Opinions RE: Ektapan and Plus-X

Hi:

I have a lot of experience with Plus-x but not with Ektapan. Can someone with experience with both (or just Ektapan) expound on the virtures on Ektapan and possibly compare to Plus-X?

I am aware of the state of their production status or lack thereof. I am just asking for technical and aesthetic feedback.

Thanks.

-Mike

Ektapan is a really nice portrait film. The tonal range is kind of like Plus-X, but the spectral sensitivity is a little different--maybe more like T-Max. It responds nicely to ABC pyro and prints beautifully on Azo. I've used it in 8x10" and 11x14".

Why would it be nice(r) for portraits? Is it not as sharp as Plus-X so maybe it doesn't show show many 'defects'? Is it not as contrasty as Plus-X can be? Do you know how well it responds to plus\minus development? If it prints well on Azo, I'd imagine it is capable of a lot of contrast, no?

Thanks.

-Mike

It's hard to describe what makes it such a nice portrait film. I'm using it in large format for contact prints, so it's not really a resolution issue. I think it's a spectral sensitivity issue--skin just looks different with Ektapan. Maybe the gradation in the midtones is also somewhat smoother.

I didn't find it as satisfactory for landscapes, but maybe I would need to use it more to figure out what situations called for it. Since it's out of production, though, I'll probably keep my remaining sheets for the application I like it for.

It is capable of expansion and contraction and prints well on Azo, but since I'm using it in the studio almost exclusively, I always process it normally and control contrast with lighting.