Does the REEL Paper 8 from Vintage Visual really let you make prints up to 12×16 inches from virtually anywhere? I took this unassuming photographic tool into the heart of the Nantahala National Forest to find out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I suppose life is full of \u201cwhat ifs\u201d and \u201ccould\u2019ve beens.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the autumn of 2022 I converted my vehicle into a camper and sold my house to see what photographs waited for me out on the open highway.<\/p>\n
For nearly two years I traveled the United States coast to coast with my dog, a darkroom built from an ice fishing hut, and an unholy arsenal of digital and film cameras.<\/p>\n
Night printing in the Organ Mountains, New Mexico.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve shot, developed, and printed color and black and white film ranging from 135 to 120 format, 4×5, 8×10, up to 11×14 ultra large format (the procurement of that giant camera<\/a> proved quite interesting) all while living the life of a true nomad.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve pulled silver-gelatin prints at the doorstep of the Gulf of Maine<\/a>. I\u2019ve washed cyanotypes with melted New Mexico snow<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Salt-prints carry their own misery when that west Tennessee humidity makes the darkroom walls weep with condensation.<\/p>\n Of course, none of that matters now.\u00a0<\/p>\n My picture making comes easier these days, but all those experiences lend my tired eyes a unique perspective to the mortal horrors one can encounter when attempting to make real photographic prints in inhospitable places.<\/p>\n I hope you\u2019ll trust my judgment.<\/p>\n The REEL Paper 8<\/p>\n In terms of presentation, the REEL Paper 8 from Vintage Visual is simple enough. It\u2019s a well executed ABS plastic cylinder, perforated and slotted to accommodate papers up to 12×16 inches. Here\u2019s a full spec sheet from the Vintage Visual website:<\/p>\n Maximum size: 30cm x 40cm or 12 x 16 inch paperFits Paterson 8-reel tankMaterial: ASA plasticFor use with the AGO Film ProcessorQuick Pour Funnel included<\/p>\n I measured my REEL Paper 8 and it\u2019s roughly 12 3\/4 inches (32.4cm) long by about 3 1\/2 inches (8.9cm) wide. Though I never weighed it, the overall feel is quite light.<\/p>\n I processed six sheets of 8×10 silver-gelatin Ilford Fiber-Base Gloss paper using the REEL Paper 8 in the backcountry of the Nantahala National Forest of North Carolina.\u00a0<\/p>\n How your email found me during the field test in Nantahala.<\/p>\n It was a true beginning to end process from image capture using 4×5 film, developing the negatives, then printing those negatives with the REEL Paper 8.<\/p>\n You can watch the entire thing in the YouTube episode above or by clicking right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Important Observations<\/p>\n The REEL Paper 8 performed flawlessly during my printing. It did precisely what it says it will do: allow printing of large format photographs without the need for trays, a dedicated darkroom, and without excessive chemistry.<\/p>\n Let me lay out the pros and cons for you about the REEL Paper 8.<\/p>\n The Good<\/p>\n Yes, the REEL Paper 8 eliminated the need for packing along my 11×14 darkroom trays<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Normally, my remote production of silver-gelatin prints requires no less than three trays, ideally five. Not having to truck along those trays saves an enormous amount of space.\u00a0<\/p>\n The convenience of developing, stopping, fixing, and rinsing silver-gelatin paper in a single Paterson tank was absolute bliss.<\/p>\n Since I wasn\u2019t using open trays, hypothetically about 1\/3 less chemistry was needed across the board, although I chose to use roughly the same amount as usual during my tests for the benefit of simpler mixing volumes.<\/p>\n The REEL Paper 8 is quite well made. It fits the 8-reel Paterson Super System tank (not included) perfectly.\u00a0<\/p>\n I saw virtually zero imperfections in its molding and it accommodated the 8×10 sheets of paper with no snags or gouges.<\/p>\n Obviously, the REEL Paper 8 is engineered to be used with the AGO Film Processor. This means that all the development presets, temperature adjustment timer, and automatic agitation programs work to produce extremely consistent results.<\/p>\n If you want to drink in a long-term review of the AGO Film-Processor, then have a look here<\/a>. My original review of the AGO<\/a> is also on Fstoppers.<\/p>\n I can honestly say that having the REEL Paper 8 with me on the road would have been an absolute dream in terms of space saving convenience.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Bad<\/p>\n The single greatest drawback to the REEL Paper 8 is its substantial up-front investment.\u00a0<\/p>\n At B&H Photo<\/a>, it\u2019s $115. If purchasing directly from Vintage Visual, the Quick Pour Funnel is included.<\/p>\n In addition to the cost of the reel itself, you\u2019ll also require the Paterson 8-reel tank<\/a>. If you don\u2019t already have one, you can tack on roughly $100US to the initial investment.<\/p>\n