Kodak Precision Line LPD4 Film B/W

wpblaken · May 16, 2014

I recently acquired some of this film knowing that it was intended for a special process and not for the average photographer. It is a very slow speed (ISO 5) film in 35mm format. I'm wondering if anyone has experience shoot and/or processing this film.

http://wwwru.kodak.com/RU/ru/professional/support/techPubs/ti1080/ti1080.shtml

richard ide · May 16, 2014

IIRC that is a direct positive film intended for high contrast. Never saw it in 35mm before. I used to use it in rolls up to 48" width for document copying. A paper developer such as Dektol might work if it was diluted.

StoneNYC · May 17, 2014

If it's intended as high contrast and you want to tame that, try POTA.

Fixcinater · May 17, 2014

richard ide said:
IIRC that is a direct positive film intended for high contrast. Never saw it in 35mm before. I used to use it in rolls up to 48" width for document copying. A paper developer such as Dektol might work if it was diluted.

Isn't Dektol, even highly diluted, going to be more aggressive in building contrast than most or all film developers?

Even HC110 at 1:100 builds contrast very quickly with Litho film, so I'd expect Dektol to be much worse for continuous tone.

Gerald C Koch · May 17, 2014

There are several developers which have been formulated to lower the contrast of high contrast films to allow their use for pictorial photography.

o Burton Developer
o Collins Extended Range Developer
o Delagi #8 Developer
o HFD-301 Developer
o Hode Low Gamma Developer, US Pat 4205124
o H & W Control Developer
o Kodak SD-2415
o Perfection XR-1 Developer, US Pat 4083722
o Photo Optics Technical Area US Army (POTA Developer)
o TDLC-103 Developer
o XDR-4 Developer

The formulas can be found either on APUG or on the web. I have tried many of them but have never found one that gave more than just acceptable results. So good luck and be prepared to do some experimenting. To a large extent the contrast of these high contrast films is built in.

desertrat · May 17, 2014

When I want continuous tones and more or less normal contrast from high contrast films like ortho litho, I've had good results with metol and sodium sulfite mixed so the working strength is roughly equivalent to D-23 diluted about 1:14.

richard ide · May 17, 2014

Reprographic films and papers generally have a very short tonal scale. Some films would go from base plus fog Dmin .02 to Dmax 5.0 in 1.5 stops or less. Even using a compensating developer cannot always pull up detail where the film has not recorded information adequately.

pdeeh · May 17, 2014

desertrat said:
When I want continuous tones and more or less normal contrast from high contrast films like ortho litho, I've had good results with metol and sodium sulfite mixed so the working strength is roughly equivalent to D-23 diluted about 1:14.

I wondered how many sheets you can develop in a litre of D23 at that level of dilution before it either starts to exhaust or the bromide build-up causes problems?

Gerald C Koch · May 17, 2014

pdeeh said:
I wondered how many sheets you can develop in a litre of D23 at that level of dilution before it either starts to exhaust or the bromide build-up causes problems?

When diluted 1+14 the working solution would contain 0.5 g of Metol. Based on the capacity of the Beutler developer which also contains the same amount of developing agent I would say one roll per 250 ml. The working developer should be used within a few minutes of dilution.

Gerald C Koch · May 17, 2014

wpblaken said:
I recently acquired some of this film knowing that it was intended for a special process and not for the average photographer. It is a very slow speed (ISO 5) film in 35mm format. I'm wondering if anyone has experience shoot and/or processing this film.

http://wwwru.kodak.com/RU/ru/professional/support/techPubs/ti1080/ti1080.shtml

According to Kodak this film only has a speed of 5 when developed in a lith developer. Using any other developer an speed of 3 is recommended.

pdeeh · May 18, 2014

Gerald C Koch said:
When diluted 1+14 the working solution would contain 0.5 g of Metol. Based on the capacity of the Beutler developer which also contains the same amount of developing agent I would say one roll per 250 ml.

So, about four sheets of 10x8 in a litre of working sol'n, on the basis that one roll of 135-36 is approximately equal to one sheet of 10x8/

A sharp application of background knowledge, Gerald. Thank you very much indeed.

Kodak Precision Line LPD4 Film B/W

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