Vivipan A, Superpan Gafstar, Versapan Gafstar

[Andrew O'Neill]

Anybody have any information on these old films from '69, '70?

 

[David Lindquist]

Back in the day Minor White commented in _The Zone System Manual_, copyright 1968, that Ansco Versapan could be expanded as much as N+5 and contracted as much as N-4 "with some developers." Based on that I used Versapan for a while back in the '70's. Then of course GAF switched from making photographic film and paper to making floor tile and such...

David

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Back in the day Minor White commented in _The Zone System Manual_, copyright 1968, that Ansco Versapan could be expanded as much as N+5 and contracted as much as N-4 "with some developers." Based on that I used Versapan for a while back in the '70's. Then of course GAF switched from making photographic film and paper to making floor tile and such...

David

Thank you for the information, David! Do you remember the ISO of Versapan? Anything else you can tell me about this film? I may have a box coming my way...

 

[Paul Howell]

My Encyclopedia of Photography 1968 lists GAF sheet films, Versapan at ASA 100, Superpan as 500. These were updated ANSCO films, on occassion I shot with GAF 35mm and 120, not bad, Superpan was sold in 35mm as GAF 500, grain is very noticeable. Versapan has a very long and stright curve, more like old Kodak XX. The Superpan might have too much fog to be useful, only way to know is to developed an unexposed sheet.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

My Encyclopedia of Photography 1968 lists GAF sheet films, Versapan at ASA 100, Superpan as 500. These were updated ANSCO films, on occassion I shot with GAF 35mm and 120, not bad, Superpan was sold in 35mm as GAF 500, grain is very noticeable. Versapan has a very long and stright curve, more like old Kodak XX. The Superpan might have too much fog to be useful, only way to know is to developed an unexposed sheet.

Excellent info, Paul. Thank you!

 

[Don_ih]

I had a film pack of Ansco Super Hypan. It exposed at iso320 roughly perfectly - I only got a couple of pictures, though, then lost track of the rest of the sheets (I'd pulled them out of the pack and put them in film holders (which I thought I'd remember doing (of course I didn't))). The film pack film is thinner than regular sheet film. I didn't notice any grain in 4x5 at 320.

I might still have a couple of sheets hidden in a film holder...

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'm hoping there's a data sheet inside the box with more info, including ISO...probably ASA!

 

[David Lindquist]

I have a copy of "GAF Professional Photo Products Catalog". It's not dated, I probably picked it up in the early 1970's. Here's how it describes your three films:

Vivipan A: "Very fine grain, panchromatic, medium speed, high acutance" Film speed is 80, and that's just what it says"Film Speed", not further described as ASA or ISO.

Superpan Gafstar: "Panchromatic, moderately high speed." Film speed: 250

Versapan Gafstar : "Fine grain, panchromatic, medium speed, moderate contrast." Film speed: 125 (c.f. 100 cited in 1968 Encyclopedia of Photography, above.)

Catalog further comments that films with "Gafstar" as part of their name are coated on polyester base, other films, e.g. the Vivipan A, are on an acetate base.

There's no information regarding developing.

According to my records I used Versapan sheet film in 1971 and 1972. Don't remember if I stopped because it was discontinued or was simply not readily available.

David

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have a copy of "GAF Professional Photo Products Catalog". It's not dated, I probably picked it up in the early 1970's. Here's how it describes your three films:

Vivipan A: "Very fine grain, panchromatic, medium speed, high acutance" Film speed is 80, and that's just what it says"Film Speed", not further described as ASA or ISO.

Superpan Gafstar: "Panchromatic, moderately high speed." Film speed: 250

Versapan Gafstar : "Fine grain, panchromatic, medium speed, moderate contrast." Film speed: 125 (c.f. 100 cited in 1968 Encyclopedia of Photography, above.)

Catalog further comments that films with "Gafstar" as part of their name are coated on polyester base, other films, e.g. the Vivipan A, are on an acetate base.

There's no information regarding developing.

