Developing Your Own 4x5 Sheet Film: Every Method Compared

If you're coming from 35mm, you know the drill: film on the reel, reel in the tank, pour in the chemistry, done. With sheet film, things suddenly get more complicated. There are a surprising number of ways to do it, ranging from free to several hundred euros. Each one has its place, and its pitfalls.

Here's the companion video: Developing 4x5 sheet film in a Paterson tank

1. Tray Development

Cost: €0–20 (just trays + chemistry)

Capacity: 1–10+ sheets (depending on tray size)

Darkness: Total darkness for the entire process

The oldest and cheapest method. You lay your sheets in open developing trays and move them through developer, stop bath and fixer by hand.

Video: Tray processing sheet film

Pros:

• Practically free if you already own trays
• Full control over every single sheet
• Ideal for the Zone System (N+/N- development sheet by sheet)
• Ansel Adams worked this way, and it's been proven for decades

Cons:

• You're working in total darkness from start to finish
• Handling open trays of chemicals blind
• A real risk of scratches (sheet corners scratching neighboring sheets), plus high chemistry consumption
• A learning curve to “shuffling” (cycling through the sheets without damaging them)

Who’s it for? Photographers who need maximum control, work with the Zone System and don’t mind total darkness. Or beginners who’d like to give it a try before investing in any equipment.

2. The “Taco Method”

Cost: €5–10 (rubber bands + a tank you already own)

Capacity: Up to 4 sheets in a standard tank

Darkness: Total darkness while loading

The budget hack: you curl each sheet into a “U” (hence “taco”), hold it in shape with rubber bands and stand it in a regular Paterson or Jobo tank.

Video: Developing sheet film taco method

Pros:

• Next to nothing in cost
• Uses gear you already have

Cons:

• Unreliable: rubber bands slip off and sheets stick together
• Uneven development, because the chemistry can’t circulate freely
• The emulsion faces inward and doesn’t get flushed properly
• Easy to lose your bearings in the dark

Who’s it for? Honestly, nobody in the long run. It’s a stopgap, not a system. If you’re going to develop more than a single test sheet, invest in a better solution.

3. HP Combi Plan T

Cost: €45–90 (used only, and hard to find)

Capacity: 6 sheets per rack

Darkness: Dark while loading the rack, daylight after that

A classic from the ’90s. The Combi Plan is a compact tank with a film rack that holds six sheets. You load the rack in the dark, drop it into the tank and press the lid on. After that, the lights can go on. Developer, stop bath and fixer pour in and drain out through light-tight ports, but filling takes around 30 seconds. That’s why some people prefer to switch baths with the lights off and the lid open.

Photo: Secondhand Darkroom

Pros:

• Affordable way in (often under €50 used)
• Clever clips stop the sheets from slipping
• Once it’s loaded, you can carry on with the lights on

Cons:

• No longer made, so you’re dependent on the used market
• Tight lids can lead to uneven distribution as you pour
• Chemical circulation isn’t up to the standard of modern systems
• Spare parts are hard to come by

Who’s it for? Bargain hunters who get lucky on eBay and want a tried and tested system.

4. Yankee/Nikor tanks

Cost: €20–60 (used)

Capacity: 4 sheets (with divider) or 1× 8x10

Darkness: Dark while loading, daylight after that

Older American tank systems agitated by tilting. You’ll occasionally come across them at flea markets or in online auctions.

Video: Large Format Film - 4x5 Film Processing Methods

Pros:

• Very cheap secondhand
• Multi-format (4x5 and 8x10)
• Simple concept

Cons:

• Inconsistent results: many users report streaks and blotches
• Dated design
• No spare parts, no community

Who’s it for? Collectors and tinkerers. For serious work, there are better options.

5. MOD54

Cost: ~€60 (e.g. Fotoimpex €59.90, Macodirect €58.95)

+ Tank: Paterson Multi-Reel 3 PTP116: ~€30 (Macodirect €29.95)

Total cost: ~€90

Capacity: 6 sheets of 4x5

Darkness: Load in the dark, then carry on in daylight (in the Paterson tank)

Image: Macodirect

The MOD54 is the best-known insert for standard Paterson tanks. Designed by photographer Morgan O'Donovan under the MOD Photographic brand, it has earned a reputation in the community as a reliable solution. The original maker’s website is no longer online, but the product is still available from specialist retailers such as Fotoimpex and Macodirect.

