What the heck is Neopan 100SS?

cmacd123 said:

The first B&W fuji film I ever bought back in the late 1960s early 1970s era was a roll each of Neopan SS and Neopan SSS. The design lasted a long time. I am not sure but I think the SSS was ASA 200.

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Ah, Good ole Tri-S !!

Here's a bigger scan of the picture above, and I found a couple of other photos printed from Neopan SS too.

I used this back in the day. Good price for an everyday film I think Adorama and B&H stocked it then. I would buy a brick at a time, but its all gone now.
Marvin

cmacd123 said:

The first B&W fuji film I ever bought back in the late 1960s early 1970s era was a roll each of Neopan SS and Neopan SSS. The design lasted a long time. I am not sure but I think the SSS was ASA 200.

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From what I was told by a Japanese dealer, S was ASA 50, SS was ASA 100 and SSS was ASA 200. They used to be available in 120 format, but that was a long time ago.

I can't explain why, but I used to love SS. When Fuji ditched it, I ditched them.

What Fuji should do is release an ACROS Neopan 400 in 35mm 120 4x5 and 8x10. Make a huge run and sell it for cheap. I'm sure the existing formula for Acros 100 can be tweaked to give two more stops and probably a lot more (given Neopan 1600 production ah what a film). That is if Fuji is still actually producing Acros 100 and not just siphoning off the gigantic run that they did years ago.

SS is/was the closest film there is to Plus-X, IMO.

Plus-X was a professional emulsion; I don't think SS ever was (a title that Acros, Neopan 400 and 1600 all had). SS was mostly intended for schools and institutions that needed photography film for their uses. It was a solid film, with just about any basic auto exposure it made a decent image and was extremely tolerant of processing variations; think of it as the Kodak Gold 100 of B&W film. I think Plus-X was a Better Film, all around and specifically; grain sharpness more flexible and 'sensitive' processing control for a wider range of achievable "looks"; with Neopan SS you REALLY had to flog the poor film about to get to do something more interesting than what could be made with D-76, like I said it was a General Film for a Really General Look. Plus-X could look 'tight and professional' at something like D-76 1:1 "industry standard" and all that. ALL DAY. BUT- you could really dial in the nuances of Plus-x; over the years I went thru various 'phases' with Plus-X, My favs include Plus-X at 250 in UFG replenished, Xtol Replenished and DK-50 1:1 (especially with the older versions of Plus-X).
Don't get me wrong; SS is a fine film I've used heaps of it over the years it was one of my favorites and given the price a ten pack or a few loose rolls would accompany many B&H orders over the years so I've shot (and Processed*) many many rolls of SS over the years and I'd personally be stoked with a freezer full of SS. But its not Plus-X.
If it came down to reviving a film emulsion; hands down Plus-X over SS no question.

Plus-X was an industry standard so no surprises there.

Still, I was very surprised to notice how Neopan-SS was closer to Plus-X then it was to any other film.

And since we're on the Plus-X topic, I have to add that I see absolutely no resemblance to FP-4. Foma 100 is closer to Plus-X then FP4 can be. The Ilford FP4 has this unique look in the highlights that's hard to describe, and it visually sings each and every time. Once I'm done with my 14 100' rolls of Tmax 100, I'm seriously considering FP4.

Agreed; the tonality was in the Plus-X style.
I agree that FP-4 is not the same but I can make it dance close enough to mimic most of my preferred Plus-X looks so for me FP-4 is a 'close enough' replacement. I sure wish I made more of an effort to purchase more Plus-X in 120 before it was discontinued.

I was at Unique last week and they had it on the shelf. Like the old Agfa APX 100 it has much more grain for its speed than ACROS or TMX or Ilford Delta 100. It also has much more grain than TMY2. I have some SS in the freezer. I have used it before. Plus-X has very nice highlights in bright light. Ilford doesn't look quite as good in bright light but is better in flat light and can be exposed and developed to look many different and good ways.

SS is often confused with Acros. See, for example,

http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/product.php?id=5835

They have been informed, but are still confused.

MartinP said:

It is an old, very traditional emulsion from Fuji. Sort of the same style and similar idea to Verichrome-Pan, giving heavy but very printable negs. Production stopped about five years ago but any surviving old stock would be ok if stored reasonably (ie. not in an oven or x-ray machine). It has nothing to do with Acros or any other current Fuji film.

Edit: I just checked shipping for fifty rolls to NL, and the calculator gave a cost of $80 !!! I suppose that I won't be ordering any of that after all . . .

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Get acquainted with reship.com

Athiril said:

Get acquainted with reship.com

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Athril, to use reship.com, do the purchases have to be made from a store? I.e. could this service be useful in the APUG For sale columns where
some sellers insist on CONUS shipping only. I think the APUG sellers issue is mainly with time spent filling out documentation for overseas post.

This would also require that reship.com allows individuals to purchase from individuals in the US and handle the export part of the shipping.

tokam said:

I think the APUG sellers issue is mainly with time spent filling out documentation for overseas post.

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And having to go down to the PO and wait on line for 20-30 minutes..

I bought about 100 rolls of SS100 from Unique Photo from 2007 to 2008 that had an expiration date of 2009. It sold at $1.99 a roll (36 exposures) because it was discontinued. I shot the last roll last year (stored it in the freezer). I thought it was an excellent film and I've made many nice prints from it. Has a purplish base.

When I saw it again a year or two ago at about $5 a roll, my reaction was that they discontinued it only to reissue it at a higher price.