> >>>> >> provide any details to help me locate the article.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> Sandy
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >>
Received on Wed Mar 31 12:49:31 2004