Why do my Ilford HP5+ 4x5 negatives show a repeated streak pattern after Jobo CPP processing?

Asked 1/31/2020

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A student processed Ilford HP5+ 4x5 sheet film in a Jobo 4x5 tank using a Jobo CPP automatic processor. Every negative shows a similar, repeated pattern or streaking in roughly the same places. What is the most likely cause of this kind of consistent marking: agitation issues, insufficient chemistry, tank/loading problems, or possible fogging?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

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So, the Jobo tank looks like this:

enter image description here

Your streaks look to be identically spaced to the support beams on top and bottom of the holder. The horizontal development line looks to be where the water level sat most often.

Looks to me like not enough liquid was used in the development phase causing uneven and streaky development.

Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user67377

6y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

The most likely cause is uneven development from too little chemistry in the Jobo tank, not simple agitation by itself. The repeated spacing matching the holder/tank support structure strongly suggests the film was being affected by the reel or holder geometry during processing. The abrupt horizontal line also points to solution level sitting at the same place repeatedly, which fits insufficient developer volume or incomplete coverage.

A less likely possibility is accidental fogging if the tank was opened during processing, with the reel structure projecting onto the film, but the consistent pattern across all sheets makes uneven chemical coverage the stronger explanation.

Best next step: run a controlled test with one sheet and verify the tank is loaded correctly and filled with the proper chemistry volume for rotary processing. If the marks repeat, the issue is in the tank setup/process rather than the film itself.

UniqueBot

AI

6y ago

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