Anyone Want Return of Panatomic X?

braxus · Jul 12, 2017

With Kodak reintroducing Ektachrome late this year, they made mention of other films that could return. I wouldn't be surprised if Plus X would be one of them. That said I wonder if Kodak would consider bringing back Panatomic X? Anyone here want this film to return?

Larry Cloetta · Jul 12, 2017

I liked Plus-X, but I loved Pan-X, so, yes. I'd rather see this than Ektachrome, to be honest. (glad for any of it, though)

Theo Sulphate · Jul 12, 2017

I would buy and use it.

railwayman3 · Jul 12, 2017

Yes....and the return of Kodachrome....and the return of the happy days of my youth !

But, seriously, I would use Panatomic-X again now.

BrianShaw · Jul 12, 2017

When did Kodak make mention that other films might be resurrected? I must have missed that announcement. In fact, I seem to have missed any serious update of the Ektachrome resurrection since it was mentioned at CES. Maybe I'm asleep at the wheel but talk is cheap and I'm still looking for any real evidence of such activities.

It wouldn't disappoint me if Plus-X returned... but now that I replaced it with FP-4 I don't know if I'd run back to it or not. Panatomix-X was never a film I used much... but that would be a more unique contribution to the available film types.

Anon Ymous · Jul 12, 2017

Am I right in assuming that TMax 100 has perhaps the same granularity and sharpness/resolution? And all that at a couple stops more speed? So if they reintroduced Panatomic-X they would practically compete with themselves? And the sales of one product would eat into the sales of the other? Why would they do it?

mhanc · Jul 12, 2017

Anon Ymous said:
Am I right in assuming that TMax 100 has perhaps the same granularity and sharpness/resolution? And all that at a couple stops more speed? So if they reintroduced Panatomic-X they would practically compete with themselves? And the sales of one product would eat into the sales of the other? Why would they do it?

+1 -- great point. but to happily indulge in the hypothetical here:

i am not a fan of tabular-grain films and not a fan of tmx in particular. hence, kodak does not get my business in slow speed b+w films. the reintroduction of pan-x would change that - i loved that film and used it a lot back in its day, along with tri-x. for medium format, 100 iso film usually means a tripod for me, so an additional 2-stops slower is not an issue... 35 mm is another story but i would still take pan-x over tmx.

for the larger issue of resurrecting extinct films, i would rather see kodak restart manufacturing of some of their color films. e100vs and ektar 25 would be at the top of my list. [sure, i would love to see any of the kodachromes back in production and would pay dearly to use them again, however, i just don't think there will ever be k14 processing on this planet again.]

back to reality -- i am ecstatic over the reintroduction of 35mm e100 this fall and will use it almost exclusively as my 35mm color film. let's make this a success for kodak and then perhaps they will bring back other films that we miss... one step at a time.

Down Under · Jul 12, 2017

Panatomic-X? In a word, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes! Well, it's one word - just repeated, as we oldies do a lot.

Pan-X was a unique emulsion. It gave ultrafine grain without the hideous contrast that seems to be the trademark of every slow film on the market today. You could push it (within reasonable limits) and it reacted well with most developers on the market inthe 1970s and 1980s. I shot thousands of rolls of it in 35mm and 120 - my diary for 1985 indicates I bought 10 100-foot rolls of it that year (I still have some of my invoices for that year which indicate that Kodak Australasia was selling it for about A$44 then. At the time I ran no less than three bulk film loaders with Tri-X, Plus-X and Pan-X. In those long ago days now past.

I shot heaps of Pan-X long after it was discontinued in the late '80s and I processed it in Agfa Rodinal Special, a wonderful (and underrated) developer of the time, which also vanished from the local photo retail shop in the late '90s. On my walls at home are six framed 16 by 20 enlargements I printed on Ilford Galerie paper from Panatomic 35mm.No other film has ever given me such fine mid tones in large prints. With 120 Pan-X carefully shot and processed, I could have made mural size prints. Now no more. Ilford's Pan F is a good film, but in no way is it comparable to Panatomic. I've not tried the Efke or other slow films.

Kodak once claimed its (then new) TMax 100 was the replacement for and "as good as, even better than" Panatomic, as a Kodak Australasia PR rep once told me. I shot it for some years (and still do, now and then) before going over largely to Ilford FP4. To me TMax 100 is definitely not the same. The difference is in the mid tones and the lovely velvety contrast of Pan-X.

Market dictates being what they are these days, if Kodak does bring back E100 (I will be using it as a welcome antidote to the muted Agfa pastels and the overbrilliant Fuji greens and yellows in today's sadly limited range of E6 films), I will be in a state of ecstasy. A return of Plus-X would see me dancing for joy in the streets of Hobart. If Pan-x were to come back... I'll uncork my one surviving bottle of 1990 Penfold's Grange from my fast shrinking wine cellar, so far being kept for my 75th or 80th birthday, if I make it that far. For Plus-X, I would happily crack it open and drink it early.

Gerald C Koch · Jul 12, 2017

Pan X was a beautiful film, fine grain with a wide latitude. When Kodak discontinued itt here was really no replacement. A wonderful pairing with Beutler formula.

