This is my 25th year owning Jobo equipment, currently an ATL1, ATL2 and a TBE. I’ve owned a CPA2 and CPP2 in the past as well. I mainly work in B&W. Never an issue with uneven development with a Jobo. My process has always included - a 5min presoak - rotational speed P (75rpm) for 1500 & 2500 tanks - rotational speed 4 (50rpm) for Expert drums - 68 to 70*F - no less than 6min of development time These days, I’m shooting much less and combined with a smaller darkroom, I much prefer using a Heiland TAS (with Jobo 1500 tanks) or a Phototherm Sidekick. But for those times when a backlog of film development is required, a Jobo is such a luxury. And efficient. Enjoyed your video.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
I do a 5 min presoak as well... Have tried everything I can think of with the 2500 tank and reels. I know of several others that have had great results... May give it another shot with 120 film... will give your rpms a go! 35 mm was not as much of a problem for me. sprocket surge marks but minimized with slowest rotation. Overall the 35mm looks good. Like you said when you have a lot of 35mm roll film It is nice!
@lightloving683
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto While I use both 1500 & 2500 tanks and have had no issues, try the following for 120 roll film. I’m assuming you are using bi-directional rotation. - Rotational speed P - Use a 1500 tank, specifically. - Use only 1 - 120 roll per reel. - If using dilution from full strength, ie 1+1, double the reel-tank requirement. A 2 reel tank for 1 roll. - Always fill the tank with reels, ie empty reels , if needed.
@fbraakman
Ай бұрын
I think uneven development may be a function of developer volume and rotation speed: either too fast or too slow. I had a CPP2 for 3 -4 years and the electronics started malfunctioning. I had that repaired but a year later the issue came back, couldn't get it repaired again, so I ditched it. I also had issues with constant agitation: it would stop rotating. Very annoying. Spent big bucks on the Filmomat and it works for me. Much better electronics and consistency. Expensive but I chose to live with the cost. Does C-41 very well. Temperature can be controlled + or - 0.1 degree.
@mike747436
Ай бұрын
I bought a CPP3 around 8 years ago to process 120 and 4x5 Velvia, but I’ve gone on to use it for C41 and now b&w also. I have a chest freezer which holds my film and color chemicals, and it makes a great base for the Jobo which sits in one of those large plastic trays used for germinating seeds. I can process up to 6x120 films, which saves on time and chemicals. I’ve not had any issues with uneven processing, but I know of at least one other user who has.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Thanks Mike! sounds like a cool set up! The uneven development is weird. Mine looks like more development along the middle of the negative going the whole length of the film. a gort of middle gradient falling off to the edges. I know of many with the same equiptment developer, film, temp, presoak, rotation that get perfect negs... and than some that have problems. Really weird (and frustrating) I love the idea of being able to develop 6 vs 2 rolls at a time.
@hansjzeller
Ай бұрын
Thanks for your perspective on this! For me, who develops only a few times a year, the Jobo is not a good option. Here are two much less expensive solutions to the problems mentioned in the video: First, use a water bath with a sous-vide machine to keep the temperature of the color chemicals constant. Second, use the MOD54 Large Format Film Processor for 4x5 sheet film. Both of these have worked very well for me.
@alanhuntley55
Ай бұрын
I bought my CPP2 brand new back in the mid-90's and I've never looked back. After developing 4x5 and 8x10 sheet film in trays for 15 years, I couldn't believe how even development was in those Expert Drums. I should probably add that most of my photography is with B&W film.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Les chances of scratching etc... The expert drums are greast, sometimes I put the top on too tight and the pressure pump system is a bit awkward at times, but otherwise pretty perfect. Also love being able to develop 10 sheets with minimum developer!
@gcvrsa
Ай бұрын
I honestly had no idea that JOBO was still in business. Back when I shot film in the 1990s, I used JOBO for all my stuff.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Yeah, pretty wild they have been around for as long as they have been!
@photostudioOttensen
Ай бұрын
TBH the price tags on Jobo stuff are ridiculous. However the rotary system does save me a lot of developer. And it's consistent. And luckily I got it for free. The heating doesn't work but that doesn't really concern me. Other things like the film dryer Mistral 2 are basically really bad heaters with a cheap foam filter on top. So they basically put the darkroom label on it and put a high pricetag on it.
@photobobo
Ай бұрын
There is no point in doing B&W in a Jobo. I started with a used CPP3, because I was tired of the what the lab did to my negatives. Seems the idiot technician loved dragging them on the floor, scratching them with a dirty squeegee and putting his finger prints all over them. I processed about 50 rolls of color negative and was very happy with the results. I then saw a used Autolab 1000 on FleeBay, not working for $400. It cost me just $30 and a week of my time to bring it back to usable. The CPP3 is collecting dust, I only use the Autolab. Oh, and let's not forget the addition of an Intelli-Faucet to keep the water at the right temperature for wash.
