Bergger Pancro 400 H+D Curve with Replenished XTOL for 12:30 at 24C in a JOBO

[Bormental]

Finally, having read so many glowing reviews, I tried this film this weekend. Some notes:

• Yes it has a darker base but I like how this film builds density: there are almost no clear areas on the negatives. Maybe I overdeveloped it, but I love the results: tons of detail in the shadows, as I "scan" with a DSLR, I can recover so much from the RAW file... finally I found an emulsion for taking photos of my dark-colored dog!
• The datasheet introduces this film as fine-grained. Hell no. Fomapan 400 comes to mind when I look at its grain.
• If there is a way to apply anti-curling layer backwards, Bergger discovered it. This film has so much curling torque it can be used in fitness equipment and automotive suspension design.

Despite its grain, I am actually looking forward to try it in 35mm format. This is as anti-digital as it gets and I think it can be used to great effect to exaggerate foggy/rainy weather.

Attaching a couple of samples, unfortunately it wasn't a productive walk for me, flat light multiplied by the lack of creativity, sorry for boring shots:

Windmill

Penalty

Both were shot at box speed and developed in Xtol-R at 21C for 17:00 minutes in a Paterson tank with 4 inversions every minute.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I have been entranced with Bergger Pancro 400 in 4x5" sheet film since I was able to get a hold of some when it was first released. I have not done an evaluation like you have, but my experience with it, is that it has an incredible tonal range and you cannot skimp on developing times, nor should you over develop. Doing either means you really lose either shadow or highlight that is noticeably different. Like all films, it requires correct exposure and correct development for it to work well. If these parameters are carefully observed, then the negatives one gets are fantastic.

There really does appear to be an advantage to the dual emulsions, I have been able to obtain very fine detail in the highlights, and at the same time gotten wonderful shadow detail and not missed anything in-between. In direct tests in the field with FP4+ which is a film I have used since it was released and is my most used film, Bergger Pancro 400 excels in every department just that little bit more than FP4+. For portraiture, it is wonderful with dark hair and light clothing, in that it can hold detail in both, noticeably better than FP4+.

My developing regime is D76 1:1 for 17 minutes at 20ºC; I rate the film at 320.

Mick.

Mick,
My current 400 film is HP5+ in 120 and 4x5, but I think I'd like to try some Bergger Pan 400. My reason for wanting to try it is the "dual emulsion". If it's anything close to the old Kodak Verichrome 100 I know I'll like it. I'd love to see Bergger come out with something similar in the 100-125 speed range like the old Verichrome was. You would then have both large format and 35mm on up covered. I get done typing this I will be ordering some since it sounds like it was made for me. JW

 

[Lachlan Young]

Mick,
My current 400 film is HP5+ in 120 and 4x5, but I think I'd like to try some Bergger Pan 400. My reason for wanting to try it is the "dual emulsion". If it's anything close to the old Kodak Verichrome 100 I know I'll like it. I'd love to see Bergger come out with something similar in the 100-125 speed range like the old Verichrome was. You would then have both large format and 35mm on up covered. I get done typing this I will be ordering some since it sounds like it was made for me. JW

Verichrome Pan was not as mystical as you've been led to believe - it was the same emulsion as 135 Plus-X. Almost all films use multiple emulsions today and essentially all 200+ speed films use multiple layers in coating. What was pioneering in the 1930's with multiple emulsions on Verichrome is just marketing speak today.

 

[MattKing]

Bob Shanebrook (laser here on Photrio) has posted that during its last years of production Verichrome Pan and Plus-X were part of his responsibility in his work at Eastman Kodak, and that they did share the same emulsion.
The differences between the films centred on their using different anti-halation solutions, leading to Verichrome Pan being better able to survive incorrect exposure..

 

[Lachlan Young]

The differences between the films centred on their using different anti-halation solutions, leading to Verichrome Pan being better able to survive incorrect exposure..

That's not my understanding: essentially VP used a dyed base to provide some degree of anti-halation rather than a clear base and anti-halation layer like most other 120 film - a measure intended to control costs relative to the price point most of its consumers were willing to pay. Both emulsion sets will have had about the same latitude, though a degree of halation/ internal flare might have helped raise the effective shadow speed in some circumstances.

 

[MattKing]

I think we may be interpreting "leading" differently.
Much of the current reverence for Verichrome Pan memories probably results from all that "nice" shadow detail enhancing flare. The fact that it helped people get more usable results from their 120 and, in particular, 620 box cameras probably helped it stay around even longer than it might have.
The fact that it was only there because it helped control costs doesn't detract from the fact that people got results they liked - even if their memory of those results may have been "enhanced" by the passage of time.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

I would still warn people off the 120 version of this film for now. It definitely has a bad backing paper issue. I had my own experiences which I posted, about, but I'm seeing it on client film as well.