According to my records I used Versapan sheet film in 1971 and 1972. Don't remember if I stopped because it was discontinued or was simply not readily available.

David

Thank you very much, David!

 

[Don_ih]

I'm hoping there's a data sheet inside the box with more info, including ISO...probably ASA!

Ansco film boxes I have had did have sheets in there - even detailing developer recipes.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Ansco film boxes I have had did have sheets in there - even detailing developer recipes.

Thanks, Don!

 

[Paul Howell]

I have a copy of "GAF Professional Photo Products Catalog". It's not dated, I probably picked it up in the early 1970's. Here's how it describes your three films:

Vivipan A: "Very fine grain, panchromatic, medium speed, high acutance" Film speed is 80, and that's just what it says"Film Speed", not further described as ASA or ISO.

Superpan Gafstar: "Panchromatic, moderately high speed." Film speed: 250

Versapan Gafstar : "Fine grain, panchromatic, medium speed, moderate contrast." Film speed: 125 (c.f. 100 cited in 1968 Encyclopedia of Photography, above.)

Catalog further comments that films with "Gafstar" as part of their name are coated on polyester base, other films, e.g. the Vivipan A, are on an acetate base.

There's no information regarding developing.

According to my records I used Versapan sheet film in 1971 and 1972. Don't remember if I stopped because it was discontinued or was simply not readily available.

David

The ASA for Vivipan A of 80 matches my memory as well, GAF might have reformate their emulsions between 1968 and 1970 or retested and dropped the ASA from 100 and 500 to 80 and 250. Or GAF consolidated their sheet offering from 8 listed in 1968 which might have come from earlier sources as it takes about a year for a book to go from manuscript to being printed. I don't recall shooting GAF 4X5, or if I did I not shoot enough of it to keep tack of the details. GAF closed their photo operation in 1977, at the time there was a lot talk about Kodak somehow paying GAF though a back channel to close up, or with E 6 and C41 becoming the standard color chem, GAF did not have resources to come out with new color films the money maker or Kodak would not license GAF to use any of it's E6 or C 41 patents. I did like some of GAFs papers.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The ASA for Vivipan A of 80 matches my memory as well, GAF might have reformate their emulsions between 1968 and 1970 or retested and dropped the ASA from 100 and 500 to 80 and 250. Or GAF consolidated their sheet offering from 8 listed in 1968 which might have come from earlier sources as it takes about a year for a book to go from manuscript to being printed. I don't recall shooting GAF 4X5, or if I did I not shoot enough of it to keep tack of the details. GAF closed their photo operation in 1977, at the time there was a lot talk about Kodak somehow paying GAF though a back channel to close up, or with E 6 and C41 becoming the standard color chem, GAF did not have resources to come out with new color films the money maker or Kodak would not license GAF to use any of it's E6 or C 41 patents. I did like some of GAFs papers.

Great info, Paul. Thank you!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'm wondering if these films are thick emulsion.

 

[Paul Howell]

If from the early 70s best guess a thick emulsion.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

I used Versapan film packs. Very successful. .

Testing GAF Vesapan 4×5" Film Packs in Mississippi: Useful Early 20th Century Film Technology

Graphic Film Pack Adapter. The lack of a zip code indicates that the adapter is pre-1965 or 1966 vintage. Sealed Versapan film pack, p...

worldofdecay.blogspot.com

 

[David Lindquist]

For the sake of completeness my GAF catalog lists six varieties of sheet film. In addition to those I describe above, there were:

Commercial Ortho: "Brilliant orthochromatic", Daylight speed 50, Tungsten, 25

Finopan Gafstar: "finest grain, panchromatic, low speed.", Speed: 64

Super Hypan: "Moderately fine grain, panchromatic, very high speed" Speed: 500

Both Versapan and Super Hypan are shown additionally as available as film packs.

David

 

[Paul Howell]

In my Encyclopedia of Photography 1968 lists 8, looks like there was a change in names as well. What I don't know is how many earlier editions there were and if the the listing was current in 1968 or was brought forward without an update. In the 70s the fast film in 35mm was called GAF 500.