lith film for pictoral use advice/suggestions

OK, let's start by assuming you have ~600 or so sheets of 16x20 polychrome lith film, or as I prefer to look at it, about 2400 sheets of 8x10 or or 9600 sheets(!) of 4x5 film, not to mention the possible permutations of sizes, including building a 4x10/4x17/8x20 camera. (plus about 300-500 sheets of other sizes, like 12x18, 11x14, 11x17 and a mongrel box of 300 sheets of quartz dupe film (positive?).

After having scoured the online universe, I've pretty much decided that I'm looking at a speed rating of between 1 to 6 and processing in dektol 9:1 (time to be determined).

Given that my photo budget of late is exactly 0$, (and I'd probably have to scrounge up some dektol and fixer, though my soon acquisition of 50 or so pounds of sodium thiosulfate would help that out.) would any of you try your hand at pictoral use of lith film?


erie

I've used lith film quite succesfully in my brief ownership of an 8x10 camera. The film I used was Freestyle's APHS, but hopefully you can make use of some of what I (and others) found out using it.

I've had moderate success developing in very dillute rodinal (1:333 and 1:666). The process was stand development for 1 hour or half an hour. Looking back, I would have done semi-stand (one agitation half way through) for about half an hour at the 1:333 dillution.

Following Jay DeFehr's advice (Jdef here in APUG) I started using 510-Pyro, dilluted 1:500 for 20 minutes and 3 agitations (start, 1/3, 2/3 of time). The results were fantastic. Whereas dillute rodinal gave me dichroic fog, 510-Pyro did not (except one time, when I forgot to agitate).

Look at my APUG gallery for my 8x10 shots. All were done on lith film.

For what its worth, 510-Pyro seems quite economical. I have an order on the mail for the chemicals to mix 1 liter of it, and it cost me about 45 bucks (1000ml of TEA, 100g of Pyrogallol, 50g of Ascorbic acid. I already have the 2.5g of Phenidone the recipee calls for). This would be enough developer to mix 250 working 2 L batches of 1:500 dillution. In other words, it would develop quite a lot of film.

I've heard of success stories with dillute paper developer. If this works out for you, then stick with it. If not, you might try dillute Rodinal or 510-Pyro. Either way, I suggest trying very low agitation.

Whichever developer you go with, I suggest shooting VERY low contrast scenes. That is not to say that you must forget lighting altogether, but take care with contrasty scenes. Hopefully the examples in my gallery will illustrate what I mean (see the photo of my parents, and how the sun light patches are blown).

good luck, and I hope this helped.

André

wait, I just realized:

Wouldn't polychrome be a color film? The name seems to imply it...

I have had very good results with lith film in rodinal at 1:150. About 7 min does it with one agit per minute. I put several negs in one tray and watch them develop. I use a white 11X14 tray so the development shows well. Develop by inspection (with the safe light on). I shoot it at ISO 5 or 6. I love the stuff. I shoot it in 4X5 and in 2-1/4X3-1/4 in my Century Graphic.
Results are virtually grainless. It's nice stuff for shooting creeks and waterfalls, anything with moving water, since it is so slow, you don't need to use a ND filter to smooth out the water.

See a shot on my gallery called Roadside Lake that I shot with Lith film and processed as above.

Rick.

prebathing the the latent image pn the film for 2 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium ferricyanide will allow the film to be developed in a wide variety of film developers.

Low contrast, huh? guess my stash of older uncoated lenses will get some use...

The only "modern" lenses I own in LF are a 5 7/8" Paragon, a 150 sironar (not N) and a 16 1/2 in Artar, all the other (16 or so) lenses are all uncoated, many in either dialset compurs or barrel mount. (not counting a few F 1.0 projection lenses I'm considering playing with, after I disassmemble and mill a slot for waterhouse stops in one)

erie

epatsellis said:

Low contrast, huh? guess my stash of older uncoated lenses will get some use...

The only "modern" lenses I own in LF are a 5 7/8" Paragon, a 150 sironar (not N) and a 16 1/2 in Artar, all the other (16 or so) lenses are all uncoated, many in either dialset compurs or barrel mount. (not counting a few F 1.0 projection lenses I'm considering playing with, after I disassmemble and mill a slot for waterhouse stops in one)

erie

Click to expand...