@culleysmith
Ай бұрын
I have a Jobo CPE3. While I will keep it and continue to use it, I do feel like a bit disappointed in the build quality and uneven water heating (the heating coil doesn't extend throughout the bath, but I haven't been brave enough to do any extensive testing at the cost of some color negatives to see if that uneven water heating has any material impact). Plus, the beakers that come with it to hold the chemicals... aren't secure. They float a bit and I've been worried about them spilling chemicals. This is because (on mine) the plastic slots that holds the chemicals are bent and uneven. I bought my Jobo in April 2021, but it didn't arrive until August of the same year... and I just didn't want to send it back to be repaired, so have worked around that issue. What I do is I end up bringing the chemicals up to temp and maintaining the temp by storing them in separate containers in a water bath heated by a sous vide. Then I just use the Jobo for the actual processing part, which it does really well. I mostly appreciate how easy it is to clean up and how clean it keeps my working area. I don't have a dedicated lab/room and just use the laundry room + utility sink and appreciate how quickly I can set up and tear down for a night session of developing. That's the biggest pro of the Jobo, IMO. I only use it for large format color and color slide development, btw. I ran some B&W through it and noticed streaking and unevenness like you said, but I assumed I had made a mistake as I started off with B&W to get comfortable with the device.
@mariokil71
Ай бұрын
There is probably no simple answer to this question. For me, the price does not match the value. I use different equipment to develop color films. Of course, it is slightly less automated, but the price of this device is several times lower :) If someone can afford to buy it and thinks they need it, I should buy it ;)
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
This is the conclusion I came to as well. A luxury (not needed) but for large format really helpfull.
@MichaelLloyd
Ай бұрын
I've had a Jobo CPP2 with CPE2 lift, tanks, etc. for over a while. It was cheap back when I bought it maybe a decade ago. I use it for sheet film. I don't shoot a lot of 35mm or 120mm so I don't set the Jobo up for that. I use a Patterson tank. Loading 120 onto reels is helpful for keeping my ability to string cusswords together in new and useful ways. I haven't jumped into color development yet but I'll give the Jobo a try with color one of these days. No darkroom here so the Jobo and Patterson are my go to's.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
"I use a Patterson tank. Loading 120 onto reels is helpful for keeping my ability to string cusswords together in new and useful ways" 😂😂😂 Made my day... I find the setup worth it for when I have a bit of 4x5 film and want the specific development... but for smaller format's its just easier to swear at my small tanks :)
@canoedoctor
Ай бұрын
I fractured my neck when I was young, too. C5 when I was 16. I was very lucky to be able to walk after that but it is catching up with me now, 45 years later.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@canoedoctor I was lucky mine was a shovel head fracture… but the way I crashed pretty lucky as well… started getting pretty annoying after 40. Wish you well (and relief) 👍
@canoedoctor
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto Thanks. I need hiking poles now and use a scooter for longer distances. My balance is shot and muscle spasticity exhausts me early. I've been enjoying your videos. I've been an avid film shooter since the mid 70's. It got me into art school where I pursued painting. Coming back to photography now after a career in craft building traditional wooden canoes
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@canoedoctor Now the name makes sense! Glad you like the videos and glad you’re back to film!
@anotherguycalledsmith
Ай бұрын
0:40 ”Whatever film you want to…“ should better _not_ be 127 roll-film. I did not find any spool for these, either 135 _or_ 120…
@jw48335
Ай бұрын
I got a CPP3 with lift for wayyy cheap from Goodwill auction 8 years ago. That's crazy about the development issue. I use Black, White, and Green by Flic Film (aka Xtol), regular Xtol before that, and I have never had a problem. I've also used replenished Ilford DD. I have several tanks, since it came with them - smaller though - max 2 rolls of 120, and I don't have any 4x5 tanks / darkroom tanks. I do supplement the temperature with a Sioux Vide heater since the consistency of the Jobo heating is not good.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Awesome you found a steal! The heating on mine is quite good. My plan is to find some time to do more testing on my 120 bw film... I have heard of others having problems but most have no issue... I believe I tried Xtol but will have to take a look.
@jw48335
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto Xtol has that relatively short shelf life. I know that burned me a couple of times, which is why I switched to BW&G since it is a mix-on-use 1-shot syrup. DD-X is essentially the same as DD, and so designed for rotary / machine processing. Good luck - those sort of issues are the worst 😕
@mrfidegf
Ай бұрын
Never bought a jobo unit, but an expert drum did fix any unevenness I was having with my 4x5 film. Those are great. Built myself a fake jobo processor / motor to use it with.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@mrfidegf Nice… the expert drum though expensive is the best part of the whole system 👍
@ivaneberle3972
Ай бұрын
I had a darkroom and well-used Jobo CPP2, reels, tanks and drums given to me back in the 1990s. I started making a lot of money with the Jobo, soon afterwards. I did Ilfochrome color prints initially without the lift (pouring from drums, magnets). Moved on to C41 and after I got the Lift accessory, E6 Thousands of prints made, many hundreds of rolls developed. Streaking prints sometimes resulted from chemical exhaustion by using minimum tank volumes as provided by Jobo instead of paper in2 to chemistry minimums from film data sheets. Stopped doing prints when materials got difficult to source... And scanned to digital inkjet gave better prints. Six step E6 results with one-shot chemistry were vastly better color than replenished "pro" lab results.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Interesting... It is my impression that inkjet for color is superior in many ways to the current methods for color printing. I could be wrong though and certain things might be better than other...
