Rollei Pan 25 in Ilford Multigrade paper developer

[keith_lubow]

Hello,

 

I plan on exposing some rolls of Rollei Pan 25 in pursuit of a special effect. I

am going to shoot some architectural shots of a local power station that is just

beautiful in certain light. I have shot it a lot, and a lot of different ways,

and now I am messing around a bit to try some things out. I am looking for

prints that are only black, white, and middle grey, for the most part. I am also

after the very unique grain that I know I can get by pulverizing a fine-grained

film with paper developer. It looks much different than just using a grainy film

to begin with...much more grid like and neat; kind of like a very finely

reticulated emulsion.

 

I have got this effect before (quite a while ago) using Ilford Pan F 120 rated

at 200 and developed in Dektol at the standard paper dilution, with 6 min.

developing time at 68F. However, all I use now is Ilford Multigrade, diluted 1:9

for paper. I tried the Pan 25 because I have heard that it is naturally an

extremely contrasty film, as one would expect from any 25 speed film.

 

I am putting the rolls in my Mamiya 6x9, but shooting as if it was 125 speed

film. I need to develop the heck out of them, and I will be printing on a grade

4 paper to push the contrast even higher. I tried to get grade 5 at Freestyle,

but it is special order only, so I am just going to use what I already have on hand.

 

That is basically a lot of hot wind to ask if the Multigrade development times

will be similar to the Dektol development times that I have used in the past.

 

Keith

[nickc1]

No experience of the combination you mention, but would Rollei Ortho 25 be suitable for what you want? - perhaps you could then develop by inspection under a suitable safelight?

[keith_lubow]

Thanks, Nick.

 

I want a panchromatic film for this, so I can totally blow out the skies easily. I also don't want to have to be thinking "through a filter" as it were.

 

I tried some today, and I must say that the Multigrade is MUCH less harsh than Dektol. I was using Dektol 1:3 for 6 min., and got some amazing contrast and grain. The ones I did today can fairly easily be printed to look somewhat normal, and are not noticeably grainy under an 8x loupe. I think I will try 10 min. next time, and may even rate the film at 250. It is a very sharp look, just not quite contrasty enough.

 

Thanks for the comment.

 

Keith