I am fortunate enough to be "between jobs" this summer and have time for an extensive (ca. 3 month) trip through Canada to Alaska. I am looking for an opportunity to develop my 4x5 B&W negs on the road as latent image degradation will certainly signifcantly effect the film after a few weeks. I tray develop in PMK and HC-110 and will most likely have trays and chemicals in small amounts with me with me. I only need a place that is clean, dark and has a good 4x5 film washer. Are there any open or rental darkrooms (or private for that matter) that I can use in July/August up there. I will probably be in the interior and along the coast in the SW Passage and probaly in the Kenai Penninsuly/Prince William Sound/Anchorage area during the summer, but, as I follow my instincts and the weather when travelling, I have no fixed schedule. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. ;^D)

-- Doremus Scudder (ScudderLandreth@compuserve.com), May 06, 2001

Answers

(Sorry about the typos, I haven't had my morning coffee yet!)

-- Doremus Scudder (ScudderLandreth@compuserve.com), May 06, 2001.

Doremus,

first, I don't think you will experience any image degradation within three months (nor within six months). Second, I have developed 4x5 on journeys in the combi tank (I think that is what it is called) and the dark tent (is that the name?? - the structure in which you can put your hands, available, for example, from calumet). I use the same structure when changing 8x10.

-- Lukas Werth (lukas.werth@rz.hu-berlin.de), May 06, 2001.

I develop my 4x5 film in a Jobo tank and reel. I believe it's a 2523. It was designed for a Jobo processor with a lift, but I went the cheap way and got a rubber stopper for the top and I roll it. I use HC110 for my developer. If you had one and a changing tent, it would be pretty easy. I've never used PMK, though I want to try.

Dave

-- Dave Willis (willisd@medicine.wustl.edu), May 06, 2001.

Thanks for the suggestions, but I don't really want to revamp my entire developing system and have to calibrate new times for three films and two developers from N-4 to N+2 just to use a tank instead of the tray processing I'm already doing. And, by the way, I have observed quite noticeable latent image degradation starting at aroung 4-5 weeks. I know this depends on storage conditions, etc. but I have no control over these on the road. So, the original question still stands...

Regards, ;^D)

-- Doremus Scudder (ScudderLandreth@compuserve.com), May 07, 2001.