Kodak Tech-Pan. Remind me...

<p>Hi folks,</p>

<p>I have a roll of Tech-Pan in my fridge that's been there for years. I've never got around to shooting it. Can anyone remind me the most popular way to shoot this stuff? I seem to remember that rating it at ISO 25 was the norm but would appreciate your advice or any possible pitfalls.</p>

<p>I would also like to develop it in D76 if possible. Any advice on the dilution and developing time?</p>

 

<p>The Kodak Darkroom Data Guide (1996?) says EI 25 / (15 with Technidol Liquid). Otherwise, specifies Low contrast developers.</p>

Preferably don't use D76. The contrast will be very high.

Do you have access to other developers? TD3

(photographer's Formulary, USA) is good. Technidol is

OK. Neofin Doku is good. D 76 - highly dilute - using

600mls of fluid and using 5 seconds of agitation every two minutes will work, provided you rate the film at 12

(twelve) ASA. Develop for 8 minutes (D76 diluted 1:4).

The reason you must use 600mls of fluid is due to local

exhaustion in shadow areas, if you use the

recommended 290mls.

Tech Pan film gives superlative redults BUT using highly

dilute solutions will compromise the grain. Accutance

doesn't improve much since the film is already extremely

sharp. Use a tripod. The film is so detailed that hand

held shots show up camera shake easily. Use a prime lens closed down two or three stops. Ie about F4 or F5.6. (gives the highest resolution) Try and use a 50mm lens at 125th sec or more. 50mm lenses often have the best resolution but there aare numerous exceptions. Zoom lenses generally are way below the capabilities of T.P.

 

35mm Tech Pan outperforms - resolution wise -

the best full frame DSLR (if you follow the above

instructions). It even gives outstanding portraits but landscapes are where it truly excels.

<p>I use Kodak Technical Pan regularly in my Minox cameras, frame size only 8x11mm.<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18277702-md.jpg" alt="St Lawrence" /><br>

Minox TLX, Kodak Technical Pan @ASA 25, develop in 1+80 dilution Rodinal Special developer, 20 degree C 15 minutes<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18139374-md.jpg" alt="1-Fundy Bay20019" /></p>

I do too - and have the Minox film slitter to give 4 x 36

exposure Minox films from one 35mm roll of film.

I have enlarged up to 12x16"

Great results.

What developer do you use?

Preferably don't use D76. The contrast will be very high.

Do you have access to other developers? TD3

(photographer's Formulary, USA) is good. Technidol is

OK. Neofin Doku is good. D 76 - highly dilute - using

600mls of fluid and using 5 seconds agitation every two

minutes will work, provided you rate the film at 12

(twelve) ASA. Develop for 8 minutes (D76 diluted 1:4).

The reason you must use 600mls of fluid is due to local

exhaustion in shadow areas if you only use the

recommended 290mls.

Tech Pan film gives superlative redults BUT using highly

dilute solutions will compromise the grain. Accurance

doesn't improve much since the film is already extremely

sharp. Use a tripod. The film is so detailed that hand

held shots show up. Use a prime lens stopped down two

or three clicks from maximum aperure (highest

resolution? Try and use a 50mm lens at, at least, 125th

second. 35mm Tech Pan outperforms - resolution wise -

the best full frame DSLR (if you follow the above

instructions)

Highest resolution you will get at open aperture, however more lens failures but a good Leica or Zeiss lens is already

pretty good wide open.

For TP film you will need a special low contrast type developer: Technidol, TD-3, Neofin Doku, Film Low Gamma/ Rollei

Low Contrast, Caffenol. R09/Rodinal 1+100 is already on the edge.

Actual micro films ar coming from Agfa Gevaert Belgium like Rollei ATP1.1 ; Adox CMS 20 ; Agfa Copex. They have a

problem with high contrast light conditions and you will need a special low contrast type developer for it.

<p>I had success with Technidol (retail long since available); didn't have success with TD-3. Sold off my bulk rolls of TP many years ago - do you have a bulk roll or a single roll?<br /><br />The film often outperformed my lenses, and I had some pretty damn sharp Pentax K-mount primes. Have fun.</p>

 

<p>It seems that p255.pdf isn't on the Kodak or KodakAlaris web site.</p>

<p>For pictorial photography, Technidol is the first choice, but HC-110 dilution F is second.<br>

It seems that 6 to 12 minutes, and EI 32 to 64. (I suspect the lower time for lower EI, and higher time for higher EI, but you should probably try it yourself to find out.)</p>

<p>For dilution F, the rated capacity for 8 oz/250ml is less than one roll. It might be that you should use a larger tank, or even longer development time. Or maybe that is part of the reason for the large time range. In any case, HC-110 is much easier to find than Technidol. </p>

