Kodak Technical Pan

[penny_greenberg]

<p>I found some Kodak Tech Pan film and was not sure what the ISO rating for the film was. From what I understand, the rating differs on what kind of pictures I am going for. Also, I'm using Sprint Developer and have no idea how long I should be developing this film.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

[mike_earussi1]

<p>It's normally rated at 25 but that can be changed with development.</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Technical Pan is inherently a very high contrast film, closer to microfilm than pictorial film. For the scientific applications it was made for, it was mostly developed in D-19. With a D-76 clone like Sprint, you'll get mostly black and white, very little greys.<br>

To tame it for pictorial use is tricky. Kodak made Technidol developer for this film, it's discontinued, and not in stock at the normal online stores. There are probably still brick and mortar stores with it in stock.<br>

You can easily get Photographer's Formulary TD-3, which is designed for this film.<br>

There are other alternatives, but you would probably have to go through a few rolls just to get them dialed in.</p>

[User_502260]

<p>You can rate it at 25 and develop it in Ilford Microphen 1:5. Your starting time will be 10 minutes at 68F. Bracketing exposures is imporant because lattitude is very narrow. I would bracket in 1/2 stop increments. With the right subject and the right light, exposure and development you can get some interesting and very high quality results. The slow speed and narrow lattitude make is unsuitable for general purpose use. It is easier to use regular medium speed film in a medium format camera but 35mm equipment (if you have TP in that size) is very flexible and allows you to shoot in situations which would be difficult for larger cameras. </p>

[profhlynnjones]

<p>I love Tech Pan, I hate that rotten developer that Kodak sold for it. I did testing on Tech Pan with Rodinal 1:100, agitate for first 15 seconds then 5 sec once each minute.</p>

<p>Normal: ASA/ISO 64, 68F 7minutes, 70F 6.5 min, 72F 5.5 min, 75F 5 min</p>

<p>The quality is stunning, the tone of the negative is slightly amber as though with pyro, but no pyro problems.</p>

<p>For other shooting conditions at 68F try these:<br />Shadowless lighting (1:1), ISO 125, 11min, Flat lighting (1:2-1:4), ISO 80, 8.5min, Normal (1:6-1:8), ISO 64, 7 min, Contrasty lighting (1:16), ISO 40, 6 min, Very Contrasty lighting(1:32 or more), ISO 32, 5 min</p>

<p>I used these data for several years until Kodak discontinued the film, a long time favorite and much more use ful than such as Ilford Pan F+ 50 which is really 32 .</p>

<p>As John said, this was an inherently a very contrasty film intended for military and reseach use. Kodak created their low contrast developer so that conventional photographers would use it and therefore reduce Kodak's cost per roll. If I rembember from my early NASA days, this was called "Shell Burst Pan" (there was also a Shell Burst Ortho, be I never used that).</p>

<p>Lynn</p>

[mfophotos]

<p>I've been shooting TechPan for years -- it IS a high-contrast film with an ISO of 25. It's more red-sensitive, too. I almost always use Kodak's Technidol developer, and have a good supply of it. I have also used the Photographer'ss Formulary TD-3. Check the Unblinking Eye for more developers and times: http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Times/TechPan/techpan.html</p>

[wieslaw1]

TP is a special, very fine grain and extended-red sensitive film, which is not the best film for the pictorial purpose.

I have shot about 100 4x5 sheets of this film in the mountains, and developed in technidol. Other diluted versions of developers which I

tried were all too contrasty and therefore useless. Apart from almost no grain in the prints, there was no a single picture which would be

as good as ordinary panchromatic films. Might be good for low contrast subjects.

[wieslaw1]

<p>Anybody knows where to get this film in 120 sizes, and the Technidol developer. I would need several rolls. Thanks.</p>