That $50 'pro' developing tank was a total nightmare

I bought that steel Patterson knockoff from some random shop in Portland for $50 thinking I saved money. First roll got completely ruined - light leaks everywhere because the lid didn't seal right. I wish I just spent the extra $30 on a real Patterson tank instead of trying to be cheap. Anyone else get burned by those off-brand developing tanks?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthony_wells3d ago

My first darkroom experience was with a homemade tank my uncle built out of PVC pipe and a rubber stopper back in 1986. He swore by it but the thing leaked fixer all over my mom's laundry room floor and she still brings it up at Thanksgiving. I remember he drilled three holes in the cap for chemicals and taped a flashlight to the side for a safelight. The whole setup was a disaster but it taught me that sometimes the weirdest junk can work in a pinch. That Portland tank sounds like it was engineered by someone who had never actually developed film.

leog683d ago

Did you buy this from a place that actually specializes in film gear or was it just some random general store? I swear half these knockoff brands pop up on Amazon with fake reviews and nobody actually tests them before selling. My buddy got bit by the same thing with a cheap tank off eBay and the light trap was basically non-existent. Even the plastic Patterson tanks can get iffy after a while if the ridges wear down, so I can't imagine trusting some no-name metal setup. Was the lid actually metal or was it some weird plastic composite?

lucas_price833d ago

Yeah, that part about "the light trap was basically non-existent" hit home. I got a "vintage" stainless steel tank from a random camera shop once, and the lid was definitely some kind of cheap zinc alloy that started flaking after a few uses. @leog68 you're right about the plastic Patterson tanks too. I had one where the ridges wore down and then the reels would just slip around inside, total waste of chemicals. It's crazy how many of these things are out there with zero quality control.