What's your most recent sheet film?

Wayne · Apr 3, 2021

NortheastPhotographic said:
I tested 2 sheets of Pancro 400 .

I didn't know Bergger still sold that. Cool. I've never tried it.

5x7shooter · Apr 3, 2021

I've been using an old but well-frozen box of Ansco 2831 to test some reconditioned 4x5 cameras, holders, and Grafmatics for proper functioning and light-tightness.

I can't find any information about this film nor developing it, not on line nor even in old Morgan and Morgan data that I've retained. At the moment, I'm trying a rating of ISO 50 because of the film's age and developing it in XTOL 1:2 as a compensating stand-developer for 14 minutes, but I really have no idea.

Does anyone have any data or suggestions?

David Lindquist · Apr 3, 2021

5x7shooter said:
I've been using an old but well-frozen box of Ansco 2831 to test some reconditioned 4x5 cameras, holders, and Grafmatics for proper functioning and light-tightness.

I can't find any information about this film nor developing it, not on line nor even in old Morgan and Morgan data that I've retained. At the moment, I'm trying a rating of ISO 50 because of the film's age and developing it in XTOL 1:2 as a compensating stand-developer for 14 minutes, but I really have no idea.

Does anyone have any data or suggestions?

My circa early 1970's GAF catalog shows Type 2831 is Versapan and had a "Film Speed" (their term) of 125. No information on developing or developers. I used this film 50 years ago (egad, 1971 was 50 years ago).. Looking at my 50 year old notes it looks like I used an Ei of 100 and normal developing time was 17 minutes in D-23 at 20º C which, quite frankly, seems awfully long now! Take it for what it's worth. Not sure if I was using film hangers and tanks back then. Today, and for many years past, I've developed sheet film in a tray.

In one of his books Minor White enthused that Versapan was particularly flexible for expansions and contractions by varying the developing times but I don't see any specific times that he was suggesting.

David

Donald Qualls · Apr 5, 2021

David Lindquist said:
developing time was 17 minutes in D-23 at 20º C

If this was an old tech film (as in, old tech by 1971 standards) that figure is probably correct. The standardized time for literally all black and white films as late as the early 1950s was 17 minutes in D-76 stock; D-23 stock should be slower working (single developing agent and lower pH).

D-23 is cheap to mix, and there's a replenisher formula for it (DK-25R) as well, so you can keep a bottle of stock solution going for quite a while (old rule is to discard your solution and start over fresh when you've used an equal volume of replenisher).

You could, of course, use that figure for D-23 to arrive at a starting point for other, more modern developers, if preferred.

NortheastPhotographic · Apr 5, 2021

Wayne said:
I didn't know Bergger still sold that. Cool. I've never tried it.

I think there was an old version of Pancro and a new one, but don't quote me on that. This version is available from 35mm to ULF I believe on special order. What a crazy film. It's wildly grainy in 35mm. The grain is of course reduced when you go up in formats so on 4x5-8x10 it's a fantastic affordable emulsion. It has a very long tonal range, especially when you use their very weird Superfine developer. I generally run it in D76 because Superfine loses you 1 stop. The 120 version was coated by Ilford I believe and pretty much every roll I've run has had emulsion mottling from the backing paper. I am hoping a new batch is in circulation that fixes this issue because it's great in 120!

I shoot it in 35mm all the time despite the grain. Some of my favorite P&S images have been on this film. It looks like Super-XX a bit, but it's cheaper and easier to get.

Wayne · Apr 5, 2021

NortheastPhotographic said:
I think there was an old version of Pancro and a new one, but don't quote me on that. This version is available from 35mm to ULF I believe on special order. What a crazy film. It's wildly grainy in 35mm. The grain is of course reduced when you go up in formats so on 4x5-8x10 it's a fantastic affordable emulsion. It has a very long tonal range, especially when you use their very weird Superfine developer. I generally run it in D76 because Superfine loses you 1 stop. The 120 version was coated by Ilford I believe and pretty much every roll I've run has had emulsion mottling from the backing paper. I am hoping a new batch is in circulation that fixes this issue because it's great in 120!

I shoot it in 35mm all the time despite the grain. Some of my favorite P&S images have been on this film. It looks like Super-XX a bit, but it's cheaper and easier to get.

Oh, yikes....120 is what I wanted to try.

TheFlyingCamera · Apr 5, 2021

Most commonly FP4+, in a wide range of sizes from 4x5 to 8x10. Next most common is Arista.EDU/Fomapan 200. I've also added Catlabs 80/Shanghai GP3 to the mix.

