shanghai gp3

[raytoei@gmail.com]

hi,

I developed my first roll of shanghai gp3 in ID-11, i have several issues which I am trying to resolve:

Poor focus with the new Acute-Matte screen (I have since put in the stock split-image screen to improve the accuracy)

Larger Grain which I suspect is due to the 14mins development time with ID-11 for 1+1. (The solution of course is to develop it in stock, which stated is 6-11 or 8mins)

Bleeds from the development due to incorrect feeding of the reel. (I struggled a bit trying to feed the reel in, especially the last 10cm of it).

Anyone kind enough to share experiences with Shanghai GP3 ?

\
raytoei
(Btw, The film didn't curl much at all).

 

[dfoo]

I find GP3 pretty bad. I used some while I was living in Shanghai and wasn't very impressed. The worst aspect of the film to me was that the emulsion was full of imperfections.

 

[PikitAndShoot]

(Btw, The film didn't curl much at all).

that is my biggest problem! it curls like hell. i have to place the
film under heavy photo books for at least 3 days before scanning.

 

[Rayt]

I have shot a few rolls of Shanghai and first impressions tell me it is much better than Fomapan 100 I used in the 80's in terms of QC and curling. Once I could afford to buy good film I switched to the major brands and never looked back so I don't have another crap film reference. Shanghai film for portraits can give that interesting vintage look.

 

[Avotius]

Here in China we avoid Shanghai as much as possible prefering Lucky or Era, both of which are much better especially for grain where I feel Era tops them all with its better mid tones.

 

[El Jonbre Grande]

I found it horrendously curly and difficult to handle - shot 2 rolls and gave the rest away.

 

[dacookieman]

yep, shot a roll of gp3 and swore never to touch it again. curls like hell and doesnt give me the kinda tones i get with tri-x. i rather go with tri-x instead.

 

[fbf]

Highly recommend the Era film. It's about $1 per roll fresh. Awesome tone and contrast. Love it very much.

 

[ZorkiKat]

Shanghai film also doesn't thrive in tropical climate or humid weather. There is no tropical wrapping. Humidity will cause the emulsion to react with the rough backing paper which shows as textures in the negative when the film is exposed and developed.

I have been told of Shanghai rolls where the film wasn't even taped to the backing paper.

The backing paper's numbers are also hard to read through the red-film window. Weakly printed and barely legible, printed with faint white ink on a murky black field.

 

[ChrisN]

I think some posters have not realised you are talking about 120 roll film format, not 35mm. ERA don't offer 120 format. I've had some QC issues with GP3, but it is a lot better than Lucky SHD 400! Your issues with grain might be from underexposure.

Here's a sample, exposed at box speed and developed in ID-11 1+1 for 14 minutes at 20c.

 

[ZorkiKat]

Personally I prefer Luckypan 100 though. It is not without problems, like the barely legible numbers on the backing paper. But Lucky at least don't suffer from humidity induced damage.

We develop the films in paRodinal. The Shanghai we used tend to look grey (higher base fog?) too. Lucky develops cleaner.

BTW, Era used to (?) be available in 120. I started MF with Era 120 film in the 1980s. Era is/was available in 4X5 and 5X7 too.

 

[ChrisN]

I've not tried LuckPan 100 - I must keep an eye open for some. I have used quite a bit of Era in 35mm and like it especially when I want a bit of grain. I also use Era in 4x5, and again it is ok but with more flaws in the emulsion than I like. OK if scanning (easy to clone out the spots) but a real pain in the darkroom.

 

[Mablo]

The backing paper's numbers are also hard to read through the red-film window. Weakly printed and barely legible, printed with faint white ink on a murky black field.

Gosh, just yesterday I ordered a brick of GP3 for testing purposes with my folder projects and now I hear that numbers can't be read through the red window...

 

[pakeha]

Just developed my first roll of shanghai last week, ID11 @1+1,14 mins .sorry i do not have a scanner so cannot post the results, however i can say that i was quite pleased with it first time round, good contrast, detail and sharp.I got this stuff after seeing some portraits from a Turkish Photographer on apug. They are fantastic, sorry i had a look but cannot find them now, i did find some from chris nze in the link below. The photo from ChrisN is the kind of result i got. Maybe he is correct on the exposure . Curling - yes, but it is a problem with a solution, no big deal.
regards
CW.

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/47723-shanghai-b-w.html

 

[pakeha]

QUOTE FROM MABLO
Gosh, just yesterday I ordered a brick of GP3 for testing purposes with my folder projects and now I hear that numbers can't be read through the red window...
__________________


They are hard to read, don`t sweat it, you just need to squint a little, could be a problem if you usually need coke bottles as eyewear.

