Shanghai 4x5 film

[Amund]

Anyone tried this film? Just bought a 48 (!)sheet box for $15.99, seen here

The notch and packaging reminds me of JandC Pro 100, so I`ll treat it as such for a start.

 

[Paul Howell]

The last batch of JandC pro I bought was just awful, each sheet was covered by dust. The JandC pro I bought before was very good, reminded me of Vericome Pan. Let us know how the quaility holds up.

 

[Amund]

The film came today, and I managed to shoot a few sheets. Came out very nice in PMK. Very fragile though... Here`s a few neg scans-

 

[glbeas]

Color sensitivity looks a little like Panatomic-X, a bit weak on the red end. Hows the grain look?

 

[Amund]

Color sensitivity looks a little like Panatomic-X, a bit weak on the red end. Hows the grain look?

I`m no good judge of that, so here`s a little crop if it helps.

 

[glbeas]

Looks nice, I may have to try some sooner or later after I empty my fridge of all the other 4x5 film I have.

 

[p krentz]

I just got my Shanghai film today with the custom sticker on it, wonder if they opened the film boxes of xray it? Since I am moving it will be a couple of months before I can try this film. Pat

 

[Jim Noel]

With all of the problems we have with companies dropping out of the film market, I think it very important to support the known suppliers who are hanging in there and attempting to meet our needs. Ilford, and JandC, and possibly others who have not flinched, need and deserve our support instead of our bailing out and buying a film of unknown origin just to save a buck or two.

Also, even more important, I have no intention of using a film which may or may not be satisfactory from an unknown source when it is the most important piece of material in production of images.

Jim

 

[p krentz]

67.00 is more than a buck or two to me, I feel that buying film from any source supports film photography and my only loyalty is my own pocket book. If the film is no good I will go back to Foma, Ilford, Arista film of the moment, which ever gives me the best deal for my dollar, if Shanghai film is good then I will support it by buying it, the pictures look good to me that I have seen, so to me it is worth trying. It's like Satin Snow ground glass, I have heard alot on APUG about it and so I ordered one today(with some of the 67.00 I save on film) to see if it is as good as those who own it say it is. Pat

 

[buze]

Thanks for the pointer guys; I'm new to LF and was looking for cheap film to ruin at my own leisure (loading, unloading, developing badly etc) and that just made my day. The fact that you CAN get good images out of it makes it even better !

 

[Neil Purling]

Does the maker of the Shanghai 4x5 film have a Web site?

 

[Paul Howell]

Does the maker of the Shanghai 4x5 film have a Web site?

I thought Shanghia stopped making film.

 

[Willie Jan]

We tried the freestylephoto http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?pid=1000002161 which where very nice and cheap.

The chinese always rip you off with shipping costs whic lamost doubles with items that weight nothing.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

Going by the thousands of rolls for sale on eBay, I assume someone's buying Shanghai. I've tried it in roll film and it's just curly as hell, not too impressive. In sheet film it might be more agreeable.
I still prefer ERA pan. I heard they stopped production last year, but product seems readily available. We never seem to get more than rumours, so I kinda took it with a grain of salt.

 

[spb854]

Source of Shanghai GP3 and other film

This is one of the sellers on eBay:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Search for "Shanghai" and you'll find the film.

I have bought several rolls and a box of 4 x 5 from them.
Had them express it via FedEx and got it in 3 days from
China !!!

Yep, the film is c u r l y !!! But, I LOVE the fine grain and
the panchromatic tones that I get.

Steve

 

[mike-o]

I would think that, as photographers, we would have a heightened appreciation for the environment. One reason Shanghai film is so cheap is because of some very lax environmental standards. No thanks.

 

[spb854]

Very first picture on Shanghai GP3

Here is the VERY first picture I took on Shanghai GP3.
You may not be, but I'm impressed.



Was taken with a Pentax 6x7. Developed in
D-76 stock for about 7 minutes.

