A Reel Pain

[Richard Lee]

I'm done with wrestling sheet film onto Jobo's infamous 2509n reel, and would be interested to hear of anyones' experience using this 4x5 reel from China, and particulary, how it holds up to rotary processing. I understand it's compatible with the Jobo 1500 series tanks.

Thank you.

 

[MartyNL]

Just curious Richard, do you also use the 2508 4x5 Sheet Film Loader with Film Guide for JOBO 2509 Reels?

 

[Dave_P]

It might not be what you want to hear but your best option is to sort out your loading of the 2509n reels. They aren't hard to load assuming they aren’t in any way damaged or wobbly, I find them way easier than most 135 or 120 reels, never even considered the loader thing. If you can load a film holder you can load these.

There's a lot to be said for sticking with something with a decades-long base of user experience globally to fall back on when stuff goes wrong, rather than risking some anonymous untried and untested thing which hardly anyone has used.

 

[mpirie]

I'd agree with Dave......although fiddly, the Jobo 2509n reels are easy to load even without the 2508 loader.

I use my 2500 tanks for small quantities of 5x4 film, but switch to the 3010 Expert drums for larger processing runs.

BTW, i try not to put more than 4 sheets into the 2509n reels, using the inner and outer tracks only. That's to allow more movement of chemicals while rotary processing. You can sometimes get uneven development with dilute developers like the Pyro range, but a regular tilt of the tank can break up any laminar flow that could potentially cause the uneven development.

I would stick to the Jobo reels and try to isolate and cure whatever it is that's causing your pain.

Mike

 

[Richard Lee]

Just curious Richard, do you also use the 2508 4x5 Sheet Film Loader with Film Guide for JOBO 2509 Reels?

Hi Marty,

No, I do not currently own the film loader but have often considered investing in one. It does seem however, that opinion is divided as to whether these actually make the task any easier. Thank you for your comment.

 

[Richard Lee]

It might not be what you want to hear but your best option is to sort out your loading of the 2509n reels. They aren't hard to load assuming they aren’t in any way damaged or wobbly, I find them way easier than most 135 or 120 reels, never even considered the loader thing. If you can load a film holder you can load these.

There's a lot to be said for sticking with something with a decades-long base of user experience globally to fall back on when stuff goes wrong, rather than risking some anonymous untried and untested thing which hardly anyone has used.

I can't claim to have never experienced problems loading the smaller formats, but when they do arise, I'm happy to persevere and put it right.. With the 2509 however, and in the confines of the changing tent, panic seems to immediately set in.

The above mentioned chinesium reels have received mostly favourable reviews in an FB group to which I belong. None of these however, mention rotary processing, and seem to side-step the question as to whether the film can part company with the reel, or if the design causes 'banding', etc. There is a general consensus though, that these are far easier to load than the Jobo.

 

[Nas]

I completely agree with everything Mike has said. I too load 4 sheets into the Jobo spiral since I experienced some uneven development. Have a look at this helpful video:

 

[Dave_P]

I think a lot of the "only load 4 sheets" folklore originates from the first 2509 reels (NOT the current 2509n reels with the black flap things that clip in.) However, like a lot of these things, it seems to persist as received wisdom.

I've developed hundreds of sheets of E6 in mine and quite a lot of b&w over the last 16 years and not had any uneven development, other than a tiny bit at the very edges around one of the retaining nubbins on the reel. Certainly with my 2509n reels there's no detectable difference between loading 4 sheets and loading 6 when I've tested it, other than making sure you're meeting the minimum developer quantities for the film area (i.e. don't try to do 6 sheets in 300ml of dilute Pyrocat etc etc).

 

[Nas]

Hey Dave, I'm using the 2509n reel. For the longest time I didn't have any issues with 6 sheets but it only took one issue with colour film for me to switch to using 4 sheets. Maybe a fluke. Not sure.

 

[Richard Lee]

I'd agree with Dave......although fiddly, the Jobo 2509n reels are easy to load even without the 2508 loader.

Mike

On the other hand, I guess it could be argued that if it was easy to load, there'd be no need for Jobo to produce the separate loader. I reckon Nas' linked video (above), pretty much demonstrates how easy it isn't for many.

Richard

 

[Richard Lee]

I completely agree with everything Mike has said. I too load 4 sheets into the Jobo spiral since I experienced some uneven development. Have a look at this helpful video...

Thanks for your comment and for the link to the video. I have actually watched this one some time ago, and it certainly reinforces the sense of frustration with this bloomin' process, as well as showing a possible remedy.

Pieces of card protruding from the reel's slots is another variation of the theme. Both ideas well worth trying, I reckon.

Richard

 

[Dave_P]

Specifically what part of loading are you having issues with?

 

[Richard Lee]

Problem solved - this Chinese reel is an absolute game changer!

I'll shortly be offering my Jobo 2521 tank and 2509N reel for sale on the forum (and elsewhere), so watch out for that if you're interested.

 

[phdgent]

What I experienced with the JOBO 2509 reel is if you don't click the two black plates on the reel when it is loaded, then the sheets will come lose and the ones holding on the reel will be unevenly developed.
Also, if that plate doesn't want to fit, or makes a 'strange' noise, it means that a sheet isn't well inserted.

 

[Dave_P]

Problem solved - this Chinese reel is an absolute game changer!

I'll shortly be offering my Jobo 2521 tank and 2509N reel for sale on the forum (and elsewhere), so watch out for that if you're interested.

Having done a bit of research on those types of chinese reels (in my case for 10x8 in 2500 series drums) most of them have some issue with film scratching and/or uneven development due to that spiral arm half way up. So maybe don't get rid of your 2509n reel just yet.