TechPan - how to develop without microdol?

[Andrey]

20 rolls of this thing lands on my lap. I don't have any microdol.

The massive development chart doesn't even have the film in it.

APUG to the rescue!

 

[Anscojohn]

Tech Pan was usually developed in a POTA type developer, correct?

 

[PhotoJim]

I had good luck with it in XTOL. I can't remember the dilution or time anymore but it was in Kodak's .pdf. Not sure if it still is.

 

[votrepear]

I think this may work for you

Photographer's Formulary TD-3 Tech Pan Film Developer.

http://www.photoformulary.com/DesktopDefault.aspx

 

[petras@foto.sk]

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/p255/p255.pdf

 

[Vinylman]

Hi I don't know where you are, but I've just checked the Silverprint website and they recommend 2 developers for Tech Pan. MACU Docufine & Rollie RLC Low contrast developer. Good luck
Phil

 

[olehjalmar]

Here is some data for Tech Pan in Rodinal 1+99. I have successfully used this combination myself.

http://www.fotoimport.no/images/pk/rod100-tp135.gif

 

[Larry Bullis]

I've used a modified Windisch pyrocatechin (diluted down) with good results. I could find my notes, if you are interested.

It is hard to control its enthusiasm for developing contrast. I've never cared much for it, because when you do control the overall contrast, the local contrasts tend to become rather dull.

I have a box of it in 8x10. Just saw it in the film fridge the other day. I doubt I'll ever bother using it. In the first place, I think grain is not necessarily bad, and anyway, even tri x in some developers is plenty good enough. Tech Pan has always seemed like a sort of paralysis to me.

 

[Neal]

Dear Andrey,

C-41 developer - 10 minutes. It was from an old issue of Photo Techniques. I found it to work very nicely at 8 minutes in a Jobo rotary system.

Neal Wydra

 

[Andrey]

I've used a modified Windisch pyrocatechin (diluted down) with good results. I could find my notes, if you are interested.

Would I have to mix it myself?

I have D76 and HC110. What would happen if I use those two developers? Bad grain? Too high a contrast?

I'd prefer to avoid mixing my own chemicals if possible.

 

[Andrey]

Dear Andrey,

C-41 developer - 10 minutes. It was from an old issue of Photo Techniques. I found it to work very nicely at 8 minutes in a Jobo rotary system.

Neal Wydra

Would I be able to walk into costco and just tell them to use it like that?

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

[duplicate - remove]

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

The goal when using TechPan is to get a 35mm negative that will produce a print that can’t be told from a print made from a 4x5 negative. To do this you need to use a developer made for this type of film. Technidol, no longer made, is the best and is followed by Photographers’ Formulary TD-3 and POTA. POTA is a very simple and cheap DIY developer made from Phenidone and Sodium Sulfite; these two chemicals are good things to have in the darkroom in any case.

You can develop TechPan in anything and get an image, that’s not the problem. However, using a standard developer will result in something contrasty and grainy - using special dilutions, agitation or additives will not correct matters. Some will tame the contrast but at the price of an HD curve that is all toe and shoulder, resulting in prints with little to no shadow and highlight detail. Kodak provides times for all sorts of developers with Tech Pan, but these developer combinations are for special purpose technical work - electron microscopy, etc. - and are not recommended for pictorial work.

If you are not going to develop TechPan in the correct developer you will be better off shooting TMax-100 or Delta 100: either of these will produce less grain and have better contrast and, of course, provide 2-3 stops more speed.

If fiddling with TechPan doesn’t appeal to you then you may want to sell it on, it commands a very good price on ebay. The film is also in demand with the Astronomy crowd.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Would I be able to walk into costco and just tell them to use it like that?

C-41 developer does work, however, the following blix (bleach & fix) chemistry will give you clear film.

In the old days, when there were camera stores, you could get the mini-lab operator to run it through the C-41 developer. I don't think the guy behind the counter at Costco would be up for it, but you never know.

 

[Andrey]

I understand.

I knew it would not take long for me to start mixing my own chemistry.

 

[Vinylman]

Hi Andrey I read an article here about a chap who developed Tech Pan in HC110, but he recommends the RLC developer. Search for technical pan and you should find the article and it has pics.
Phil

 

[Larry Bullis]

Would I have to mix it myself?

I have D76 and HC110. What would happen if I use those two developers? Bad grain? Too high a contrast?

I'd prefer to avoid mixing my own chemicals if possible.

Either mix it yourself or buy a kit from Photographer's Formulary. They sell something similar. They also sell a POTA developer designed specifically for that film. Myself, I would not use D76 or HC110 simply because it would be very hard to reign in that aggressive contrast - if even possible. I use HC110 when I want to emphasize the contrast. I'd never choose it to contain contrast.

 

[dancqu]

APUG to the rescue!

How about a very simple glycin based TP film developer?
See www.wynnwhitephoto.com/film.html TP-78. Dan

 

[Lee L]

How about a very simple glycin based TP film developer?
See www.wynnwhitephoto.com/film.html TP-78. Dan

Dan,

Have you ever tried this one? If so, what were your results?

Lee

 

[dancqu]

Dan, Have you ever tried this one?
If so, what were your results? Lee

I dropped TP years ago when the price hit $7 + per roll.
Agfa's APX 25 was $2.25 +/- some little. No glycin at the
time but was just re-introducing myself to the photographic
process. If Wynn says it's good it likely is and with other
current high contrast slow films. Dan

 

[sidearm613]

you can find dev times in the dev chart under discontinued data

 

[telkwa]

With TD-3, be sure you don't over-agitate. I settled on 21 minutes with a single inversion (paterson tank) every 3 minutes with good results (with an A:B:Water ratio of 1:1:8).

 

[Lee L]

I dropped TP years ago when the price hit $7 + per roll.
Agfa's APX 25 was $2.25 +/- some little. No glycin at the
time but was just re-introducing myself to the photographic
process. If Wynn says it's good it likely is and with other
current high contrast slow films. Dan

Thanks Dan. Not doubting White, just wanted to check for any additional experiences outside White's pages, as there aren't technical details there on Contrast Index, tonality, etc. I was looking at and comparing glycin only developer formulae just a couple of days ago, ID-60, D-78, Agfa 8, and TP-78. And I have some Efke/Adox CMS 20 to try out.

Lee

 

[R W Penn]

I use Rodinal 1-100 easy on adj 1 over each min. Realy good 14x22 prints.

 

[Neal]

TechPan in C-41

Would I be able to walk into costco and just tell them to use it like that?

Unfortunately no. If you follow the entire c-41 process you will bleach out all the silver and end up with blank film

Neal Wydra