Kodak Super Panchro-Press, Type B

[Thorpelyon]

I've loaded up some 4x5 sheets of this to shoot tomorrow, and just glanced at the data sheet that was in the box. Even though the film expired in 1945, it's claiming a daylight speed of 500. For a 1940's emulsion, that seems awfully high to me. Can it be true?

 

[Kevin Harding]

I believe this is before ASA/ISO was standardised. If I recall reading something somewhere correctly, Weston speed 100 is roughly ASA 125.

 

[MattKing]

I believe that Weston 100 was equivalent to ASA 125.

 

[Thorpelyon]

Ah, okay... that makes much more sense. Thanks, folks.

 

[Arklatexian]

I believe this is before ASA/ISO was standardised. If I recall reading something somewhere correctly, Weston speed 100 is roughly ASA 125.

If my memory is still working, Weston was usually (always) 80% of ASA. The GE meters were closer to ASA though not the same. SPP type B was the standard film used by most Newspaper photogs and professional studios around here when it was made and it was usually rated at what was later ASA125......Regards!

 

[Arklatexian]

I've loaded up some 4x5 sheets of this to shoot tomorrow, and just glanced at the data sheet that was in the box. Even though the film expired in 1945, it's claiming a daylight speed of 500. For a 1940's emulsion, that seems awfully high to me. Can it be true?View attachment 157420 View attachment 157421 View attachment 157422 View attachment 157423 View attachment 157424

Most of the users around here preferred to develop SPPtype B in DK-50. Wish we could buy that film fresh again......Regards!

 

[Bill Burk]

I found this film in two references, Pocket Photo Guide and the Weston 100 equates to ASA 125. In a 1956 Kodak Films data guide... it gives ASA 125.

You'd think of it as ASA 250 now if you had the same emulsion in a fresh film.

But you'll probably have to shoot it as EI 50 due to fog.

Now I'm curious about how you find and use a film's Kodak Speed.

 

[Thorpelyon]

Most of the users around here preferred to develop SPPtype B in DK-50. Wish we could buy that film fresh again......Regards!

Thanks... I'm going to try some pinhole tomorrow, with a decade-adjusted speed of approx 0.5-1 ASA. God only knows how I'll calculate the reciprocity! Wish me luck.

 

[Bill Burk]

Thanks... I'm going to try some pinhole tomorrow, with a decade-adjusted speed of approx 0.5-1 ASA. God only knows how I'll calculate the reciprocity! Wish me luck.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll get something.

 

[MattKing]

Now I'm curious about how you find and use a film's Kodak Speed.

+1

 

[nworth]

This was once a very popular film for press photographers, especially for sports work. It pushed fairly well, and photographers could get an extra stop out of it for available light work. I believe Weegee used it a lot. It stayed around until sometime in the 50s. By 1956 most people were using Royal Pan.

 

[Prof_Pixel]

Most of the users around here preferred to develop SPPtype B in DK-50. Wish we could buy that film fresh again......Regards!

Yup, that's the combination that got me started on sheet film in the '50s

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Hi, I just obtained some, should I meter it at 50 and tell my lab, 4photolab.com, that speed?

Thank you.