I'm aware of the automated 35mm machines that used to be in retail stores and that's not exactly what I'm trying to describe. Rather I am talking about something more similar to a current desktop ink jet printer, only a device that develops medium format film.

I have been wondering if it wouldn't be fairly easy to design & build an automated desktop / desk-side medium format film development system. Unless I'm missing some obvious detail it strikes me a fairly knowable / doable thing. I guess I should mention that my day job is the development of professional medical diagnostic devices, so building a machine that moves fluids from point A to B precisely is all in days work for me.

Years ago my father & I setup a darkroom and developed our own black & white film... I'll be the first to admit, despite being fascinating & fun, it was a real pain in the behind for what you got out of it. Having a device which was automated and precluded the need for a separate darkroom would really be an incentive to pick film back up... and be really fun in the process.

Does anyone know of such a thing or know someone who has built one?

Please take this in a friendly way. Film is dead. Digital has taken over. The only film camera I frequently use is a 4x5 technika and that is now only for B&W. Color has largely given up and is 99% digital.

While I still love film, the processing costs, the lack of immediate feedback (at the shoot, not refering to at the lab), have all conspired to push film to the third world (this per Kodak) but I think they're wrong. Digital is everywhere.

So many, myself included, would have welcomed you with open arms 10 years ago, we are no longer looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Now I would encourage you if this were a project you were building for yourself. But, I'm just afraid there are not many customers for such a machine.

good luck,

bob

Jobo?

I love mine, but like Bob said, I've given up on film for color work, even though the Jobo ATL-1500 I use is a very capable C42 and E6 machine. I use it for B&W only now, and less and less of that.

I hope to get my hands soon on the "new" T-max 400 that is being rotated into stock by Kodak.

Jobo.

Regards, Art.
PS Film isn't dead, except on this site.

There are alot of people taking back film.

I'm a TOTALLY digital photographer untill I made the switch to digital medium format
I now use a Leaf Aptus 22 digital back and because I could change backs and film backs are sold for almost nothing I decided to take the change.

To be honest I was STRUCK with awe from what you can get from a GOOD film, a good scanner wich modifications (epson V700) and some time.

Film is app 4.00 euros and development 2.95 euros.
Scanning takes a while but I absolutly LOVE the outcome.

It will NEVER replace my digital workflown, and my main work is always digital, but when I want to freak, test, hobby, have fun, play arround I will load a roll of film and shoot.

Especially slide film and high ISO B&W are simply stunning.

Sorry, NO chance.

You are missing something.... many people still see film as: magic. Many people still use film, because it is to be frank in many ways simpler to get very good results with for a novice.

Camera companies tell us that digital is superior... the talk of pixels... the more the better. Nonsense. They are simply different medias and values. Look up my thread "Medium Format Challenge". Neither is better, each different. It shows my Mamiya ZD had hard time keep up with slides in my Mamiya 7, yet please see the differences of the medias, one is not superior to the other.

For a pro, clearly digital is for most time better, because fast and cheaper due large volume. For an amateur I am not at all convinced of same; in fact probably medium format film is cheaper for an amateur than a serious DSLR and for sure higher image quality.

Now the poster asked of processing; that ineed is the obstacle with film nowadays, because few places capable of high quality, especially for slides. Someone advised me of Jobo some time before in an old thread... check it out. I am current based in the very south of Korea. What I do is I mail my film to a reliable lab in Seoul. I figure if mailed domestic it will not be exposed to X-ray, if international it might.

Regards
Anders

What you want is a Jobo ATL. Some are very small, and some are quite large. The desktop one is the ATL 1500, if memory serves me correctly. This will do up to 4x5 film. The bigger ones take the larger expert drums and paper drums.

And despite what people here keep writing, film is not dead. Color film is not dead either. I can still print large images much cheaper in the darkroom than I can digitally using color negative film. If I want high res digital images the cheapest way for me is to shoot medium format slides and scan them in.

As an amateur landscape photographer film is best way for me to make high quality large prints. Having an ATL makes development easy.