 

[ZorkiKat]

If you use a camera whose frame positioning window has a deep red lens over it, get ready to squint a lot. Readable in bright light. Most of use who've used Lucky/Shanghai here in cameras without automatic frame advance and stop have missed a few numbers by not looking keenly or by shooting in situations other than bright sunlight (where there is plenty of light to read by). Or bring a small torch with you to shine in the window to enable you to see the numbers.

I've replaced the windows of a few cameras (Seagull and Great Wall) from red to green. The green lens made the backing paper numbers easier to read. If you're using an Agfa Isolette, Ciro-flex, Moskva-5, Ansco Cadet, Agfa-Box, Agfa Clack, have a lot of patience and wind very very slowly. These are but a few of the cameras where using Shanghai and Lucky proved to be difficult.

We must have been 100 rolls of both Shanghai and Luckypan here. We have yet to find one whose printed numbers could be easily read.

 

[George Bonanno]

I've shot probably 100+ rolls of Lucky and Shanghai 100 speed 120 with a Baby Speed and two 620 Brownie's over the past two years and haven't found any of the problems expressed, even re-spooled 620. The tape is always secure and the numbers come through the red windows OK. I prefer Shanghai because of its thinner base and longer tonal range. The curl factor is not an issue because I flatten the negs for three days before printing or scanning. What's the rush anyway ? Both films develop very well in HC110B or Rodinal 1:31. The lack of a heavy anti-halation layer is a big plus too. It seems to me something is truly bizarre the way people are using these films... even the Lucky 100 35mm stuff.

This screen scan is from a Shanghai 120 neg exposed with a No. 25 flashbulb. It looks OK to me and the silver print is superb.

Maybe I just don't get it.

 

[ZorkiKat]

The tape is always secure and the numbers come through the red windows OK. I prefer Shanghai because of its thinner base and longer tonal range. The curl factor is not an issue because I flatten the negs for three days before printing or scanning. What's the rush anyway ? Both films develop very well in HC110B or Rodinal 1:31. The lack of a heavy anti-halation layer is a big plus too. It seems to me something is truly bizarre the way people are using these films... even the Lucky 100 35mm stuff.

[/FONT]

There's no arguing that Shanghai or Lucky films deliver great BW images. Luckypan 100 is in fact a staple here. We use them a lot, since film choices is very limited here in Manila.

If not for the issues we encountered- paper contamination, degradation in humid tropical climates, and the hard to read backing papers, they would have been perfect. The specks and spots which appear on Shanghai film are something we don't appreciate. Really.

We had this discussion before, George. You've even said the we who couldn't see the numbers are just being sloppy:

http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1062235&postcount=25

Here is a scan from the backing paper of Luckypan 120 film. Shanghai film is no better:

Just imagine how numbers printed like these would appear through a deep red filter.

Tape coming off three times with three different users from a batch of 50 Shanghai rolls is something serious to consider.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Hi,

thanks for all the comments. When it comes to photography, the learning never stops 🙂 I shot the following snaps at Clark Quay in bright Sunny 16 Noon with my 500 c/m with antique unfiltered 80mm lens and a roll of GP3:

Untouched Except for rotating and resizing.

Rotated, Cropped and resized.

I lowered contrasts and increased brightness. Resized.

A couple of observations:

* I did not experienced issues with the negatives curling, it was quite flat actually.
* The pixs were developed in ID-11 (D-76 type) for 8mins
* I probably agitated too much resulting in contrasty highlights
* The isn't much mid-tones in GP3 compared to...say Acros 100 which is the only 3 120 format films I have tried (Acros 100,GP3 and XP-2)
* Overall a low contrast picture, either due to my 'C' lens or more likely the film.

comments ?

 

[ChrisN]

ID-11 stock solution? Not 1+1? Looks good! I suspect you are right about agitation, and cutting the developing time a bit more will help control the highlights.

I took the liberty of downloading these three pics to check the histograms. The first two can be improved by resetting the black and white points to stretch out the tonal range a bit. The third is good at the high end but can be improved at the low end. By sliding the mid-point slider across to the right I found there is actually a fair bit of texture in the pathway, but it would require a bit of work to balance that, either in the darkroom or in a digital manipulation. I suspect you could improve each of these with a little more fine-tuning at the scanning/capture stage.

I have some GP3 in the bag to shoot today. 🙂