Dralowid
Michael
Roughly when did panchromatic emulsions replace orthochromatic in every day use for portraits etc. in Italy. I am trying to date some early family photographs that have quite dark skin tones...
Orthochromatic/panchromatic (when?)
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Mos6502
Well-known
I don't know about Italy, but for most of the world orthochromatic film was the common stock up through the WWII era. Pan films were available, but it wasn't until the 1950s that ortho films really took a backseat to panchromatic emulsions. Looking through the international list of available films in the Amateur Photographer's Hanbook (1962 printing) only a handful of orthochromatic films were still available.
Unfortunately, I have misplaced that book, or I'd list all the films available in Italy at the time. A look at the 1970's edition of the same book shows no orthochromatic films, albeit the list is abbreviated, only listing products from the most major producers in Europe and Japan at the time (Ferrania isn't even on the list). The text also notes that Plenachrome and Verichrome, (the most popular ortho films of previous decades) have been discontinued.
Unfortunately, I have misplaced that book, or I'd list all the films available in Italy at the time. A look at the 1970's edition of the same book shows no orthochromatic films, albeit the list is abbreviated, only listing products from the most major producers in Europe and Japan at the time (Ferrania isn't even on the list). The text also notes that Plenachrome and Verichrome, (the most popular ortho films of previous decades) have been discontinued.
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DownUnder
Vamoosed (for a while)
Kodak Verichrome was an ortho film. Google informs me Eastman manufactured it from 1931 until 1956, when it was replaced by Verichrome Pan which as its name indicates was a panchromatic film.
We had a Brownie 616 came in my family which my dad bought in 1947 (the year I was born) and used it for all my baby photos. This explains why I come across looking rather 'black' in all those images. Ortho tended to darken reds. Otherwise the mid-tones in all those old negatives (which I inherited when my late mom sold the family home to move to aged care in the early '00s) are rather glorious given the era, the film and the contrast index of ortho films, not to overlook the powerful developers (like Dk60a) in use by photofinishers of that time.
I last bought some ortho film in 120 format to use in my Rolleis, this was about a decade ago. As I (dimly) remember, it was likely Rollei 25, but otherwise I no longer recall if I did use it as I was never a fan of the limited mid-tones that film produced. I may well have given it away to one of our local camera clubs for the members to play with.
To me orthochromatic films was one of those 'old time' emulsions that people used because they had to, before panchromatic films became commonly available in the film retail market. A good example of their (ortho's) limitations can be seen in many of the silent films of the 1910s and 1920s. By the late 1920s the major Hollywood studios had moved to panchromatic films - and the difference in contrast and especially in the mid-tones is readily obvious.
We had a Brownie 616 came in my family which my dad bought in 1947 (the year I was born) and used it for all my baby photos. This explains why I come across looking rather 'black' in all those images. Ortho tended to darken reds. Otherwise the mid-tones in all those old negatives (which I inherited when my late mom sold the family home to move to aged care in the early '00s) are rather glorious given the era, the film and the contrast index of ortho films, not to overlook the powerful developers (like Dk60a) in use by photofinishers of that time.
I last bought some ortho film in 120 format to use in my Rolleis, this was about a decade ago. As I (dimly) remember, it was likely Rollei 25, but otherwise I no longer recall if I did use it as I was never a fan of the limited mid-tones that film produced. I may well have given it away to one of our local camera clubs for the members to play with.
To me orthochromatic films was one of those 'old time' emulsions that people used because they had to, before panchromatic films became commonly available in the film retail market. A good example of their (ortho's) limitations can be seen in many of the silent films of the 1910s and 1920s. By the late 1920s the major Hollywood studios had moved to panchromatic films - and the difference in contrast and especially in the mid-tones is readily obvious.
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x-ray
Veteran
I agree with the above. When I got my first camera in 1955 I used Verichrome (ortho) and my dad started teaching me how to load the FR tank under a red safelight and also tray process under red light. I know by 1958 pretty much all the Verichrome was off the shelf and replaced by the panchromatic version. I know because no one told me and I didn’t understand the change and ruined some film.
I know that Super XX (not double X), Panatomic X, Tri X and Plus X were all pan at that time.
In the early 60’s I used my dads 4x5 Crown Graphic for the school paper and used mostly Super Panchro Press type B, Tri X Professional and Royal Pan. All were panchro with Super Panchro Press B having an extended blue sensitivity.
Plus X pan Professional Portrait was around but I’m not sure if it was ortho. It had a little different curve and a toothed base for retouching.
I know there was an ortho portrait film but don’t remember the name.
Most ortho film was gone but the 60’s though.
I know that Super XX (not double X), Panatomic X, Tri X and Plus X were all pan at that time.
In the early 60’s I used my dads 4x5 Crown Graphic for the school paper and used mostly Super Panchro Press type B, Tri X Professional and Royal Pan. All were panchro with Super Panchro Press B having an extended blue sensitivity.
Plus X pan Professional Portrait was around but I’m not sure if it was ortho. It had a little different curve and a toothed base for retouching.
I know there was an ortho portrait film but don’t remember the name.
Most ortho film was gone but the 60’s though.
Dralowid
Michael
Thanks, much, much later than I thought.
Cascadilla
Well-known
I taught a pinhole photography workshop for middle school age students in the early 1980's and Tri-X Ortho was still available in 4x5 sheets at the time in the US. This allowed loading the cameras and film developing with a red safelight, an important feature with home built cameras made from oatmeal boxes, among other things.
Mos6502
Well-known
I did some more looking, and this is what I turned up. As of 1962, in roll film, there were only three emulsions still on the market.
Ferrania Ultrachromatic 30, Ilford Selochrome, and Gevaert Gevachrome. Except for Selochrome these would be gone by the end of the 1960s. Selochrome was still available in 1971, but I can't determine when it went out of production (also getting some conflicting information about whether Selochrome became panchromatic, or the panchromatic version was marketed as Selochrome Pan... so possibly the ortho stock was gone by the end of the 60s as well).
Ferrania Ultrachromatic 30, Ilford Selochrome, and Gevaert Gevachrome. Except for Selochrome these would be gone by the end of the 1960s. Selochrome was still available in 1971, but I can't determine when it went out of production (also getting some conflicting information about whether Selochrome became panchromatic, or the panchromatic version was marketed as Selochrome Pan... so possibly the ortho stock was gone by the end of the 60s as well).
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