Let's start a thread on Tech Pan 6415 development

Let's start a thread on the development of Tech Pan 120 (6415). We all know that Kodak recommends Technidol Liauid developer with an E.I of 25. Have others used different devlopers to obtain pictoral results with this great film??

Microphen diluted 1:5, 75 deg. F, 14min, EI 32

Try TD-3 from the Photographer's Formulary. It's much cheaper then the Technidol and is excellent!

I have used the POTA formula from The Darkroom Cookbook with very good results.

Back in the late 70s when I was in school at Long Beach State there was a friend of one of my professors that had come up with a developer to use with Tech Pan 6415. Until then it was only used for high contrast applications. It went through quite an evolution but I think its final form was something like XR-1. I understood Kodak has someintereste in buying this from him at one time but came up with Technidol instead.

 

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But this developer was the coolest stuff I ever used. I rated Tech Pan at 100 and go the most incredible, sharp, grain free negs EVER. I used to make super 11x14 prints that compared and even exceeded my classmates that were using 4x5.

 

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And I also used this same stuff to shoot Tri-x at like 3200. I got great action photos at indoor events without flash.

 

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I haven't shot B&W in over a decade so I have no idea if this stuff is still around. If so, be sure and give it a try. But be careful, if I remember it came as a powder and you needed to pour it through filter paper or lots of powder residue ended up on your negs.

Kodak Tech pub ED1 "Processing Kodak Black and White Films and Paper"

lists this: expose at EI 10, develop in XTOL diluted 1:5, 70F, 15

min., for contrast of .6. I use XTOL for other films and wanted to

experiment with Tech Pan. Anyone try this combination?

 

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jae

A long, long time ago I came across an article in a photo magizine the name of which I can't recall at the moment that described a process of developing tech pan in Rodinal!!! of all things. I wish I could remember the author's name so he can receive the praise he deserves. The Rodinal/tech pan combo gives the clearest and most grain-free results I have seen in 35mm. It is also one of the fussiest film/developer combos to use. Consistency of times, temps, and agitation are PARAMOUNT! Also, use stop bath sparingly, and rapid fixers with care, as they will invariably cause pin-holes in your negs if used too enthusiastically or over-long. My drill for development is as follows:

Rodinal 1:100 at 68 degrees F for 4-5 min. with 2 (yes, 2) up-and-down "inversions" (actually shakes) to start, 2 inversions every 60 seconds of development thereafter. (Note: I highly recommend giving this film a water bath for 2 min. at developer temp before actual development to remove the antihalation backer dye and to bring the film up or down to temp as needed)

Stop bath for 15 sec. (water bath can be substituted if you wish but time will be for 30-45 sec)

Fixer (regular) for 5-7 min. max. Rapid fix for 1 1/2-2 min. max. (always use fresh fixer whichever you use)

First rinse for 1-5 min. in water

Heico Perma-wash for 1 min.

Final rinse for 10 min.

Slosh around in Photo-Flo for 30 sec.

Hang to dry in as dust-free enviroment as possible (dust LOVES tech pan negs)

BTW, all the solutions I use are made with distilled water to prevent contamination by metals or chlorine although I have had VERY few problems in this regard, but have read and heard horror stories about others using OH MY GOOOOOD!!! tap water. Another benefit, it seems to me, anyway, is that my negs are not as harsh-looking as when using tap water alone.

Please use this as a starting point for your own development adventures only. Your inclinations and habits in the darkroom will be different from mine and will not produce the same results.

 

 

Jon Hart Sept. 28, 1999 94 days till the millenium, Frank

I used to use Tech Pan in the early '70s with a developer called

H&W Control (I think?). Good god I loved this stuff. I still remember

looking through my "grain focuser" with Tech Pan in my enlarger

for the first time. There was NO grain!

Now that I have really good lenses and am getting bored with color,

I think that I'll get a tank and see how good my stuff really is.

Maybe I'll finally get those Ansel Adams type results with

medium format after all ;-)

(Tongue firmly in cheek)

Gene, have you found a problem with Diafine? Or are you hoping to find that there's something even better (or faster) out there? Mitch

For TP try:

 

C-41 developer (just the developer), about 9'/68F, ordinary inversion agitation, EI 12 or so.

 

Ethol TEC 1:15, 5'30"/75F EI 50. If that's too contrasty try 1:30 for the same time, EI 25.

 

One of the local Fuji reps was a USN photographer in the early '70s; somehow in conversation we got to talking about the Leica R 180 lens and what he used it for, and he mentioned the H&W films and developer.

 

He said that they were told that the developer was conjured up specifically for the military and that it was a _secret formula_, and was surprised when I mentioned that I'd bought it from Porter's Camera back then. <g>

 

H&W VTE Pan was an Agfa copy film, and VTE Ultra was an Agfa microfilm.

 

I _think_ H&W developer was simply POTA, but it was so easy to get reasonable speed, even development and medium contrast that I'd sure like to know exactly what the formula was.

Hello everyone. Tech Pan at ei 25 (to start), developed in PMK-Pyro.

 

2ccA & 4ccB into 250cc DI water for 135-36 or 450cc DI for 120

 

(quanity of Pyro is equal...either size film is appro 80insq)

 

Presoak for 3 minutes. Dev for 12 minutes with agitation at

30 sec intervals.

 

Put some 2.5 inch PVC pipe spacers into the bottoms of the tanks.

It keeps a lot of crud from swirling along the film edge. I use 1/4in for 35mm, 1/2in for 120 (use a miter-box saw for clean cutting). Spacers in the top also reduce the clatter of the reels during agitation. Enjoy, Bill

Hello (again) everyone. I forgot to add the receipe for those using Minox or 16mm film (approx 36 ex Minox, 22 ex for the 16mm).

 

1ccA & 2ccB into 250cc DI water. 3 min presoak 30 sec agitations during a 10 minute development. Enjoy, Bill

Ok, one of these days I will get it right!!!

Agitation of the PMK-Pyro mixes.

 

136-36 and 120: Use the 15 second sequence as per instructions.

 

Minox and 16mm: This is were 30 second intervals are used.

Bill

Hey Bill:

 

Do you have any info for developing Tech Pan 4x5 in trays with PMK?

 

Thanks,

christine

I just did some tech pan today at ei 25 developed in rodinal 1:300 for 14 minutes at 68F. Nice shadow detail and contrast but maybe just a little thin? I'm not sure. Absolutely no grain and sharp.

 

I couldn't focus it using my grain focuser. I set my enlarger to the highest magnification I could and still couldn't find grain to focus. At that setting my enlarger would print a 20x24" print of I remember correctly. (It's somewhere in that area) I printed a section on 8x10 paper and was blown away. There was no grain at this size. Definately less grain than my tmax 100 enlarged to 8x10 and even with apx 25 I had enough grain to focus on.

I use HC-110/dilution B, exposure at ASA 200 on a Zeiss axiophot, for microscopy. Great tones and contrast for microscopy.

I noticed that on the massive dev chart it lists

T-Max developer 1+4 EI 200 6.5 min at 24degC for continuous tone for 35mm.

 

Has anyone used tmax developer at this dilution and been able to get this much speed out of the film? what were the results as far as grain and contrast?

Hello everyone. Focus on a line segment if you are using TechPan in 120 or larger format. TechPan was invented to make all grain focusing devices usless!!! Enjoy, Bill

My best results for developing Kodak Techpan in Minox size film were obtained with Agfa Rodinal Special at 1+80 dilution 18 minutes. No grain and no fog.

 

Now that Agfa has top making it. I am trying out Clayton F76 and

H&W control.