@ivaneberle3972
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto chromogenic wet-chemistry papers have largely been displaced by inkjet in commercial labs for the past dozen years or more. The bleach components to the home/hobby chemistry kits made these haz-mat shipping in CA almost 20 years ago, and toward the end I had a 200 mi round-trip to source materials. I only miss darkroom color wet processes for certain subject matter: low-key, night and astronomical images. Subtleties in the low register are often nearly impossible with pigment inkjet that could be teased out in the DR with pan masking film and pin-registered custom contrast masks
@swift4567
Ай бұрын
I’d love to see a follow up video in the darkroom with the Jobo.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Will see about that :) Thanks!
@SirReJelleT
Ай бұрын
Again, a very informative video. Thanks! Do you have experience processing black and white prints in a drum?
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Thanks! I have not tried it... Would imagine it to be straight forward though.
@JimNorman-op1cv
Ай бұрын
I use metal reels for medium format film in my Jobo. I do not like the Jobo reels. The expert tanks for 4x5 and 8x10 film are, as the name suggests, really expert. My CPP-2 with the Jobo tanks and metal reels and the changing rotation direction give me perfectly developed medium format and larger film. I do black and white only.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@JimNorman-op1cv very much my experience other than the medium format black and white… know of a lot of people who get great results… what tank and developer are you using?
@JimNorman-op1cv
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto I use Hewes metal reels that fit in the Jobo 1520/1530 tanks perfectly. My developer for all black and white films (except infrared) is Pyrocat MC diluted by 20% more than the chart recommended by Photographer's Formulary. Living in Florida, I develop at 75 degrees.
@ivaneberle3972
Ай бұрын
System pieces retained value in used market when I sold pieces off after long hard use
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Good to know, thanks!
@pd1jdw630
Ай бұрын
I only bought an older hobo cpe with a 4531 drum for just developing ra4 paper. I use a sous vide bath for the chemicals.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@pd1jdw630 Can say I’ve never used mine for paper… have used that method for tempering my bath and works. I thought the Jobo would be more convenient but in reality it’s not really unless you have a dedicated space for one
@pd1jdw630
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto the ra4 paper needs to be developed in total darkness. And with my clumsiness. That ain’t gonna happen. Also no heating the development baths.
@tonyhirst3628
Ай бұрын
For what you're getting, the price of these units and accessories are of a subjective value. Considering the engineering and mainly plastic construction of these machines, you'd of thought someone would have been able to come up with something far more cost effective yet, their market is speciality and the price has to justify the existence of companies such as Jobo, I suppose. The 'DEV A' and 'FILMOMAT' alternatives are even more expensive, so you're left with cheap, cottage industry gimmickry which really isn't worth the time and investment, you could probably knock something up better in your shed.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
It is an interesting design and like you said. Specialty.
@tonyhirst3628
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto very clever company, Jobo,if you think about it, they've nailed a niche.
@emotown1
Ай бұрын
Considering that it can take me a month in the darkroom to do good prints from one roll of 35mm film … I wouldn’t bemoan the amount of time and effort it takes me to develop a film in a normal developing tank and doing the whole thing by hand. Unless you are running some sort of business developing film for people, I can’t understand the need for such expensive “time saving” automation. For me, buying a Jobo would be a gimmick, nothing more.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@emotown1 Yeah the “time saving” is not one of its strong suits in my opinion. I usually have half dozen rolls at any given time that need development… but the small tanks are more convenient.
@emotown1
Ай бұрын
@@Distphoto Which begs the question : how much film do you need to be developing to really benefit from an automated system. I've never had your kind of film throughput, so I'll just leave that question hanging there, rhetorically, as it were.
@blazerbarrel2
Ай бұрын
Works great with professional tanks for sheet film , nothing , nothing better ! Hate to say it but it is worth every penny ! Prints in-the tray ! Not in a machine .
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Fully agree with you!
@thestar22
Ай бұрын
jobo processor back in 80"s was use more for printing . not for film process - and was very pricey . ( use it for film and print's ).
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@thestar22 I have no experience developing color (or black and white prints with the Jobo). I do remember doing color with Bellser drums and was similar. Be interested to know if many are using these for prints today
@PeckhamHall
Ай бұрын
£2000 when a £100 thing does the job. No contest.
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
@@PeckhamHall Hard to argue with that 👍
@trotomas
Ай бұрын
Maybe you can avoid stressing your neck creating a tray agitator with arduino…I was thinking to build one for myself
@Distphoto
Ай бұрын
Had to look that up:) Might be a cool idea as I am working on a slosher tray design for highly dillute developer / compensating developing... some intermitent agitation via something like this would be interesting... The problem with tray development for me is with 4-10 sheets you have to constantly shuffle not just rock the tray...
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