5x7shooter · Apr 6, 2021

David Lindquist said:
My circa early 1970's GAF catalog shows Type 2831 is Versapan and had a "Film Speed" (their term) of 125. No information on developing or developers. I used this film 50 years ago (egad, 1971 was 50 years ago).. Looking at my 50 year old notes it looks like I used an Ei of 100 and normal developing time was 17 minutes in D-23 at 20º C which, quite frankly, seems awfully long now! Take it for what it's worth. Not sure if I was using film hangers and tanks back then. Today, and for many years past, I've developed sheet film in a tray.

In one of his books Minor White enthused that Versapan was particularly flexible for expansions and contractions by varying the developing times but I don't see any specific times that he was suggesting.

David

Thank you for the information identifying 2831 as Versapan. I erred in my recollection and thought that Versapan was a generic trade name for a variety of GAF films, of which 2831 would have been one variant in my "alternate film universe".

Oddly, the Versapan film box does not have an expiration date. Trying to track down the time frame for this film through publications, I checked such older references as I somehow managed to retain. My guess is that Versapan 2831 ceased production by about 1975 or so. The 1973 Sussman Amateur Photographer's Handbook mentions Versapan in passing in a few places but by 1976, there's no mention in my copy of the White - Zakia - Lorenz Zone System Manual My 1980 Photo Lab Handbook only lists GAF graphics arts films. GAF is now a shingles and roofing supplies manufacturer, but at least they're still in business, unlike arch-rival Kodak.

I don't really recall Minor White discussing specific films too much in class, though. Most of us used Plus-X in 120 and sheets and Panatomic-X in 35mm in those days. I still have a box of frozen Super-XX, 1-1983 expiration, that I'll probably try one of these days and compare to the Versapan 2831. At least I can still find developing times for that one! 100 sheets of Agfa APX400 in 5x7 became the first of the resurrected older films preserved by three succeeding generations of freezers and used to check out some reconditioned cameras and lenses. Both the APX400 and the Versapan 2831 seem to have nice tonal quality, nicer in some ways than the 5x7 Delta 100 that I have standardized upon.

David Lindquist · Apr 6, 2021

It's in his Zone System Manual, New Revised Edition, copyright 1968, that White notes that Ansco "Verapan" (sic) can be expanded as much as N+5 and contracted as much as N-4 with "some developers." He gives no further details. That's probably what led me to try this film in the early 70's. My GAF catalogue which I cited above includes this about Versapan: "...and can be developed to a wide range of contrast."

1975 sounds about right for the demise of Versapan. Looking through my archive of photographic buying guides and photographic supply house catalogues I found Versapan still showing in 1974; 1978, the next year I have, GAF photographic films are not listed.

You are very fortunate to have had a class with Minor White. I always wanted to do one of his workshops but never got to it.

David

Nodda Duma · Apr 6, 2021

Last thing I shot was a couple of dry plates, both 5x7, to test out a lens I just repaired. One developed as a negative, and the other an ambrotype—emulsion coated on black glass and developed to a positive.

before that was some whole plate format FP4. Before that a pair of Jon Hilty’s Autochromes.

narsuitus · Apr 6, 2021

My most recent large format sheet film purchased from: www.freestylephoto.biz

4x5 inch Foma Fomapan ISO 10O (50 sheets per box)

4x5 inch Arista EDU Ultra ISO 100 (50 sheets per box)

Louis Nargi · Apr 6, 2021

I am surprised there are no tri-x users, that's the 4x5 film I use. I miss the 400 speed I'v been using the Tri-x 320

grat · Apr 6, 2021

2.25x3.25 FP4+ to go in my miniature speed graphic... which came with a pair of Grafmatic 23's.

Kodachromeguy · Apr 6, 2021

5x7shooter said:
Thank you for the information identifying 2831 as Versapan. I erred in my recollection and thought that Versapan was a generic trade name for a variety of GAF files, of which 2831

Some of you readers may remember that I tried some 1960s 4×5" Versapan film packs about a year ago. The results were amazingly good for 50 year old film. I exposed at EI=64. Northeast Photographic developed it for me. Support one of our advertisers.

https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2020/09/1960s-gaf-versapan-pack-film-more.html

5x7shooter · Apr 7, 2021

David Lindquist said:
It's in his Zone System Manual, New Revised Edition, copyright 1968, that White notes that Ansco "Verapan" (sic) can be expanded as much as N+5 and contracted as much as N-4 with "some developers." He gives no further details. That's probably what led me to try this film in the early 70's. My GAF catalogue which I cited above includes this about Versapan: "...and can be developed to a wide range of contrast."