<p>Here is the table of contrast, developer, times (at 68F/20C) and suggested EI.</p>

<p>High 2.50 DEKTOL 3 200<br>

2.40 to 2.70 D-19 (1:2) 4 to 7 100 to 160<br>

2.25 to 2.55 D-19 2 to 8 100 to 200<br>

1.20 to 2.10 HC-110 (Dil B) 4 to 12 100 to 250<br>

1.25 to 1.75 HC-110 (Dil D) 4 to 8 80 to 125<br>

1.10 to 2.10 D-76 6 to 12 64 to 125<br>

1.00 to 1.50 MICRODOL-X 8 to 12 32 to 50<br>

0.80 to 0.95 HC-110 (Dil F) 6 to 12 32 to 64<br>

Low 0.50 to 0.70 TECHNIDOL Liquid 5 to 11 16 to 25</p>

<p>https://web.archive.org/web/20000817194346/http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/p255/p255.pdf</p>

<p>Thank you all for your help. Seems like a bit of a nightmare. I will have to get hold of a different developer. I only have 1 roll and I don't really want to make a mess of it. </p>

<p>Here a few examples of ATP1.1 (An Agfa Copex micro film variant).<br>

The <strong>first</strong> example in the dedicated ATP-DC developer, lens Leica Summarit F/2,5-75mm. The <strong>second</strong> example in Film Low Gamma (U. Raffay) also sold under Rollei Low Contrast. Lens Jupiter-12 F/2,8-35mm, a Zeiss Biogon design. Both 35mm examples.</p>

<p><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3290/2982980307_0747de9a01_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="415" /></p>

<p><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8215/8380173529_cbf9f29e5e_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="498" /></p>

<p>Beautifully detailed shots Robert, thank you.</p>

<p>For only one roll, you might find someone selling Technidol.</p>

<p>The PDF, but not the table I copies, has Xtol as next up from Technidol. </p>

<p>But HC-110 is a favorite developer for many films, and is reasonably available. <br>

It now comes in 1L bottles, instead of the 16oz bottles it used to come in.<br>

That is enough for about 100 rolls of film, for about USD 30.00. It is liquid concentrate, and lasts a long time as the concentrate, not so long once diluted. </p>

<p>I don't know about Xtol at all, but it seems to be at least somewhat popular. </p>

<p>I have some rolls of TP, and someday will try them in HC-110 (F).</p>

<p>Jamie, shoot it at ISO 25 and then use Rodinal or Adonal diluted 1:300 for 12 minutes with standard inversions and agitation. I've been shooting and developing Tech Pan that way for years and it works very well. Just the other day, I developed a roll dated 2004 that came out perfectly. I also did a roll dated 1984 that could've used an extra stop or so.</p>

<p>Here's an example of Tech Pan, ASA 25, Rodinal 1:300 for 12 minutes</p><div></div>

<p>How does Rodinal 1:300 compare to HC-110 1:79?</p>

<p>That is, in general not just for TP. </p>

<p>I do have some Rodinal that someone gave me, but haven't tried it yet.</p>

<p>Found this on APUG - <br>

<br>

Rodinal gives, for the most part a fairly long and straight curve, which means very even tonality. Shadow detail is slightly compressed so you will see a distinct toe. If you develop longer in Rodinal, pretty much the whole curve adds density at the same rate, and it's very powerful so it'll keep doing that for a long time. But straight line, unless you slow down agitation a bit (to 3 minute or 5 minute agitation intervals), in which case you can force a curve with a shoulder and somewhat compressed highlights.<br /><br />HC-110 gives an upswept curve as well as a toe. To me, effective film speed (shadow detail) is very similar between HC-110 and Rodinal.<br />The upswept curve means very good separation the higher up towards the highlights you get. But be careful, if you develop for too long you will easily go beyond the printable range and get highlights that block up. In normal negatives this also means that if you bring down highlights to printable levels, by using a lower contrast paper or paper filter, mid-tones can seem a bit dark. This is good for some subject matter, and not so much for other kinds.<br /><br />Both developers can give very pleasing results, and lots of people do just that all the time. They are different in tonality, however, as described above, where Rodinal catches more of the highlights, but with less separation than HC-110, but has better separation in the mid-tones, and shadow detail is about equal. In my opinion, Rodinal is better for medium to high contrast lighting, and HC-110 better for low contrast lighting.<br /><br />Less important, to me, is that Rodinal gives a sharp, but beautiful grain, whereas HC-110 looks a bit less distinct. Rodinal gives sharper edges. HC-110 gives slightly finer grain.</p>