Ilford MOD54 Spiral Tank Accessory

Ilford MOD54 Spiral Tank Accessory | Develop up to six 4×5-inch sheets

The Ilford MOD54 Spiral Tank Accessory holds six sheets of 4×5-inch flat film in a Paterson 3-reel tank, bringing sheet-film processing to a tank normally used with reels. It’s for darkroom workers who process 4×5 negatives and want to develop several sheets together in one batch. The six-sheet capacity makes it useful for a full batch, while the tank format also suits smaller runs. The MOD54’s ribbed loading design gives each sheet a defined position in the insert, and a litre of chemistry fills the tank to cover the film. It’s intended for inversion processing, so the workflow is clear: use the insert for sheet film, rather than a stand or rotation process. This is a dedicated carrier, not a tank on its own; it fits the Paterson 3-reel tank. The supplier lists the accessory in black.

Why it is useful

• Ribbed sheet positioning: Ridges on the sheets line up with ridges at the top of the MOD54. That gives you a clear alignment reference while loading in the darkroom.
• One-litre tank fill: One litre of chemicals fills the tank and fully submerges the sheets. That gives you a specific volume to plan for when preparing a full batch.
• Inversion workflow: The MOD54 is intended for inversion processing. The insert’s stated process suits developers who agitate by inverting the tank, rather than using stand development or rotation.
• Six-sheet carrier: The insert accommodates up to six 4×5-inch sheets at once. That capacity is useful for processing a group of negatives together in a single tank load.

Good to know

For a load of fewer than six sheets, the supplied guidance recommends placing dummy sheets in the inner slots to fill the carrier spaces and regulate chemical flow. Development agitation depends on the developer’s instructions; a usual pattern is movement for the first 60 seconds, then 10 seconds per minute. Test the development time and practise with the MOD54. ROLLI RPX 400 and infrared films are too thin for this carrier without special modifications.

What's Included

• Ilford MOD54 Spiral Tank Accessory

Technical Specifications

• Brand: Ilford
• Model: MOD54
• Type: Flat-film tank accessory
• Colour: Black
• Film format: 4×5-inch sheet film
• Capacity: Up to 6 sheets
• Tank compatibility: Paterson 3-reel tank
• Chemical volume: 1 litre to fill the tank and submerge the sheets
• Processing method: Inversion
• Loading detail: Ridges for sheet alignment