Tech Pan

[Mitya138]

I've known for the last five or six years about the two unexposed rolls of 35mm Kodak Tech Pan idling in my freezer, but I've been waiting for the right situation to shoot them. (Seeing as the film's been out of production since '04.) Well, last week way in the back, lodged between the frogs' legs and the catfish, I discovered five more rolls. So I'm sitting on seven of these virgins (not literally), and I'm anxious to shoot Tech Pan again. Unfortunately, I understand that Kodak no longer makes Technidol, which was the recommended developer.
Does anyone know of a substitute? I would be requesting this from a commercial processor as I don't do my own developing.
Also, should I forget about getting the same results as back in the good old days?
Thanks.
Mitya

 

[hpulley]

Are you sending it out? Where are you? Rocky Mountain will do tech pan. http://www.rockymountainfilm.com/blackand.htm

 

[Mitya138]

I'm in Tokyo and would prefer to process locally. But if they use a different developer and I don't get the old "Technidol results", I'd be willing to use Rocky Mountain. We've got a real favorable exchange rate right now, so it wouldn't be too pricey.
I'll ask around at a couple of the pro shops and see what I can do. Thanks for the tip.
Mitya

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Tech-pan comes out not-too-terribly-badly if processed in color negative developer. Do not run the film through a CN line, though, as the bleach step will remove the image from the film. See if your local pro shop can run it through color developer, remove it from the CN line, and then process as B&W. Developing Tech Pan as color negative used to be the standard commercial process in the US.

The best results are still obtained with Technidol. Photographers' Formulary makes a Tech Pan developer but I haven't tried it, reports I have heard are mixed.

 

[Mitya138]

Thanks, but what's a "CN line"? I'm going to have to translate it into Japanese for the local boys to understand.

 

[mts]

POTA was the developer favored by the Formulary years back. It can be scratch-mixed rather easily. Your local lab might be able/willing to do that. Properties are given in

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1966PASP...78..511L

 

[hpulley]

Thanks, but what's a "CN line"? I'm going to have to translate it into Japanese for the local boys to understand.

You'll need to tell them to develop it in color developer but take it out after that, don't do the bleach step or it will give you blank film! I don't know how many machines will let you take a film out partway but that's what you have to do.

My Japanese is getting rusty but perhaps this will contain a useful word or two:
自動フィルム現像機で漂白剤のステップの前にフィルムを取り出してください。次に黒白フィルムのフィクサーのステップをしてください。

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Thanks, but what's a "CN line"?

CN = Color Negative
line = process, manufacturing flow

A "CN line" is whatever/however a laboratory processes color film. It can be a 35mm tank and a few bottles on a bench, a Jobo, a dip & dunk machine, a mini-lab or a maxi-lab.

A lab would also have a black&white line and an E-6 (color slide) line.

 

[Jojje]

I recently developed a roll of Tech Pan in Rodinal 1+100 9 minutes. Came out just fine. Three turns a minute.

 

[gandolfi]

The best results are still obtained with Technidol. QUOTE]

I have never understood the meaning of the word "best" - especially in this case..

I have developed TechPan in many years, and my all time favourite developer is Tetenal Neofin Doku (now discontinued as well, alas).

I use the TechPan for protraits mainly and here the Neofin Doku gives me all the sharpness/greytones I need - and more..

(I expose it at 100iso - pre-rinse and then develop for about 6 min)

I have found Neofin doku on #bay several times, so now I have the amount of developer I need for my remaining films..

Edit: did a search: here it is.. BOTH types...

http://shop.ebay.de/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=neofin+doku&_sacat=See-All-Categories

 

[Mark Layne]

I recently developed a roll of Tech Pan in Rodinal 1+100 9 minutes. Came out just fine. Three turns a minute.

There was a procedure published for Rodinal by a photographer in Photo Techniques magazine just before the Athens Olympics. Worked fine for me
Mark

 

[Paul VanAudenhove]

There is some information on developing it in HC110
http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/

That site seems to reccommend using XTOL for normal contrast.

Hope this helps.

