Agitation Techniques Part One

[@ellyrion8173]

Really useful video! Just wondering - Is there any advantage to using a developing tank designed for 1x35mm reel rather than something like a Universal tank that is designed for 2x35mm reels when I'm just developing 1x 35mm reel at a time? Got a Paterson Universal (1x120 or 2x35mm) tank I'm using at the moment so was curious

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Only reason to use a larger tank would be if you needed more volume for a highly diluted developer- something like Xtol 1:3 or maybe 510 Pyro 1:500- there’s a minimum requirement for a developer per roll and sometimes a single real tank with highly diluted developers pushes that minimum-- advantage of course to a small tank is you use less volume of chemistry and save $$$.

[@williamreynolds9119]

Do you apply this technique to all film types? How about with a Patterson tank?

[@FIGITALREVOLUTION]

Yes spot on with a pattern tank

[@randallstewart1224]

The problem with the Patterson tank is that the watertight lid is likely to pop off in mid-process, dumping a load of developer (or fixer) in your lap. The better practice is to not use the Patterson tank at all, but if you've already signed on and won't toss it in the bin, then stick with spinning the agitation rod and avoid inversion agitation. As to film types, as described in the video is the perfect technique for B&W. It works for color as well, but color films are designed to be processed in continuous agitation automatic systems. With the relatively fast process times for color, continuous agitation is probably preferred.

[@b6983832]

@@randallstewart1224 For hand developing of color film, Kodak style agitation with agitating constantly for the firs 15 seconds, and then agitating fot 5 seconds at 00:30, and afterwards every 30 seconds, and putting the tank in water bath when not agitated is probably the best compromise. Agitation even in every 15 seconds would do, but then the issue is temperature dropping probably too much, as the tank is not submerged to a water bath for almost half of the time. I have alwayd used Kodak style agitation for black and white too, instead of the Ilford method used in this video. Just do not shake too vigorously. With C-41, overagitation is virtually impossible. Continuous agitation for color film is possible only with systems with heating and agitation at the same time, such as Jobo - whether a processor, or just their hand roller submerged in a water bath.

[@kikeheebchinkjigaboo6631]

Ohhh I THOUGHT THIS DUDE WAS A COMMUNIST