Pros:

• Holds 6 sheets
• Large community, plenty of first-hand reports
• Readily available new

Cons:

• Needs the larger Paterson PTP116 (Multi-Reel 3), not the standard PTP115!
• Loading in the dark takes practice

Who’s it for? Photographers who already own a Paterson Multi-Reel 3 tank (PTP116) and want a proven, injection-molded solution.

6. Stearman Press SP-445

Cost: €119 (Fotoimpex), $96 USD direct from the manufacturer

+ Tank: included (self-contained system)

Total cost: ~€119

Capacity: 4 sheets of 4x5

Darkness: Dark for loading, daylight after that (self-contained tank)

Image: Stearman Press Shop

The SP-445 is a self-contained tank system designed specifically for 4x5 sheet film. In the dark or in a changing bag, you slide the sheets into two holders that load just like a sheet film holder, then put them in the tank. The lights can only go on once the lid is closed. Product listings, Fotoimpex’s for example, do say “daylight safe”, but that refers to the closed tank, not to loading it. 475 ml of chemistry is enough for four sheets.

Until October 24, 2026, this section said the SP-445 could be loaded in daylight. That was wrong, and two readers set us straight in the comments. Thank you for that.

Pros:

• Loads just like a sheet film holder, then everything else happens with the lights on
• Excellent chemistry circulation and even development
• Compact, self-contained and economical with chemistry (475 ml)
• Available to order directly in Germany from Fotoimpex

Cons:

• Only 4 sheets (most alternatives take 6)
• Can't be used for other formats
• Loading has to be done in the dark or in a changing bag, just like every other tank

Who's it for? Anyone who wants the tank and holders from a single source and doesn't want to use much chemistry. If you don't have a darkroom, you'll need a changing bag to go with it. Available to order from Fotoimpex in Germany.

Manufacturer: Stearman Press, USA, shop.stearmanpress.com

7. JOBO 2509n / Rotary Processing

Reel cost: €70.26 (Macodirect)

+ Tank: You'll need a JOBO 2500 series tank. Cheapest new tank: JOBO 2550 Multitank 5, €170.75 (Macodirect)

Total cost: ~€241 (reel + tank, processor not included!)

Capacity: 6 sheets per 2509n reel

Darkness: Dark for loading, daylight from then on

Image: Macodirect

The pro option. The JOBO 2509n reel holds 6 sheets of 4x5 and fits every JOBO 2500 series tank (2520, 2521, 2523, 2550). You can use it with a JOBO rotary processor or with manual inversion, so a processor (CPP-2/CPP-3, from €4,190) isn't strictly necessary.

Pros:

• Precise temperature control (with a processor)
• Continuous agitation for the most even development possible
• Multi-format (35mm, 120, sheet film) with professional results
• Can also be used manually (without a processor)

Cons:

• High entry cost: the tank alone is €170+
• Complete system with processor: €4,000+
• Takes up a lot of space
• The cheapest tank (2520) is only available secondhand

Who’s it for? Professionals, people who develop a lot, and anyone who wants to do C-41 or E-6 at home. If you develop 20+ sheets a week, it’s worth the investment.

8. 3D-Printed Solutions

Cost: €10–50 (filament or printing service)

Capacity: 4–6 sheets (depending on the design)

Darkness: Varies by design

The open-source revolution has reached film developing too. On platforms like Printables and Thingiverse, you’ll find free designs for Paterson-compatible sheet film inserts.

Image: Evan Dorsky on Printables

Pros:

• Extremely cheap (especially if you have your own 3D printer)
• Can be adapted to your own needs
• Community-driven, with constant improvements
• Works with the Paterson tanks you already own (PTP115)

Cons:

• Print quality varies a lot
• How well PLA/PETG holds up in darkroom chemistry over the long term hasn’t always been tested
• How accurately it fits depends on the type of printer
• Expect some trial and error the first time you use it

Who’s it for? Makers, tinkerers and anyone with access to a 3D printer. People who enjoy fine-tuning things.

