Classic Pan 400 from J&C, yup still got some - Dev in PyroCat-HD

[Eric Rose]

Actually I have a friggen boat load of the stuff in 35mm. Gave up on it when I was still using HC110 and Rodinal as it was VERY GRAINY. I don't mean just a little grainy, I mean get out the baseball bat grainy.

Anyway I have some time so decided to find a winning PyroCat combination. Did a test from 25 to 3200 ASA (sorry you young'ns ISO is not part of my world). Camera used, Nikon F5, Nikkor 50mm f1.4 all in manual mode (really is there any other mode for REAL photographers )

PyroCat-HD 1:1:100
Time: 25 minutes
Agitation: first 30 seconds and then one shake at the half way mark.
Water stop
Fixed in stinky Ilford stuff.

100 ASA turned out to be the magic speed. Did a quick look see using my Pentax 5.5x loupe and the grain didn't jump out at me and give me a black eye. Will put it in the enlarger when it dries and see what the grain focuser shows.

Stay tuned. Breaking News will be shared as it comes in.

BTW this version of CP400 was purchased from John at J&C just before he closed up so is probably the "improved" version. Whatever that means.

 

[Eric Rose]

Ok boys and girls, I have looked at the results in the enlarger and the grain structure is somewhere between FP4 and HP5. Seems to have a very long toe and a hugable belly. I set up my Blad next to my M4, because I like shiny things, on a crumpled up white pillow case. Have a wide tonal range in the setup. Should be interesting to see the print.

 

[removed account4]

hi eric

years ago the late tim atherton ( RIP) started this thread
http://www.largeformatphotography.i...hp?11217-Forte-Efke-J-C-Freestyle-100-200-400
it was 12 years ago in 2004 when the rebranding game was in full tilt.
what a mess !

photo warehouse was selling ilford, j+c was selling efke ( adox ) and rebranded forte which was also bragger which was
J/c 200_400. freestyle was selling forte or was it adox, no, it was kodak, depending on the speed ...
its great to read you have and are playing with your j+c !
i had some 5x7 efke bought just before they moved to their new warehouse just before john got sick went to the hospital
just before the warehouse was raided, film stolen and his company went down in flames. ... what weird times !

back in those days, i shot a bunch of j+c 200 and 400 120 film and LOVED IT, it was beautiful midtones not too snappy but nice brooding contrast
that was when it was newish not 12 years old and so different from things sold nowish.
i can just imagine how nice that film looks now ! im happy to read you kept it far from the evil cosmic rays ! ...
and i hope you post some images from your new found/bought rolls !

 

[Eric Rose]

The film has sat in my film fridge all this time. One thing I notice when I loaded it into the reel was how thick it is. I still have lots of Efke PL100 in 4x5 as well. Still using it. Great stuff.

 

[MattKing]

How is the curl ?

Admittedly, it was 120 sized J & C film that I found to be incredibly curly in its day.

 

[Eric Rose]

Actually the curl is not to bad. I find Ilford 120 film to be much more curly than this stuff. Although I cut off the roll in the camera and only souped what I had exposed. Maybe with an entire 36 exposures I might find myself tied up on the darkroom floor.

 

[Ian Grant]

Actually Classic Pan was the Fotoimpex name for Fortepan films, they bought the entire last 2 production runs of film & paper. J&C were distributors for Fotoimpex who now own the German Adox trade name.

The Forte films were derived from the pre-WWII Kodak films like Super X and Tri-X both of which were made and coated in Hungary at Kodak Ltd's factory there which was nationalised after WWII and became Forte.

I still have 4 boxes of 10x8 Classic Pan 200 which is a really nice film.

Ian

 

[Nige]

still got heaps of J&C 400 in 4x5... I bought 600+ sheets. Also have a few 120 rolls of 100 & 200 (liked the 100 for the nifty containers they came in!)

I agree it's grainy stuff & the roll film is curly!

 

[Agulliver]

I still have a couple of 120 rolls of Classic Pan 200....I quite like it, gives a peaceful look to still life and landscape shots. But it does curl like (insert expletive).

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

Yes Classic Pan 200 that was a nice film in 120 with older lenses. I think I may have a few boxes of it in 2x3 in the freezer I should check...

 

[juan]

I've got a bunch of Classic 400 in 35mm, too. I've had good luck shooting it at 200 and developing in Pyrocat 1:1:100 for 20 minutes at 75F with one minute initial agitation and 5 seconds each 5 minutes.

 

[Eric Rose]

Ok here is the test image I did. I did no burning or dodging on the print. I was simply looking at how the film would hold shadows, highlights and midtones. Plus how grainy it would be. Well the print showed very little grain compared to when I shot it at 400 asa and souped it in HC110. The northern light from the dining room was soft. For a film test I think it hit all the bases. I was at f2 on my 50mm Nikkor f1.4 MF lens. Plus I was crammed into a corner so if the focus was off it was due to my swaying a bit.

So what do you think?