Bergger BPF 200

[Lachlan Young]

Does anyone have any experience with this film? What sort of developers work best and what are your personal preferences and EIs for developing?
I would possibly be using this film in 35mm, 120 or 5x4 formats.

All help much appreciated,

Lachlan

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've shot it in 120 and 8x10. I would try it in a pyro type developer if you are comfortable with using them. I've shot it at 100. I prefer FP4+ but the Bergger is still a nice film.

 

[Papa Tango]

Results may vary...

I have shot this film in 120 and 4x5. On my first trip out with it, shot at the box speed. Not happy with the results, Low contrast (thin) negatives. Second trip shot at 160, slight underdevelopment. Too grainy and crappy highlights. Still too thin. Not happy... All processed in D76, 1:1.

Mistake on the third trip out. Thought I was shooting a Grafmatic full of FP4. Usually shoot that at 100. It was the Bergger. Made an adjustment in the developing time to 8.5 minutes @ 68F, ID-11 stock solution. 1 minute prewash/soak, and development in a CombiPlan tank. Initial agitation 30 seconds, three gentle inversions per minute. Result: a fine negative! I have read later where others routinely shoot this film at this speed.

Some will compare the BPF 200 to JandC Classic 200. While it may be made in the same plant, it sure aint the same film. The Classic behaves well at the 160-180 range, and delivers a spectacular 4x5 negative in a wide variety of developers.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Some will compare the BPF 200 to JandC Classic 200. While it may be made in the same plant, it sure aint the same film. The Classic behaves well at the 160-180 range, and delivers a spectacular 4x5 negative in a wide variety of developers.

I believe that the formula used for the Bergger film has some similarity with Kodak super XX and is, IIRC, made using formulae that were used by Guilleminot (best known to those in the states as zone VI Brilliant).

Lachlan

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I believe that the formula used for the Bergger film has some similarity with Kodak super XX and is, IIRC, made using formulae that were used by Guilleminot (best known to those in the states as zone VI Brilliant).

Lachlan

The association with Super XX is pure marketing fraud, nothing more. The only similarity it had was that it has a thick base and uses traditional grain silver, instead of more modern t-grain silver in the emulsion.

 

[Lachlan Young]

The only similarity it had was that it has a thick base and uses traditional grain silver, instead of more modern t-grain silver in the emulsion.

Are you meaning a thick film base or a thick emulsion?

Lachlan

 

[Papa Tango]

The good old days

I believe that the formula used for the Bergger film has some similarity with Kodak super XX and is, IIRC, made using formulae that were used by Guilleminot (best known to those in the states as zone VI Brilliant)

I have heard this claim as well, which is why I started experimenting with it. Being from an age when Super XX and Pan-X were two of my favorite and stock films, the BPF surely doesnt act IIRC the way S-XX did. This is why I chose D76 as the developer of choice. Microdol was nice for it, but caused a lot of speed loss.

Then there are those that claim the Efke 25 is similar to Pan-X. Not. Have gone off topic, but the days of those films are gone, and there simply are not any "direct" replacements.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I believe it was a thick emulsion, so that it would be "silver rich".

 

[Lachlan Young]

I have heard this claim as well, which is why I started experimenting with it. Being from an age when Super XX and Pan-X were two of my favorite and stock films, the BPF surely doesnt act IIRC the way S-XX did. This is why I chose D76 as the developer of choice. Microdol was nice for it, but caused a lot of speed loss.

Then there are those that claim the Efke 25 is similar to Pan-X. Not. Have gone off topic, but the days of those films are gone, and there simply are not any "direct" replacements.

Just to go slightly off topic, have you ever tried Bergger BRF 400 film? I don't know if it's available in the USA, and there seems to only be one distributor in the UK that stocks it.

Lachlan

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've never heard of BRF as having a different speed- they used to distinguish between BRF (R as in ROLL) for roll film, and BPF for sheet film, but it was the same emulsion. I could of course be completely wrong on this.

 

[Donald Miller]

I believe that the formula used for the Bergger film has some similarity with Kodak super XX and is, IIRC, made using formulae that were used by Guilleminot (best known to those in the states as zone VI Brilliant).

Lachlan

Speaking from my experience, any resemblance between BPF 200 and Super XX is purely fantansy existing in the deluded mind of the marketing people at Bergger.

The film is fine, not great nor spectacular, when you finally determine how you want to expose it (more realistically EI 80-100) and for normal contrast scenes...it sucks big time when you ask much in the way of contrast expansion. There are much better films available.

 

[Papa Tango]

...it sucks big time when you ask much in the way of contrast expansion. There are much better films available.

Agreed!!!

 

[c6h6o3]

Are you meaning a thick film base or a thick emulsion?

Lachlan

Thick base. There are no thick emulsion films manufactured now. Super-XX was the last one.

 

[Rolleijoe]

Bergger

Does anyone have any experience with this film? What sort of developers work best and what are your personal preferences and EIs for developing?
I would possibly be using this film in 35mm, 120 or 5x4 formats.

All help much appreciated,

Lachlan

I've had 4x5 done in Pyro, not impressed, 120 & 35mm in both Rodinal, & HC-110. It seems to do better in Rodinal, but is way overpriced. I'm very happy with Efke 100. My personal preference was EI 125 in Rodinal.

Good luck.

 

[Lachlan Young]

I think we can draw the conclusion that Bergger 200 is not a patch on either of the Classic pan films or the EFKE films and as a result I now consider this thread closed.

Thanks for all your help,

Lachlan