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Author Topic: Thoughts on the Heiland TAS processor  (Read 57446 times)

PeteZ28

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Re: Thoughts on the Heiland TAS processor
« Reply #20 on: July 08, 2013, 08:26:05 pm »

Looks like a really neat product. I've been contemplating building a similar device for years, albeit a much simpler device that I could just program to make an inversion or two ever 30 seconds-minute.

If I had more film to develop I'd be all over this, well worth the price I'd say if I had the work load. In fact, if money was less of an object I'd probably buy one just to JUSTIFY shooting more film, since I would be less loathing the workload that comes with every roll shot. I don't particularly like continuous agitation (Jobo) for B&W film and temp isn't an issue as B&W is done at room temp plus this thing takes up way less room than my Jobo.

Not sure I get all the hate here. Processing film can be rather, well, boring at times. And time consuming. For example, processing Delta 100 @ 100 in Perceptol is a 22 minute affair. I can think of much better things to do with my time for 22 minutes than flip a can over every 55 seconds.

Sure the price is a little steep but lets be honest here, it's 2013; this thing is not exactly going to become the new iPhone. When you make specialty products for a small market the price goes up that's just the way it is. The people that need it will buy it, the people that don't, won't. Some people will be angry at it's very existence in the world. Such is life. I'm just happy to see there are still people out there innovating in the film market. Gives me some hope for the future of film :)
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christophern

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Re: Thoughts on the Heiland TAS processor
« Reply #21 on: May 08, 2014, 03:15:53 pm »

UPDATE: Now the TAS is additionally coming in handy for me as a film "washing machine", too

I recently had an issue with my hot water heater, so I had to wash my film the 'old-fashioned' way —which is just as efficient and a LOT more ecological— by filling the tank with clean water/agitating/dumping/repeating the cycle (the number of cycles and agitations-per-cycle depends on what you read...Generally anywhere from three to five cycles). Normally this is easy enough to do by hand, but in this case I especially needed the time to "make" wash water at the right temperature*. As a result, I found that I could systematically work quicker, too.

After the continuous fixing agitation is completed by the TAS, I give my film two quick rinses (of 5, then 10 agitations) by hand, then I use the machine for the tedious 2 continuous minutes of agitation in HCA —which, without a hot water heater, gave me the opportunity to mix more water for the final wash, "at temperature" (*thanks to help from the electric tea kettle). The whole film washing process got reduced to a total time of about 7 or 8 minutes, with an even greater economy of water than of time.

Sure, I suppose you could argued that the ecological benefits of using less water are offset by using electricity, but my unqualified guess would be: nawww. I think using the TAS clearly wins on this one. But, yes: doing it all by hand would be even MORE ecological! Again, when I have just a few rolls, this is fine. For 8 or more rolls (or SHEETS) at a time ..nowadays, it's the TAS or Jobo.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2014, 03:27:05 pm by christophern »
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christophern

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Re: Thoughts on the Heiland TAS processor
« Reply #22 on: May 08, 2014, 03:35:30 pm »

UPDATE: Now the TAS is additionally coming in handy for me as a film "washing machine", too

I recently had an issue with my hot water heater, so I had to wash my film the 'old-fashioned' way —which is just as efficient and a LOT more ecological— by filling the tank with clean water/agitating/dumping/repeating the cycle (the number of cycles and agitations-per-cycle depends on what you read...Generally anywhere from three to five cycles). Normally this is easy enough to do by hand, but in this case I especially needed the time to "make" wash water at the right temperature*. As a result, I found that I could systematically work quicker, too.

After the continuous fixing agitation is completed by the TAS, I give my film two quick rinses (of 5, then 10 agitations) by hand, then I use the machine for the tedious 2 minutes of continuous agitation in HCA —which, without a hot water heater, gave me the opportunity to mix more water for the final wash, "at temperature" (*thanks to help from the electric tea kettle). I used to wash film for about 15 minutes, after hand agitating the HCA for the recommended 2 minutes (don't ask me why I've always hated this step), as well as a quick rinse after fixing and another after the HCA. So the total wash cycle took me around 20 minutes. Now the whole film washing process takes me about 7 or 8 minutes, with an even greater economy of water than of time. Plus, it's kinda fun!

Sure, I suppose you could argued that the ecological benefits of using less water are offset by using electricity, but my unqualified guess would be: nawww. I think using the TAS clearly wins on this one. But, yes: doing it all by hand would be even MORE ecological! Again, when I have just a few rolls, this is fine. For 8 or more rolls (or SHEETS) at a time ..nowadays, it's the TAS or Jobo.
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