Hope they work this out because it's a great film for 120.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I think we may be interpreting "leading" differently.
Much of the current reverence for Verichrome Pan memories probably results from all that "nice" shadow detail enhancing flare. The fact that it helped people get more usable results from their 120 and, in particular, 620 box cameras probably helped it stay around even longer than it might have.
The fact that it was only there because it helped control costs doesn't detract from the fact that people got results they liked - even if their memory of those results may have been "enhanced" by the passage of time.

Matt,
I didn't mean to start any trouble with the mention of Verichrome Pan, but I do remember using and liking it a lot. It was said to have a two-speed emulsion. That was never said by Kodak so it was probably just hearsay. Growing up as a kid my father used a Target Six-sixteen box camera to record our family events and the drug store for processing. He was very Dutch and anything more expensive(camera or film) was out of the question. My mother, who is now 89, still has the albums with those prints in them. As far as I can remember back, most if not all those family pictures were on Verichrome Pan. It even went in my first camera, which was a 1959/60 Sputnik 127 camera. My very first head and shoulders portrait was made with Verichrome Pan. it was also my first lesson in parallax correction since it was only half a head and all shoulders. In the mid 70's I bought a Kodak Medalist II and Verichrome Pan 620 went through that also. It even was used in my first Hasselblad 500C. I processed my own film from both of those cameras and found Verichrome Pan was not picky processing wise or developer wise. It did nothing outstanding, but everything very good. Maybe it was its ease of use that I liked the best? Yes, it was certainly a simple film to use and as I get older I think that's what I miss the most. Things sure seem a lot more complicated at 70 yrs old than they did at 25 or 30 yrs. old. I got 4 rolls of 120 and a box of 4x5 Berrger on its way from B&H. If this turns out to be as good as the old Verichrome Pan in quality and ease of use I might become a religious user. Its price is certainly in my ballpark. JW

 

[miha]

Does this Pancro film, made by Filmotec, a company founded by Agfa engineers, (with Agfa machinery?) resemble the original Agfapan APX 400 in any way?

 

[Lachlan Young]

It was said to have a two-speed emulsion

Most modern films have at least three different speeds of emulsions that average out to give the box speed (400 speed may have a set of 200,400, 800) - while Verichrome was an early example of this approach for better latitude & more optimal curve shape control, it was not unique.

Does this Pancro film, made by Filmotec, a company founded by Agfa engineers, (with Agfa machinery?) resemble the original Agfapan APX 400 in any way?

It's made by Inoviscoat which was founded by ex Agfa Leverkusen engineers, not Filmotec/Orwo.

From what I understand it's derived from an early 2010's re-engineering of Agfapan 400 to give behaviour closer to Tri-X 400 (ie sharper toe and shoulder). Initially, it looked like it might be picked up and marketed by Adox. Not sure how much sensitising dyes were/ had to be changed. How much it resembles original APX 400 will depend on what aspects of Agfapan perceptually mattered to you.

 

[miha]

It's made by Inoviscoat which was founded by ex Agfa Leverkusen engineers, not Filmotec/Orwo.

From what I understand it's derived from an early 2010's re-engineering of Agfapan 400 to give behaviour closer to Tri-X 400 (ie sharper toe and shoulder). Initially, it looked like it might be picked up and marketed by Adox. Not sure how much sensitising dyes were/ had to be changed. How much it resembles original APX 400 will depend on what aspects of Agfapan perceptually mattered to you.

Sure, I meant InovisCoat, Filmotec has no own coating line. Sorry.
Anyway, good to hear there is some Agfa DNA in it. As for ADOX, I remember they made their own 400 ISO film quite many years ago, just one coating run, probably at InovisCoat as this was in 2010 if my memory serves me.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Anyway, good to hear there is some Agfa DNA in it. As for ADOX, I remember they made their own 400 ISO film quite many years ago, just one coating run, probably at InovisCoat as this was in 2010 if my memory serves me.

I'm not sure if ADOX Pan 400 was an intermediate evolutionary step or essentially exactly the same as Pancro 400 - I'd forgotten that they'd had got as far as making a batch. I recall there were quite a few reasons why they didn't proceed, but I can't immediately find all the details. I think Pan 400 was supposed to be an 'improved' APX 400.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Most modern films have at least three different speeds of emulsions that average out to give the box speed (400 speed may have a set of 200,400, 800) - while Verichrome was an early example of this approach for better latitude & more optimal curve shape control, it was not unique.




It's made by Inoviscoat which was founded by ex Agfa Leverkusen engineers, not Filmotec/Orwo.

From what I understand it's derived from an early 2010's re-engineering of Agfapan 400 to give behaviour closer to Tri-X 400 (ie sharper toe and shoulder). Initially, it looked like it might be picked up and marketed by Adox. Not sure how much sensitising dyes were/ had to be changed. How much it resembles original APX 400 will depend on what aspects of Agfapan perceptually mattered to you.

Thanks Lachlan for that bit of information. All I know is that it was a very easy film to "master" compared to some modern films and some older, like Foma.B&W films. I checked my order from B&H and it looks like the 4x5 Berrger won't be getting here right away, but the 120 will. I'll post my findings after playing with the film for a while. JW