Ah, I see another kindred spirit has come to the right place. You're in good hands here, notibly the expert hands of Jim Galli, Ole Tjugen and (yes) Dan Fromm. When can we expect a detailed list of your 'stash'? Preferably include a note on how they perform

I'll put together a list this evening, I'm off to go finish up my 8x10 camera, at least as far as I can get without my threaded inserts and knobs...the only lens I've actually shot with at the moment is my 150 mm sironar, it has some slight coating seperation and I wanted to make sure it was ok...no localised reduction of contrast, all in all, probably the best 62.50 I've spend so far. now if anybody wants to build a point and shoot 4x5, I've got 2 coated 135mm paragons and a 90 mm paragon (prob. won't cover 4x5 at infinity) in modified Ilex shutters, single speed (untested as of yet) and single aperture (waterhouse stop type plate installed in shutter) that I'd be happy to unload reasonably cheap (not one of my better ebay purchases).


erie

I've been thinking that it's time I made a list myself. Especially after I almost bid on a 180mm Dagor (C P Goerz Berlin Doppel-Anastigmat Serie III 18cm f:7.2), but decided to check the "cabinet" first.

I had one. The serial numbers were 2 apart!

Back on topic I use lith film in the 30x40cm camera, the buy included a box of 50 sheets of Tasma repro film. I've used Agfa Copex in my 18x24cm camera too, no problems with it so far. I've developed it in full strength Ansco 130 (by inspection, of course), and also Rodinal 1:25 in a JOBO paper drum. Results seem very similar, so as long as the film is no larger than my largest tray I'll stick to Ansco 130. Or whatever paper developer I'm using at the moment.

D-76 1:9 will be less contasty than Dektol 1:9. I have a couple of hundred sheets of Kodalith left. I think it's time to start playing with it again.

Not a brief list, but here goes:

35 mm
MF Nikon Bodies: F, F3hp/MD4 (x2)
Prime lenses: 17 mm Tokina, 35mm F2 Nikkor-O, 50 mm F1.8 E series, 55 F1.2 Nikkor-SC, 100mm F2(?) Sima SF, 135mm F2.8 Vivitar, 180 2.8 (AI, non ED), 300mm F4.5 Nikkor-H
Zooms: 18-28 Samyang (quite good, surprisingly), 50-200 Sigma Apo (pretty average)

AF Nikon bodies: F4, Lenses: 28-85 F3.5-4.5 AF Nikkor, 0-210 F4-5.6 AF Nikkor, 300 F4 AF Nikkor

MF: RB67, 50, 90, 127, 140, 180 w/4 120 backs

LF: Omega 45D, Graflex Graphic View (original) x2, B&J 8x10 Commercial View

LF Lenses-shuttered: 90mm optar (graflex shutter), 115mm CZJ F4.5 tessar/compur, Tominon 127 F4.7/copal-polaroid press (wretched lens), 135mm F4.5 voigtlander Skopar/dialset compur, 135mm F4.5 Rodenstock Eurynar/dialset compur, 2x 135mm F6.3 Ilex Paragon/Ilex special single speed-no iris shutter(for sale!), 165mm F8 Angulon/dial set compur, 5 7/8" F4.5 Ilex Paragon/Ilex-Griot electronic shutter, 150mm rodenstock Sironar, 180mm F4.5 CZJ Tessar/Packard, 180mm rodenstock Sironar-N, 12" F7.0 Turner-Reich Convertible/Betax #4, 305 Caltar/Ilex shutter

LF Lenses-barrel & enlarging: Kodak 173mm F7.9 Kodar, Kodak 7 1/2" F4.5 Eastman Projection Anast. , Kodak 10 in F8 Ektanon (lumenized), Schneider 355 G-claron, 16 1/2" F 9.5 Goerz Artar, 1/2 a copier paper box of not noteworthy misc lenses for future experimentation (soft focus, burning bugs, etc.)

Way too many meters to keep track of, the ones that pop to mind are: Gossen Luna Pro, Multi Pro, Ultra Pro, Ascorlight II flashmeter, Pentax Spotmeter V, Spiratone Spotmeter, Minolta autometer III.

More lighting equip. than one person should own, 5 Novatron packs (1x 240w.s., 1x 550(?) w.s., 2x 1000 w.s., 1x 1600 w.s.) at last count ~12 heads, all flavors from bare bulb, dual bare bulb, to the usual novatron heads, about 8 Silverdome softboxes, from XS to XL, lightstands & Tripods up the wazoo.

Pretty sad, I couldn't even make a list of 1/2 of my SnapOn tools, I make my living with those, yet I know nearly every piece of camera equipment I own.

I missed any reply to the Polychrome clarification question.

Polychrome was acquired by Kodak...a.k.a. KPC, they make a variety of lith films for color seps...not color film. They used to make it up to 60" nominal width! Not sure nowadays.

There are people on the UofSask Alt-Process list using it.