 

[Neal]

Dear mitya138,

I use c-41 developer for 8-1/2 minutes in a Jobo style processor. 10 minutes for hand processing (Agitate for 30 seconds then 5 seconds every 30 seconds.) Exposure at box speed.

Good luck with whatever you decide,

Neal Wydra

 

[ehf]

I have not shot Tech Pan in a long while but the last time I did I was out of Technidol so I used T-Max developer and it was fine.

 

[semeuse]

I still have 3 rolls of TechPan left - waiting waiting waiting Photographers' Formulary still offers William Troop's TD-3 (http://stores.photoformulary.com/-strse-41/TD-dsh-3-TECHPAN-DEVELOPER/Detail.bok). BTW, TD-3 also works great with ADOX CMS20.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I have never understood the meaning of the word "best" - especially in this case..

Best results == the results I like. Since, of course, I have consummate taste my judgment on this matter can be considered absolute - insert smiley as needed. [Does this really require explanation? De gustibus non est disputandum and all that.]

My criteria is the closer a print from a 35mm Techpan negative comes to looking like a contact print from a large format negative the better.

Other people, of course, have other criteria and prefer a different look.

I am sure your criteria and aesthetics are very different from mine.

 

[softshock]

I've been very pleased using it in D 76

Technical Pan Development (68 Degrees)
Pre Soak 5:00
D 76 Developer 9:10
Stopbath :30
Fix 7:10
Tank Rinse :30
Cycle Freshwater x6
Photoflo :30

 

[bwfans]

"D 76 Developer 9:10"

D76 1:1?

Thanks.

 

[gandolfi]

Best results == the results I like. Since, of course, I have consummate taste my judgment on this matter can be considered absolute - insert smiley as needed. [Does this really require explanation? De gustibus non est disputandum and all that.]

My criteria is the closer a print from a 35mm Techpan negative comes to looking like a contact print from a large format negative the better.

Other people, of course, have other criteria and prefer a different look.

I am sure your criteria and aesthetics are very different from mine.

a smiley would be nice..

However the last sentence was what I lacked.:
"My criteria is the closer a print from a 35mm Techpan negative comes to looking like a contact print from a large format negative the better"...

Me too!! and I can't seem to get this with technidol, but easily with neofin doku...

I don't think the NeofinDoku is widely known in the states (?) - I "never" see anything for sale on #bay..
It is a german product, and it pops up frequently on German #bay...

And I have actually never seen anybody (inhere or elsewhere) that "admits" to using NeofinDoku - so maybe I am just a sole ignorant.

Suggestion though: If you can, then buy some NeofinDoku and try it out.(?)

 

[MaximusM3]

Neofin Doku is a low contrast developer. I would certainly give Rollei RLS a try and use the data for Rollei ATP 1.1...maybe?

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

"D 76 Developer 9:10"

D76 1:1?

Thanks.

I think he means 9 minutes and 10 seconds.

 

[bwfans]

Thanks Tom.

I believe Tech Pan in D76 will yield continuous tone but high contrast images. For regular contrast and continuous tone, technidol is the default answer. Rodinal, HC-110, and PMK in high dilutions are recommended. Diafine is frequently mentioned too but I don't know if the contrast is in normal range.

 

[gandolfi]

image attached: exposed 100 iso. pre-rinse 6 min. Development 6 min continous agitation. Neofin doku.

Not high contrast, but fantastic for skin tones.

Cropped 135mm film.
Topcon Re Super

 

[bwfans]

The images are great. Anyone has MSDS for Tetenal Neofin doku? I googled and cannot find it other than the Neofin Blue MSDS:
Metol ........................... < 1%
Hydroquinone ................ < 1%
Potassium carbonate ...... 5 - 10%

 

[gandolfi]

The images are great. Anyone has MSDS for Tetenal Neofin doku? I googled and cannot find it other than the Neofin Blue MSDS:
Metol ........................... < 1%
Hydroquinone ................ < 1%
Potassium carbonate ...... 5 - 10%

I don't know what MSDS is, but I'll take a look at the bottles to see what I can find..

What I do know is, that Neofin Doku is very different than Neofin Blue (or Red)

EDIT: sorry - no such info on the bottles or pack or instruction sheets.