One roll of Tech Pan, what should I shoot?

[rich815]

Ok, I never shot Tech Pan but heard a lot about it. A friend sent me a mixed bag of a dozen or so rolls of B&W 35mm films since he "does not shoot B&W anymore". In the mix was a single roll of Tech Pan. Cool, I think.

Now.....what should I shoot? What's it good for?

 

[aizan]

test chart. 😀

 

[mw_uio]

Rich, you are in San Fran, my idea is to go to China Town, before sunrise capture the beginning of the market day on a saturday or sunday. I have never been to SF, but I think you could get some really cool shots!!! As for the film I do not know about Tech Pan.


Cheers 😀

MArk
Quito, EC

 

[ZeissFan]

It's a slow film rated at ASA 25. You should develop that in Technidol, which requires special agitation.

I've processed TechPan in Rodinal with a very weak dilution, although I think the next time I will agitate a bit more than what you normally would do with Rodinal.

 

[sleepyhead]

I've used Techpan quite alot, and lament that it was discontinued. If the roll is old and hasn't been refridgerated, then I would rate it at ASA 16. There are other developers that you can use besides technidol - do an internet search.

I use my remaining (frozen) Techpan once in a while when I want to shoot with my 50mm Summilux wide-open in pretty bright outdoor light. That gives me 1/500th or 1/1000th at f/1.4. Sweet. Nice for portraits in which you really don't want any grain, such as kids.

Have fun.

 

[IGMeanwell]

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-ROLLS-Kodak-...37677787QQihZ016QQcategoryZ4204QQcmdZViewItem

There is a whole lot of Tech Pan exp 2004

Interesting film that tech pan

 

[sepiareverb]

I've always used it as an extreme contrast film- run in HC-110 B or E. Don't know that I've ever shot it in 35mm. Thumbnail is from a 67 neg shot with the Canham 810 & reducing back (sorry it's not an RF neg) from a series of extreme enlargements (1620 & 2024) of tiny engravings (.25 or .5 inches tall) from old dictionaries and science texts.

Bonus for high contrast work is the higher ISO- I usually rate it at 250 under tungsten light.

 

[furcafe]

I think it's good for whatever you would use any slow, fine-grained, film for, so that could be portraits or landscapes (or any other subject I suppose) depending on what you enjoy shooting. Per sepiareverb, I believe Tech Pan was originally intended as a high-contrast copy film. However, the results I've gotten when my lab has processed it in Technidol have been no more contrasty than other other standard slow B&W films. My understanding is that Tech Pan has extended red sensitivity (not sure if my terminology is correct), so images look like a yellow or orange filter was used.

Examples from my flickr stream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/furcafe/tags/kodaktechnicalpan25/

1 heads up: it's thinner than other films, which I think makes it easier to scan, but I suppose also makes it more delicate.

Now.....what should I shoot? What's it good for?

 

[sepiareverb]

....However, the results I've gotten when my lab has processed it in Technidol have been no more contrasty than other other standard slow B&W films. My understanding is that Tech Pan has extended red sensitivity (not sure if my terminology is correct), so images look like a yellow or orange filter was used....

Technidol is the preferred developer for 'pictorial contrast' from what I remember- and it is ISO that really seems to drive the contrast when using regular film developers. Contrast can be quite long and delicate with Technidol- a buddy of mine shot a lot of this in 4x5 and got nearly water-bath developed type contrast out of it with Technidol (no memory of his development method/dilution- this was 20 years ago)...

....1 heads up: it's thinner than other films, which I think makes it easier to scan, but I suppose also makes it more delicate.

Good thing to keep in mind furcafe- Forgotten I nearly always got half-moons on the 120 Techpan and rarely on other films. It is much thinner indeed, and as I recall much harder to keep rolled up- it wants to be flat? Does this sound right? Loading metal reels with this stuff was always a concentrated effort. Something like the Adox20 in this regard. Must run in the family.