Experiences with Neopan SS

[kxjiru]

I have one roll of Neopan SS I received with a film lot a while back. I've looked at images on Flickr and liked how it looks. Anyone have any experience with it the would like to share?

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

If you search "100SS" here there's a few threads discussing it. I have a decent amount left and shoot it from time to time. My Flickr images using it have the developer, times and temps in their titles:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=38698047@N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=Neopan100ss&view_all=1

 

[Down Under]

You can Google "Neopan SS" and see what pops up. A wonderful film, in its time it was often called the poor man's FP4. Grainy if not correctly processed. I used it extensively during Southeast Asian visits in the 1990s and in 2000 I did an entire New Mexico and Arizona shoot with it, but found it tended to bleach the highlights a bit in super bright sun, watch out for this. After my US trip I didn't see a roll of it sold for 14 years, then in 2014 a photographer in Singapore sold me 100 rolls of it at a ridiculously low price, and gave me a 100-foot can of it! possibly from a very early Fuji batch, 1970s or 1980s. I now control the global SS supply, I think! I haven't opened the 100-foot can, but occasionally use a few rolls for general shooting. I would buy more if it was available, but I think Fuji no longer manufactures it.

I find it shoots well at box speed (ISO 100) and processed in my Jobo, benefits from the usual -15% reduction in development time.

I recall the late Barry Thornton wrote a detailed article about SS, may still be available on his web site. Fuji also published a data sheet on it, I have it but couldn't find it, sorry. Check the Fuji web site.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Nice post ozmoose. I have a few 100' cans left of it myself! Bought direct from the megaperls website when such were still available in Japan. Love the stuff. I'm best get to shooting it more I think.

 

[tokam]

I have 2.5 rolls of 36 exposure with an expiry date of 1968 courtesy of my in-laws in Japan.

The other 0.5 roll was shot and processed about 2 yrs ago. When dried the film rolled up into
a pencil thin tube about 20 inches long. Quite a challenge to flatten and scan. Alas, 40 years in
storage including hot summers didn't treat the film kindly.

These rolls are now display items. Original sticker price was 69 Yen each.

I also shot it a bit in the mid 70's and liked it a lot.

A film I really miss though is Agfapan ISS. I think it was 100 ISO? I have revisited old negs via
a scanner and the grain was exquisitely fine and smooth. I think I was developing slower films
in Microdol-X in those days.

 

[flavio81]

I recall the late Barry Thornton wrote a detailed article about SS

Dead Link Removed

 

[RattyMouse]

What did SS give you that Acros didnt?