Oh How I Miss Kodak Plus-X-Pan!

Has anyone discovered what the closest film that approximates this sorely missed gem might be? I think I did my best work with it.

I like FP4+ a lot, usually processed in some old Crawley formulas, but it's not like Plus-X. I don't think anything really is. I've never liked T-grain films but T-Max 100 might be your best bet.

Careful talking about an obsolete film-you'll have someone around here accuse of being a blowhard and also chastise you for not using new film.

 

With that off my chest-Plus-X is my favorite film and I still dip into my 35mm and 120 stashes fairly often. I've never had any in 4x5, and unfortunately the best I can tell Kodak hasn't made any since the 1980s.

 

In any case, I agree with Conrad. FP4+ is a good film and IMO probably the closest out there, but it's not Plus-X. The grain is finer and it's a bit sharper, but I don't really care about that-I find that it's somewhat more contrasty and has a fair bit more "bite" than Plus-X did. Specifically, I can't get the creamy tones I use to love from Plus-X.

 

I tend to do FP4+ in fairly dilute developers to cut the contrast a bit-I did some sheet film in D76 1:2 not too long ago, and it gave me some of the nicest looking FP4+ negatives I've had. 1:2 is getting into the "danger zone" of developer capacity with D76, though, and have to be careful about how much film your developing(or use an oversized tank if you're doing roll film) to make sure you don't run out of capacity. I did two 4x5 sheets in 16 oz. of 1:2, but I'd probably want 24 oz. or more for a single roll of 35mm or 120.

I still have some in my freezer. But I will miss it when it's gone.

 

I find orwo UN54 fits the old world charm of PlusX. It's not available in all formats so the Ilford FP4 is a good alternate.

Since my start in photography, about 1962, many emulsions have been used, and Plus-X was a favorite. . .along with Essex, Orwo, FP-4, etc, etc. Having lived a semi nomadic existence, a 18 cu/ft freezer has never been available to store heaps of film, of any format. After my house fire of 2015, I had to purchase new stocks of 35 mm format and decided to try some Kentmere emulsion, both 100 & 400asa. Fantastic results with my then Pyro mix of 510-Pyro. In early 2016 I was informed by some here on P.net, that Kentmere was available from Ultrafine Xtreme in their "rebranded" Kentmere films in both 35mm & 120 format. Subsequent tests lead me to believe indeed, the UFX material is Kentmere. For several years now I have used it in my "collection" of FSU 35mm cameras & some folders in 120 format. 510-Pyro gave way to Obsidian Aqua & just recently to some DIY Pyrocat HDC. Being an old Zone System die-hard, I am happy with the emulsions abilities to hold shadow & high lite values & the ability to expand/contract development should it be required. The two pictures here show the range of the 100asa emulsion. My current development is 3.0 ml of HDC in a 450ml Nikor S/S tank, with 14 minutes as my base time. 3 minute presoak in DI is followed with single, EZ inversion at 1m marks. My exposure/developing is set for "normal" negs that might be enlarger printed, although since the fire I have only scan with either a V600 or V800. Fed-2/Jupiter-8 camera. Aloha, Bill

Just for nostalgia's sake

I've found similar tones with Kentmere 100 processed in HC110 dilution H, although the Plus-X processed under same conditions has finer grain (at least in my tests).YMMV

However, the results I get with FP4+ at this dilution have a little less contrast but have fine grain. I'll probably stick with it once I finish the rest of my Plus-X.

FWIW....... i have moved on to FP4 and Ilfotec HC

Sorry. That info sheet was supposed to be Plus-X, but obviously wasn't.

Here is Plus-X

 

Or this one:

 

http://wwwuk.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f8/f8.pdf