1975 sounds about right for the demise of Versapan. Looking through my archive of photographic buying guides and photographic supply house catalogues I found Versapan still showing in 1974; 1978, the next year I have, GAF photographic films are not listed.

You are very fortunate to have had a class with Minor White. I always wanted to do one of his workshops but never got to it.

David

My 1976 copyright version of New Zone System Manual has no mention of the GAF films, hence I used that date as an upper limit, perhaps an inaccurate surmise on my part. So, my best guess is that I bought this film not later than 1975 or 1976 when still living in Washington DC and then probably brought it with me when moving to Alaska in 1977. What's surprising is how well is it still doing after 40+ years in the freezer(s).

Yes, the Minor White gestalt, if you will, definitely made an impression, although I did not realize that for some decades. I think that it was more the aesthetic approach than the technical perfection but that of course also made an impression. Back when I did my MIT undergraduate and then graduate degrees, undergrads had an excellent exposure to people like White. Paul Samuelson taught introductory Economics, Noam Chomsky taught introductory linguistics, White did photography, George Thomas taught Calculus out of his own gold standard text book, etc. As I said, we were lucky.

lantau · Apr 7, 2021

We have about five small almonds (trees) on a public square in the town centre. Their blossom is gorgeous. Easter Sunday night I broke the seal of a box of Fuji 160NS, which I bought in person from a member of german LF forum. I loaded one sheet and a sheet of Velvia 50 to the other side of the holder.

Unfortunately is was windy in the morning. There was a weather warning for the afternoon. I'm ready, now, to send a load of E6 film to the lab. Might send the C41 sheet along.

In b/w I'm using Foma200 as a beginner in LF. But I have unopened boxes of Adox CHS100II and HP5+ waiting for action. And some Delta100 left from my Harman pinhole camera.

JWMster · Apr 7, 2021

FP4 in D23 is my standard. Now working on HP5 to get it down for higher ISO when needed. Would like to give Adox CHS II a try but they've been out of stock.
Have on hand but less or limited interest in using as a go to mainstay: Bergger 400, Shanghai GP3, and some others like Rollei Infrared for the occasional use.

cjbecker · Apr 19, 2021

Well, i ended up getting another grafmatic off the bay, along with a crown with graflok back and just put hp5 threw it. It is really nice having 6 sheets on the camera without having to carry other holders. Also have foma 200 coming too give a good testing. For a grafmatic fill of film, its $6.60 for the foma and $10.20 for hp5. Hoping I can get negatives I’m happy with .

Vaughn · Apr 20, 2021

5x7 TMax 400 exposed this morning in the redwoods, to be developed in PyrocatHD some evening soon.

Ernst-Jan · Apr 20, 2021

narsuitus said:
My most recent large format sheet film purchased from: www.freestylephoto.biz

4x5 inch Foma Fomapan ISO 10O (50 sheets per box)

4x5 inch Arista EDU Ultra ISO 100 (50 sheets per box)

Isn't that just the same?

narsuitus · Apr 20, 2021

Ernst-Jan said:
Isn't that just the same?

Yes, I usually buy the Fomapan ISO 100 but when it is not available or when there is a significant price difference, I buy the Arista EDU Ultra ISO 100.

cjbecker · Apr 23, 2021

2 test sheets of foma 200. Both with the same exposure to test developing times. Shot at ei125 developed one sheet at 5min and the other at 7:30min Pf130 1-10 at 75f will print them soon but both the negatives actually look really good. Will get them on a light table tomorrow.

Pioneer · Apr 24, 2021

4 sheets of HP5+ 4x5 using the old original Intrepid and an SK Symmar 135/5.6.

1 sheet of AEU100 8x10 in the Deardorff with a Fuji 300/8.

All developed in D-23.

AnselMortensen · Apr 27, 2021

Rollei Infrared 4x5,
Outdated Kodak Infrared 4x5
Shot 10 sheets of each:
5 setups, 2 sheets of each film per setup.
That way, I can process one sheet of each, evaluate, and process the second sheet accordingly.

Donald Qualls · Apr 27, 2021

AnselMortensen said:
That way, I can process one sheet of each, evaluate, and process the second sheet accordingly.

I tried to do that once -- in 2005. The second sheets from that outing are still curled up in the tubes I used then for processing, and now they're too curly to process any other way (except maybe taco method), but I've forgotten how much solution it takes to fill the tubes.

What's your most recent sheet film?

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