Andrew O'Neill · Jul 12, 2017

It was discontinued a few years before I became interested in photography, so I never got the chance to try it. I'd like to see it come back... as well as Kodak HIE.

flavio81 · Jul 12, 2017

Anon Ymous said:
Am I right in assuming that TMax 100 has perhaps the same granularity and sharpness/resolution? And all that at a couple stops more speed? So if they reintroduced Panatomic-X they would practically compete with themselves? And the sales of one product would eat into the sales of the other? Why would they do it?

I think it has more sharpness (Tmax).

What i would like to see is not Panatomic-X 32; i would like to see TMax 50 or Tmax 32 !!

faberryman · Jul 12, 2017

Not going to happen. We need to embrace what is available.

Marcelo Paniagua · Jul 12, 2017

Well, like they say, money talks Just support Kodak films (current ones and Ektachrome when it gets released) and yeah I think Kodak will reintroduce old films again. Its all based on profit after all.

Realistically speaking though, I think they would be more inclined to release products that don't compete among themselves. Recipe for disaster.

Regards

Marcelo

Andrew O'Neill · Jul 12, 2017

Marcelo Paniagua said:
Well, like they say, money talks Just support Kodak films (current ones and Ektachrome when it gets released) and yeah I think Kodak will reintroduce old films again. Its all based on profit after all.

Realistically speaking though, I think they would be more inclined to release products that don't compete among themselves. Recipe for disaster.

Regards

Marcelo

That's a very good point, Marcelo, and that is probably why Ilford hasn't released Delta 400 in large format as it would compete directly with HP5.

pdeeh · Jul 12, 2017

braxus said:
Anyone here want this film to return?

Never used it, rarely if ever saw it anyway when it was around, so don't miss it, don't care if I never see it in the future.

So, no, basically.

removedacct1 · Jul 12, 2017

Why wish for films that were retired decades ago, when products like Tmax 100 exist? While its characteristic curve may be different from Pan-X, it is superior in most every way. Learn to use it well and you will be less inclined to wish for the return of extinct products.

mshchem · Jul 12, 2017

Where did you get that picture? That's awesome. Once Tmax films came out I walked away from everything else. I don't think I have shot Panatomic-X since 1970's
I want it all back, mostly every photo paper Kodak made from 1945 on. In every surface and every paper base
Mike

trendland · Jul 12, 2017

braxus said:
View attachment 182713

With Kodak reintroducing Ektachrome late this year, they made mention of other films that could return. I wouldn't be surprised if Plus X would be one of them. That said I wonder if Kodak would consider bringing back Panatomic X? Anyone here want this film to return?

Yes of cause - what a question braxus and I can tell you in an addition the recomanded price : $ 4,49 a single 120 roll / $21,95 a 5 x box !!!

with regards

Andrew O'Neill · Jul 12, 2017

paulbarden said:
Why wish for films that were retired decades ago, when products like Tmax 100 exist? While its characteristic curve may be different from Pan-X, it is superior in most every way. Learn to use it well and you will be less inclined to wish for the return of extinct products.

Can you say the same thing about Kodak HIE?

Wallendo · Jul 12, 2017

I would buy Pan-X.
My only experience with the film was buying a bulk loader on eBay, and unexpectedly find it loaded with Pan-X. I enjoyed shooting that film and love the appearance of the images.
The problem with the discontinued Kodak films is that they were generally discontinued because people weren't buying the films.
I have concerns about E100. Did EK/KA pull the plug too soon? Or are their trends in the industry that will make a once non-viable product suddenly profitable again?
For Panatomic-X, the issue would seem to be if they could efficiently manufacture the product in low enough quantities for what would obviously be a niche item..

removed account4 · Jul 12, 2017

only if bulk rolls sold for $32 each like they did when i used to buy it !
loved pan atomic x, and it had the coolest name !
btw my saber toothed tiger will be ready to pick up from MIT on saturday ..

BMbikerider · Jul 12, 2017

In an ideal photographic world, if the time could be rolled back to about 2000 and all the Kodak materials we enjoyed in the days gone bye could be available again, I would greatly appreciate it.

Especially..... HIE, Technical Pan, and possibly PlusX.

eddie · Jul 12, 2017

I may be wrong, but I thought T-grain films required less silver than conventional films for a similar speed. If true, it would seem to be a smart financial decision by manufacturers to move to T- grain emulsions. If I recall, the push towards T-grain occurred close to the time the Hunt brothers were buying up silver.

GGardner · Jul 12, 2017

michael_r said:
TMax 100 is the superior film in every way. Some people just want old stuff to come back, and/or they see what they want to see.

TMax 100 in 120 may be technically superior to Pan-X, but availability is about the same...

removed account4 · Jul 12, 2017

GGardner said:
TMax 100 in 120 may be technically superior to Pan-X, but availability is about the same...

but will pan-x paint a room 2 coats in 1 hour, and then transfer the frame numbers to the negative ?

Anyone Want Return of Panatomic X?

braxus

Larry Cloetta

Theo Sulphate

railwayman3

BrianShaw

Anon Ymous

mhanc

Down Under

Gerald C Koch

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

flavio81

faberryman

Marcelo Paniagua

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

pdeeh

removedacct1

mshchem

trendland

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

Wallendo

removed account4

BMbikerider

eddie

GGardner

removed account4

Anyone Want Return of Panatomic X?

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