Getting some 4x5 Tech Pan -- now what?

[DrPablo]

I picked up a box of 4x5 Kodak Tech Pan on E-bay, and bought some Technidol to go with it.

Now what do I do?

I don't want to waste this precious film on subjects where a currently-produced film like FP4 would be just as good.

My thoughts are only to use this film for cityscapes and landscapes, in which an infinite amount of tiny details caml emerge with enlargement.

I also want to make sure I'm getting every last drop of resolution out of my lenses to take advantage of the film's resolution. So that means only my modern lenses, filters only when necessary, and aperture of around f/11.

Am I overthinking this? This might be my only chance to shoot with this film, so I want to make sure I'm using it wisely.

 

[George Papantoniou]

This is funny, but I also bought an overpriced box of T-pan 4x5. I think I'll shoot something strange and develop it for high contrast, then make huge prints from the negs. I am not sure about the subject, though... :confused:

BTW, T-pan is great for portraits. The extended red sensitivity renders the skin really beautiful, as long as you don't care about the minor details (and blemishes) that'll be visible because of the high resolving power of the film and the format (and lenses).

 

[skygzr]

Paul - Good luck with your Tech Pan! Some people really love it. I always had a hard time getting a usable image out of it. Seems like I spent all my time (and film) testing not much actually taking pictures.

Having said that, TP does have an interesting "look". My few successful images feature lots of fine detail and moderately contrasty lighting.

There are alternatives to Technidol. Maybe some of the hard-core TP folks will point you to their favorite soups.

 

[DrPablo]

I'm hoping I won't have to test it too much. I don't plan on doing anything fancy with the development, so hopefully just choosing an EI, an appropriately lit scene, and a suitable subject will be sufficient. The technidol only cost about $10. If only I could say the same for the tech pan!

 

[fhovie]

I hate Technidol - Always got wierd results. TD3 works well and so does Pyrocat.
I liter Water
1g Sodium Sulfite
.25g Pyrocatachin
17g Sodium carbonate
15 to 17 minutes at ASA 70 should give you fairly nomal contrast - wierd color response though.

 

[DrPablo]

It seems like lots of people rate the film above ISO 25. But I thought one of the tricky things about it was that it's an exceptionally high contrast film, and I'd worry about losing shadows at a higher EI. Or is the higher EI rating mainly to protect highlights?

 

[fhovie]

Much of the TECHPAN I have used stated variable speed on the box - I don't think Kodak really had a specific speed in mind for this film - Also - as tight as the grain is on this film - there is NO ACCUTANCE at all - therefor images tend to look kind of soft compared to the razor sharp looking images that can be achieved with a grainier solution.

 

[telkwa]

you're probably not overthinking it. after i bought my first rolls of techpan, they stayed in the freezer for almost a year before i shot with them. the first few rolls didn't turn out to my liking, but since then i've had great results, including buying some bulk rolls on ebay for 3 time the original purchase price 10-15 years ago.