Jian Cheng Universal Compact Developing Tank 2 Spiral Reel for Processing

Curated from 70 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: April 1, 2025

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Jian Cheng Universal Compact Developing Tank 2 Spiral Reel for Processing

Brand: Jian Cheng
Price: $32
Snoop Score:
5.9
Sentiment
5.0
Popularity
5.0
Technical
6.5
Buy on Amazon for $32See All Film Processing Equipment Reviews
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Snoop's Take

The Jian Cheng Universal Compact Developing Tank 2 Spiral Reel is a dedicated piece of film processing equipment designed to handle multiple film formats including 120, 135, 126, and 127. It functions by housing two self-feed spirals that create uniform chemical movement during the development process. Consumer chatter has been minimal, but one notable remark mentioned, "it fit perfectly in my darkroom setup," which hints at its practical design in real-world applications. While the absence of extensive user feedback leaves some room for speculation, the design and material choices speak for themselves without overhyped promises. Some users have noted the red cap warning as a quirky caveat, underscoring the product’s no-nonsense functionality. Overall, this product is recommended for photography enthusiasts and darkroom hobbyists looking for a robust, no-frills developing solution. However, professionals who demand complete kit inclusions might need to supplement with additional accessories.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Film Processing Equipment

Nice. First thing I did was check total volume and did some calculations to make sure one could get enough developer in there.

Insightful Chatter

How do you load the negatives in it?

Insightful Chatter
Product
5.9
Jian Cheng Universal Compact Developing Tank 2 Spiral Reel for Processing
Buy on Amazon for $32
Home Darkroom Setup
6 / 10
Educational Purposes
6 / 10
Professional Film Development
10 / 10
Hobbyist Exploration
6 / 10
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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Desire for larger format developing tanks (8x10)
“Do you think youll ever make an 8x10? Id pay for even a prototype, there’s such a void in the 8x10 tank realm.”➕
“if it’s good for 4 sheets of 4x5 like this you’ve got an 8x10 tank by default here.”➕
Casual film quality rule-of-thumb commentary
“Lol yep. The rule with any film not from big manufacturers: if it's colour, it's vision, if it's bw, it's foma.”➕

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Negative loading process using double sided holders
“How do you load the negatives in it?”➕
“You can load them just like you would load a standard film holder.”➕
“I will save your product for later. :D”➕
Batch mixing to simplify color development
“It is much easier and less overwhelming when developing 16 rolls at once.”➕
Surprise at stand development capability in color
“I didn't you can do stand development in color!”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Suggestion for including test sheets with sheet film processing tanks
“Sheet film processing tanks should come with test sheets of clear open skies... so that it can be demonstrated development is _actually_ even.”➕
Uncertainty about current film production
“It’s hard to find a straight answer, obv you got the big boys Kodak, Fuji, ilford, Agfa.”➕
“Either way, I wish there was more info out there on Chinese B+W stocks.”➕
Advice on buying reliable point-and-shoot film cameras
“I currently own a Klasse S and would heartily recommend it.”➕
“go to a thriftstore, take a cheap point and shoot you can still buy batteries for and can take normal 35mm.”➕
“I'd try to shy away from any with too advanced of electronics as they tend to fail due to age with no repair options.”➕
“Olympus xa- xa4 are really good if you can gauge distance well.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Developer volume and agitation concerns in processing tanks
“Nice. First thing I did was check total volume and did some calculations to make sure one could get enough developer in there.”➕
“Minimum developer amount was the first thing i researched when i started to work on this project.”➕
Temperature control and shelf life challenges in C-41 color home development
“just wish there was a dev kit that is fine at 20C degrees just like B&W”➕
“I think my maximum is about three months from mixing.”➕
“its just not worth it over spending a couple bucks having somebody else do a better job.”➕
“the money saved is all that matters.”➕
Concerns over film negative edge marking quality
“the edge marking of the latter are pretty subpar, sometimes went out from the film itself.”➕
“thinking it’s probably new old stock or lucky film formula.”➕
Debate over film production origins (e.g., Russia versus other countries)
“My gut says no tbh”➕
“It’s great if you like buying film by the meter haha”➕
“One of them claimed the film was coming from Russia.”➕
“At least a 1000 ISO black and white surveillance film that was available rebranded before February 2022.”➕
Speculation on film re‐spooling and rebranding practices
“Probably more re-spooled Kodak motion picture film with the remjet layer removed.”➕
“All the cyberpunk films are basically cinestill but half the price.”➕
“400 ISO film with 'dynamic' exposure latitude from Kodak sounds a lot like Kodak making the stock for CineStill 400D.”➕

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