A Year With Shanghai 8x10 Film

[ic-racer]

About a year ago I got 75 sheets of Shanghai 8x10 film.
First sheet was used as a comparison to HP5 8x10 film. The results are shown in the H&D curve below.

 

[ic-racer]

The negatives were exposed with a Shen-Hao 8x10 camera. All images were from a Fujinon 300mm/5.6 stopped to f22 to f64.

Film processed in a Jobo Expert drum with T-max developer at 24C.

The prints were exposed on a Durst L1840 Enlarger with 300mm Rodenstock lens at f32. Base exposure time around 10 to 15 seconds. Most prints required multiple burns with total exposure up to a minute or more.
Paper is Ilford 11x14 Multigrade Fiberbase.
Dektol developer.

 

[ic-racer]

 

[Craig]

Could you give a brief summary of what that curve means? Specifically, how do HP5 and Shanghai negatives differ when you print them?

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

Could you give a brief summary of what that curve means? Specifically, how do HP5 and Shanghai negatives differ when you print them?

The standard convention with rightward shift of the H&D curve is a slower film. In this case about 3 to 4 stops slower.
The toe is longer, which can show in prints as less shadow detail, compared to HP5.

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[Wayne]

So, do you like it?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I've been shooting this film in same format for a few years now. EI 50 in Pyrocat-HD. Once you get the shadows higher up on the curve, they become more open. Did you expose these at box speed?

 

[ic-racer]

So, do you like it?

I have 25 sheets left and will continue to use it. It has not yielded excellent prints with all scenes, but for the price it is very good.

 

[ic-racer]

I've been shooting this film in same format for a few years now. EI 50 in Pyrocat-HD. Once you get the shadows higher up on the curve, they become more open. Did you expose these at box speed?

I set my meter to 3 stops more exposure than I previously determined for HP5 from in camera tests, based on the film curve above.

 

[Wayne]

I like the way it portrays the ice

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

It looks like beautiful stuff. I bought a box and I've loaded some in my film holders for me to test. My first impression while loading the film is the film base is thinner than other 8x10 film. I've tried Arista EDU 200 and the film has a nice look. But the reciprocity sucks. I think Shanghai has better reciprocity failure than Artista 200. My preferred developer is HC-110 (B).

 

[ic-racer]

Looking at these on my computer screen, on thing that cannot be transmitted correctly is the incredible resolution of the prints due to the fine grain of the film In all these prints the distant trees, leaves, branches and twigs are all sharp.

I like the effect that I have caught part of the world and brought it home with me. Resolution does have meaning in these images.

The reason I don't think the resolution comes through, is that when examined with a loupe, the 'bird' photograph is somewhat spoiled because a biker came across the boardwalk on which the tripod was standing during the exposure. A very slight blur to the entire image. You could see this if all the prints are shown together, but it does not come across on my computer screen.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

It looks like beautiful stuff. I bought a box and I've loaded some in my film holders for me to test. My first impression while loading the film is the film base is thinner than other 8x10 film. I've tried Arista EDU 200 and the film has a nice look. But the reciprocity sucks. I think Shanghai has better reciprocity failure than Artista 200. My preferred developer is HC-110 (B).

It's a lovely film, but Shanghai has the worst reciprocity that I've seen from the many films I've used. For example:
An 8 sec metered exposure with compensation becomes 30 sec, with a 19% decrease in development. For HP5, an 8 sec exposure is only 12 sec after compensation, with no adjustment to the development time.

 

[ic-racer]

I thought of this image when I came upon the scenes depicted in post 5, 13 and 8. I tried my print of 8, light and even like this Misrach, but mine was boring. The intense burning of my image 8 was to add drama (where there was none). Same with the high contrast (in part from the poor reciprocity) in image 5.
The 'missle' is a little subtle in #5, most people don't see it right away.

The most recent printed image in the group is #13. I actually felt I was going beyond Misrach's image with that one.

 

[ic-racer]

It's a lovely film, but Shanghai has the worst reciprocity that I've seen from the many films I've used. For example:
An 8 sec metered exposure with compensation becomes 30 sec, with a 19% decrease in development. For HP5, an 8 sec exposure is only 12 sec after compensation, with no adjustment to the development time.

Agree with all this.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

with no adjustment to the development time.

Thanks for your input! What I find with long exposures with reciprocity failure is the long exposure is for the shadows but the highlights gets blown out. I've tried using semi-stand development to tame the highlights. Ilford 8x10 is great film, but it's $6 a sheet. But Shanghai and Arista EDU 200 is about $4 a sheet. I think for long exposures, Ilford is the way to go.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks for your input! What I find with long exposures with reciprocity failure is the long exposure is for the shadows but the highlights gets blown out. I've tried using semi-stand development to tame the highlights. Ilford 8x10 is great film, but it's $6 a sheet. But Shanghai and Arista EDU 200 is about $4 a sheet. I think for long exposures, Ilford is the way to go.

Pity we can't get Acros in sheets anymore, eh!