What developer for Bergger Pancro 400 at 400

Paul Howell

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Just bought 5 rolls to use in my point and shoots. I normally shoot Foma and recently Finess 100 which are not DX coded. My Pentax and Konica point and shoots defaults to ISO 50 so I thought Berrger might be worth a try. From what I've read seems in most cases it better to shoot Pancro400 at 200, I'm stuck at 400 as my point and shoots will not allow for a Dx code to be over ridden and I don't want to buy Dx stickers if they are still being made. I have D76, F76+, Rodinal, and Studional along with the last of my MCM 100. I've looked over the Bergger data sheet and MDC times, still looking for any recommendations for Bergger at 400.
 

woodlandSerenade

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IIRC you'll get full speed with Bergger's BER49 / Adox Atomal ATM49. You can also use a knife & non-conductive tape (my recommendation being kapton tape) to alter the DX code on the cartridges. I regularly do this with expired color negative film to use it in my point & shoots.
 
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Paul Howell

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Thanks I will it a try, need to make sure I get the code right, have not used Atomal in a very long time, like in the 80s when living in Italy, might buy a packet and see how that works.
 

Pat Erson

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I did 8 rolls at E.I.400 and I processed them with D-76 1+1 per Bergger recommendations (that is 17 minutes at 20°C).
The negs looked OK (a bit soft though), the shadow areas were a bit lacking and the film were quite grainy.
Next time I'll rate them at 200 which imo is closer to the flm real I.E.
 
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Paul Howell

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The grain has me concerned, I usually print to 8X10 on occasion to 11X14, but if grain is noticeable might need to think acuity developer to maximize apparent sharpness and live with the grain. I guess in retrospect should have gone with Kentmere 400.
 

Buzz-01

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Exactly my findings after shooting one roll at 400 and developing in D-76 1+1. To be honest I was slightly disappointed with my results after scanning the negatives. Quite grainy (I liked that!) and by default a bit too soft to my liking.
However, when printed in the darkroom, that softness was easily steered towards the punchier grainy look I was going for in the first place!

Still have one roll left, which I intend to develop in FX39-II to see what that will deliver.

It's definitely a grainy film. I printed on 8x10 and 7x9.5 and the prints do show that grain. But to me it's why I chose Pancro 400 for this subject.

IMO Kentmere 400 is a bit finer grained, but if you need 400 speed and as little grain as possible you could choose something like Delta400 or TMAX400.
 
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subsole

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Full speed and finest grain with Bergger BER49 / Adox Atomal ATM49 (stock solution).
 
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Paul Howell

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IMO Kentmere 400 is a bit finer grained, but if you need 400 speed and as little grain as possible you could choose something like Delta400 or TMAX400.[/QUOTE]

I shoot Tmax 400 for travel, for my day to day shooting I have used a number of film at a lower price point, Ultrafine 400, when it was available rebranded Trix, currently Foma 200 and 400 and roll of Fineiss 100, only reason for Kentmere or Panco is I need a Dx coded film for my point and shoots.

Thanks for the tip just ordered a bag of Atomal.
 

Andrew O'Neill

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If I had some rolls, I'd use Xtol-R. I had some 120 rolls a few years back, that I shot at EI 200, and developed in Pyrocat-HD. Gave me nice tones but was not happy about the high B+F.
 

thefizz

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I have only used this film at 320 in Studional at 1:29 for 12 minutes. The negs look good but I haven’t made any prints from them yet.
 

Auer

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I like the grain of Pancro 400 personally.
I use either HC110 or Legacy Eco Pro replenished.



City Frame-140 by Eric Auer, on Flickr
 
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Paul Howell

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I decided to experiment with MCM 100, I still have a liter made up, will need to sacrifice a strip of about 12 frames for a clip test to determine starting times. If MCM does not work out will go with F76+ and develop as a +1 push.
 

Tom Kershaw

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Paul Howell

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After developing my first roll of Bergger and ordered 5 rolls of Kentmeyer for my point and shoots, even at ISO 200 the negatives are thin, printable, the frames shot at 400 are too thin to print. I used Clayton F76+ 1:10 gave and addtiona minute over the times Bergger posted for Pancro in D76 10 m at 68F, using D76 time for Clayton has worked for every other film I have developed in Clayton. I have 4 more rolls, will shoot at 100. I usually don't get all up in the air over how folk advertise their products, this seems over the top false to push a ISO 100 as 400.
 
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Paul Howell

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Found a Diafine quart kit on ebay, in cans should be good, will shoot at 400 and develop standard times, 3 minutes 3 minuets, should get one stop push, assuming that Pancor is a 200 speed film, should help tame the grain, but give full tones.
 

fs999

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I shoot it at 400 and at 100 ISO in Caffenol CLCS

Plaubel Makina 67
Bergger Pancro 400 film developped in Caffenol CLCS 80min @15°-20°C
Scanned with Plustek OpticFilm 120 at 2400dpi with Silverfast AI Studio

Bonnieux • Lubéron • Vaucluse • Provence • France


Suzuki Optical Co. Press Van • Asahi Kogaku Takumar 1:3.5 F=75mm
Bergger Pancro 400 @ 100 ISO film developed in Caffenol CLCS 60min stand @15°-20°C
Scanned with Plustek OpticFilm 120 at 2400dpi with Silverfast AI Studio 9

Rotterdam • Nederland




Caffenol CLCS
500 ml Filtered Water
8gr Anhydrous Washing Soda
5gr Vitamin C
0.5gr KBr
20gr Instant coffee ("Cora")
10 slow invertions then let stand for 80 minutes at 400 or 60 minutes at 100.
 
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Paul Howell

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Very nice, but I want to shoot at Box speed, DX coded with my various point and shoots. The Diafine arrives today. Will mix shoot a roll.
 
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Paul Howell

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I might give Coffenol try, the Diafine I ordered was a scam, the seller posted a picture of a lot of developers including Diafine, H&W Control, a very small package of Mircrodol X, makes 4 ozs, and Ethol TEC, but the description line omitted the Diafine, so when the package arrived no Diafine. Ebay gave me a refund, unwilling to pay $57 for a gallon kit, so will shoot at 200.
 
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