Mystery Kodak 120 B&W Film

[plummerl]

I've been cataloging 45 years worth of negatives. A Kodak 120 film that I shot in the late seventies keeps popping up and I can't seem to identify the name of the film. The B&W negatives all read "KODAK SAFETY FILM 6040". Even with a doctorate in Googling, I've been unable to pull anything out. My go to source at www.taphilo.com skips right over it. Anyone stumble on what this was?

 

[Alan9940]

Just guessing, but could it be some early version of Verichrome Pan, since that film was 6041?

 

[voceumana]

Possibilties: Panatomic-X, Royal-X Pan, and Tech Pan, though I doubt it is Tech Pan.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Very odd that it's not listed on their cross reference table...

 

[voceumana]

I found a reference to 6040 on a photograph (here: https://detroithistorical.pastperfectonline.com/photo/E76F4509-DDC0-4385-A963-313390350633) but suspect that might have been a copy negative because of the date of the original photo. Though your date of 1970 doesn't fit, perhaps Kodak Verichrome (orthochromatic film) predecessor to Verichrome Pan. I've got some old Kodak Darkroom Dataguides I can check, but don't hold out a lot of hope.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The only 6040 I found in the 1998 Kodak Professional list is 876 6040, which is Polymax 8x10 in 100 sheet boxes...

 

[Bill Burk]

Ask Laser he will tell you it’s Panatomic-X

I also have a slew of negatives with 6040 and I had a brick of Panatomic-X I know I was shooting. I had picked up some Plus-X but that’s clearly marked PX.

For some reason I don’t have development records from 15 years ago. But I have a few rolls left. I could confirm this. For now I will take Bob’s word for it

 

[Bill Burk]

Ask Laser he will tell you it’s Panatomic-X

I also have a slew of negatives with 6040 and I had a brick of Panatomic-X I know I was shooting. I had picked up some Plus-X but that’s clearly marked PX.

For some reason I don’t have development records from 15 years ago. But I have a few rolls left. I could confirm this. For now I will take Bob’s word for it

I found a record cross referencing a known roll.

It is Panatomic-X 120

 

[Kino]

Amazing what folks know here...

 

[madNbad]

Here's a reference for any others you may have laying about: http://www.taphilo.com/Photo/kodakfilmnumxref.shtml

 

[plummerl]

Thanks all! I finally found a reference to 6040, in of all places, a PDF document in the Museum of Victoria (Australia). It's a Kodak pamphlet for HC-110. Shows 6040 for 120, 5060 for 35mm, Panatomic-X.

 

[MattKing]

I just looked at that entire document. Unfortunately, the publication/revision date at the end is not readable, but what is readable is that it is a Kodak Limited document - i.e. from the UK.
By the way, roll film could also refer to a bunch more sizes - not just 120.

 

[plummerl]

I just looked at that entire document. Unfortunately, the publication/revision date at the end is not readable, but what is readable is that it is a Kodak Limited document - i.e. from the UK.
By the way, roll film could also refer to a bunch more sizes - not just 120.

My guess on what was partially readable was that it looked like 1970. Understood about roll, I only mentioned the roll that I had!

 

[Craig]

The 6XXX means 120/220 film on a 3.6 mil acetate base, Tmax on a 5mil base. X040-X059 indicated still film ( as opposed to motion picture) B&W with paper backing on a spool.

 

[beemermark]

I looked in my The Compact Photo-Lab-Index last update in 1979 and couldn't find a Kodak film labeled 6040. Very handy reference for old films, developers, and developer formulas. I think I've had my copy since 1979.
http://www.taphilo.com/Photo/kodakfilmnumxref.shtml list film number to film type but no 6040. 6041 is Verichrome Pan

 

[Bill Burk]

It’s funny how this thread really helped me because my catalog also just had “6040” written because that’s all you can see in the margin. I planned to cross reference to taphilo reference but didn’t know it was missing the entry.

But with a positive ID now, it all falls into place and makes sense. I shot a lot of Panatomic-X 120...

 

[takilmaboxer]

It is Panatomic-X. I shot it exclusively Back In The Day and my neg preservers that contain film marked with 6040 also have Panatomic-X written on them. Look at the grain structure through a microscope or under an enlarger. Grain so fine you can barely see it (sigh).

 

[MarkS]

AFAIK Panatomic-X in 120 size was discontinued in the early '70s, which helps explain why data about it is a little harder to find. The 35mm version survived into the late 1980s, replaced in EK's lineup by TMX-100. Kodak continued to use the Panatomic name on an aerial long-roll film, but that was a different emulsion entirely.

 

[voceumana]

Amazing how difficult this search was. Kodak dropped Panatomic-X like a hot potato just after introducing TMax-100. I suspect there were agents in its manufacture they no longer wanted to deal with because of environmental concerns, and limited use. But it really was a beautiful film. Along with Verichrome Pan.

 

[takilmaboxer]

Those were my go-to films in those days, replaced by TM100 and FP4 in the modern world.

 

[Craig]

Pan F is a good replacement for Panatomic-X

 

[Bill Burk]

I bought a bulk roll of Pan F thinking of giving it a try. But I will never run out of Panatomic-X so that box remains sealed