9. Ausgeknipst 4x5 Developing Reel MK2

Cost: €59.95

+ Tank: standard Paterson PTP115: ~€25 (the smaller, cheaper tank!)

Total cost: ~€85, the cheapest complete system you can buy new

Capacity: 6 sheets of 4x5

Darkness: Dark for loading, daylight after that (built-in light trap)

This is our own solution, and yes, we’re biased, which is exactly why we deliberately didn’t put it first. The reel is based on Evan Dorsky’s open-source design on Printables, which we’ve developed further.

What’s different about the MK2?

The key difference from the original design is a built-in light trap. If you put the basic open-source design into a Paterson tank, the standard funnel no longer fits, so you’d have to do the entire development process in the dark. Our MK2 version has its own light trap that solves the problem:

1. Load the film into the reel in the dark
2. Fit the light trap
3. Push the standard Paterson funnel on top
4. Lights on, and from here on everything happens in daylight

A word of honesty: loading takes a bit of a knack at first. Run through it a few times in daylight with an old sheet of film before you try it with real exposures.

After development, the reel comes apart into two halves, so the negatives lift out without any resistance. No pulling or pushing on the wet, delicate emulsion.

Pros:

• Cheapest NEW system for developing 4x5 in a tank (~€85 all in)
• Works with the standard Paterson PTP115 (not the pricier PTP116!)
• Built-in light trap (MK2 upgrade)
• Holds 6 sheets
• Comes apart for scratch-free unloading; based on an open-source design
• Available new, ready to order

Cons:

• Loading in the dark takes practice
• Smaller user community than the MOD54

Need a Paterson tank to go with it? → Paterson tanks at Ausgeknipst

Besides the 4x5 version, we also offer reels for 9x12 and other niche formats.

→ See the 4x5 Developing Reel MK2 in our shop

Comparison table

Chemistry and practical tips

Whichever method you choose, a few ground rules always apply:

How much chemistry: With inserts for Paterson tanks, you’ll need about 500 ml of chemistry in the PTP115 (Ausgeknipst MK2) and about 1000 ml in the PTP116 (MOD54).

Dilution and times: You’ll find development times in the manufacturers’ datasheets: Ilford for HP5 Plus, FP4 Plus and the Delta films, Kodak for Tri-X. If you’d rather not work out the concentrate and water quantities yourself, try DarkLab, a free black-and-white film calculator by Italian photographer Osea Costantini. It covers 4x5 in the Paterson PTP116 and on the JOBO 2509n, and runs in English or Italian.

Agitation: Invert the tank as you normally would, just don’t be too vigorous about it. With insert systems, overly rough agitation can knock the sheets out of their guides.

Temperature: Precise temperature control is crucial, especially for C-41 (color). With black-and-white negative film, a deviation of ±0.5°C usually isn’t a problem.

Changing bag: If you don’t have a darkroom, you’ll need a changing bag for loading, and that goes for every tank in this article, including the SP-445. It won’t do for tray development, though: for that, the whole room has to be dark.

The ars-imago LAB-BOX sometimes gets mentioned as a 4x5 option, but it only supports 35mm and 120 roll film. There is no 4x5 module, and none has been announced.

Which method is right for you?

There’s no “best” method, only the right one for your situation:

• No budget? → Tray development. It costs nothing, but it works.
• Already have a Paterson tank? → Ausgeknipst MK2 (fits the standard PTP115!) or MOD54 (needs the larger PTP116).
• Buying everything new and want to keep it as cheap as possible? → Ausgeknipst MK2 + PTP115 for ~€85, the cheapest new complete setup.
• No darkroom? → A changing bag will do for every tank system here. If you want the tank and holders together as one package, go for the Stearman Press SP-445 (available to order from Fotoimpex in Germany).
• Professional demands and the budget to match? → JOBO 2509n + a 2500-series tank.
• A maker with a 3D printer? → Print Evan Dorsky’s design yourself.

The most important thing: Just get started. No method is perfect, and you’ll develop your own workflow. Most large format photographers have tried several methods over the years before settling on one.

If you have any questions, drop us a line via the contact form or leave a comment under the video.

Good light! Vladi from Ausgeknipst