I'm impressed by the fine grain and the tones
in the picture. It was taken under warm
fluorscent lights at my job and he was about
5 to 6 feet away.

He's a retired colleague of mine.
He was 83 when this picture was taken
earlier this year and he STILL acts like
he's 20 something !!!

I scanned the negative and the ONLY thing I've
done to it is remove the dust marks, there were
no scratches.

Steve

 

[Willie Jan]

The first post was about 4x5 film.
I do not think fine grain is an issue...

 

[Paul Howell]

Here is the VERY first picture I took on Shanghai GP3.
You may not be, but I'm impressed.

View attachment 11297

Was taken with a Pentax 6x7. Developed in
D-76 stock for about 7 minutes.

I'm impressed by the fine grain and the tones
in the picture. It was taken under warm
fluorscent lights at my job and he was about
5 to 6 feet away.

Shanghai is reportabley made on a very old coating line that is at least 50 years old, the emlusion reminds me of verichrome pan. Any issues with dust?

 

[Brac]

I still prefer ERA pan. I heard they stopped production last year, but product seems readily available. We never seem to get more than rumours, so I kinda took it with a grain of salt.

There have been rumours about Era films for over a year but I suspect they are still in production. When new they have an expiry date in about 2 years time. I don't know about the sheet film but currently Era 35mm is available with 2010 expiry dates so presumably it was made this year. There is a reputable seller in Taiwan on ebay who can supply any quantity you want. But thanks to ebay's bizarre search system it can be difficult to track him down. But there is also Virtual Village on there who can supply.

 

[spb854]

I did not notice ANY dust.

And......regarding the "lax laws" on film production previously mentioned......get Kodak to respond about how THEY dealt with that issue BEFORE there were laws! I don't buy it! Look at our environment now.

 

[Shangheye]

Having lived in China, I can support the statement that the envirnment legislation is not great, but it is getting better, and that is what happens in a developing economy. We seem to forget our own industrial revolution...and try and deny others theirs. However the real reason for low costs is cheap labour and nothing to do with the environment.

Returning to the original OP, I have not used Shanghai film, but have/do use Chinese Lucky film in 35mm and it is excellent developed in Rodinal.

Cost for me is not the basis of choice for a film, but it's rendered effect. E.g. I use Adox CHS 50 in Rodinal 1:50 to achieve similar quality to that of my deceased Polaroid PN 55 at 4x5.

I will be checking out the Shanghai film, though if it is like other Chinese films, it will suffer from easily blown hilights due to lack of an anti-halation layer...which sometime works quite well.

Rgds, Kal

 

[CuS]

Actually . . .

I will be checking out the Shanghai film, though if it is like other Chinese films, it will suffer from easily blown hilights due to lack of an anti-halation layer...which sometime works quite well.

Rgds, Kal

I have used both the Lucky and Shanghai films in 120 and while the Lucky has almost no antihalation to speak of (though this can give some cool effects), the Shanghai is well-endowed in the antihalation arena and is, in my view, an excellent film.

I usually dev it in HC-110B for 9:30 @ 20C.

 

[Harry Lime]

Has anyone tried this film in a divided developer like DD76, Barry Thornton's 2-bath, Stoekler etc?
Should prevent those highlights from getting fried.

 

[fschifano]

I did not notice ANY dust.

And......regarding the "lax laws" on film production previously mentioned......get Kodak to respond about how THEY dealt with that issue BEFORE there were laws! I don't buy it! Look at our environment now.

I don't know how long you've been around. I've been around for over 50 years, closer to 60. Let me tell you that despite the increased population, the local environment in the NYC area is much better than it was when I was a kid. Back then there were no sewage treatment plants to speak of and Jamaica Bay was a virtual open sewer. Airplanes approaching JFK would regularly dump excess fuel onto the bay. Garbage was burned in hundreds of unregulated incinerators all over town. Many buildings were still using coal for heat and hot water. Cars used to stink, and diesel buses belched huge clouds of black smoke. Believe me, it's not as bad as it used to be. The regulations work. China will get there.