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  #1  
Old 18th January 2010, 11:05 PM
jonsparkes jonsparkes is offline
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Default Nova Print Processor

Just been looking online at a 3 slot Nova Monochrome Print Processor, 8 x 10in priced at £155. The company selling this claim the developer can last 3 - 5 weeks. Almost sounds too good to be true, not only saving space but getting longer life out of the developer.
Although buying the thing would sting my pocket a little I would surely soon see the money back in what I save in developer.
Are they well spent money?
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Old 18th January 2010, 11:20 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Yes but I would say that wouldn't I, if you read my other post. I'd keep an eye out for secondhand models on e-bay. The 3 slot 8x10 should go for quite a bit less than £155. Some sellers are reluctant to try and package them as they can be fragile so its buyer collects. That reduces the bids considerably and it is worth travelling a fair distance to pick one up.

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Old 18th January 2010, 11:23 PM
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bill spears bill spears is offline
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Nova make very well respected darkroom items. I've not had any experience with their processors but many people have and I guess several here will be able to give good advice.

Personally ... and I stress this is a personal preference .... I can't imagine processing paper in anything other than open trays where I can constantly see whats happening on the paper. Obviously, if space is an issue a vertical processor is probably a godsend
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Old 18th January 2010, 11:37 PM
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Can't remember where I saw it or if they're still available but there used to be a kind of 'wire rack thingy' where you could stack trays on top of one another ?
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Old 18th January 2010, 11:52 PM
jonsparkes jonsparkes is offline
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Thanks for the replies. When I printed in the past it was always done in trays, and trays is what i'll be getting first for the new darkroom but keeping my options open for future darkroom goodies.
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Old 19th January 2010, 07:21 AM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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If you use the search facility here you will find quite a few references to NOVA slot processors. They are very well made, popular, do just what they are designed to do, and, yes the chemicals do last a long time. I would not expect to pay more than £100 for a 3 slot model.
There has also been some discussion here on single tray development which may be of interest to you as a more economic space saving method.
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Old 19th January 2010, 08:45 AM
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Peter Hogan Peter Hogan is offline
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I think everybody by now knows my views on 'upright slotty thingies'; how can you possibly excpect to make fine, repeatable monochrome prints using old chemicals? They may well 'work' after being topped up, but the build-up of by-products changes the characteristics of the chemicals. They may be fine for students and people with absolutely no space at all, but if you have an option and care about your work, you must use fresh chemicals...
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Old 19th January 2010, 08:59 AM
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Jon - is this a new product or used? The Monochrome Processor is the unheated version. I would have thought a used Trimate 3-slot 10x8 with heaters etc would be available at similar or less money, and it's a better bet all round IMHO - especially if your darkroom's a bit on the cold side. I agree to some extent with Peter's view on chemical life but in my experience you can expect a month or so of use without significant deterioration. After that I dump the lot rather than replenishing.
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Old 19th January 2010, 09:17 AM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Hogan View Post
I think everybody by now knows my views on 'upright slotty thingies'; how can you possibly excpect to make fine, repeatable monochrome prints using old chemicals? They may well 'work' after being topped up, but the build-up of by-products changes the characteristics of the chemicals. They may be fine for students and people with absolutely no space at all, but if you have an option and care about your work, you must use fresh chemicals...
This post is about someone with very limited space who has asked for opinions on NOVA processors. Yours is an extreme view with which I disagree. I have several fine art prints in my home made in these units, none of which, I may add are mine. I believe it to be an ideal solution to the problem Jon has.
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Old 19th January 2010, 09:23 AM
jonsparkes jonsparkes is offline
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Richard this was a new product I was viewing. I think I'd like to try one at some point. The space saving would be great as would money saved on chemicals. Also, I imagine it would be far simpler/safer for my 7 year old son (showing interest in what a darkroom is all about) to use the processor rather than using trays.
When I want to do bigger prints from medium format i will have to use trays due to the cost of a bigger processor being out of reach for me financially.
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