Why was Verichrome Pan discontinued?

[CGW]

Have a brick of 120 Verichrome Pan(1/2004)I really should shoot up.

 

[hpulley]

1/2004, wow that's a late date! I'm shooting late '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s stock right now

 

[Mark Crabtree]

1/2004, wow that's a late date! I'm shooting late '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s stock right now

I think that may have been the last batch. I have a fair bit in the freezer with that date, but haven't pulled them all out to see if I have film from other batches. I really liked Verichrome Pan so made an effort to get some of the last batches while they were very fresh and stashed them in the freezer.

I think about selling it since I don't really have a good way to shoot 120 anymore, but am afraid I'll regret it someday. I also have a few rolls of the last Verichrome Pan 8" Cirkut film, which I hope to get around to shooting.

Here's a link to the Kodak Technical Publication for Verichrome Pan:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f7/f7.pdf

I think I may have some older data sheets that have resolution figures. I considered it to be quite sharp, especially considering this was 120 film. Kodak said "High resolving power" and "Very high sharpness" (which I believe meant acutance).

 

[hpulley]

Thanks, I have f7 already. That was sadly the discontinuation fact sheet It says Diffuse rms Granularity 9 Extremely Fine though I usually shoot my VP126 in an old fixed focus Instamatic with a single plastic element miniscus lens so sharpness isn't always what I'm going for with this film. I love the range and curve of it. It is of course sharper with Schneider, Mamiya and Yashica lenses which I also use it for. I don't think I ever used it for 35mm strangely, just 126, 120 and 620.

So, my 1959 dated and your 2004 dated probably bookends it, eh? Anyone know of any 1958 or 2005 dated VP?

 

[Paul Sorensen]

1948 dated for sale on eBay, just says Verichrome on packaging, not Verichrome Pan, so maybe it doesn't count:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1948-KODAK-VERI...ultDomain_0&hash=item3cb59dbde1#ht_500wt_1156

 

[hpulley]

Yes, Kodak Verichrome (ortho I think) came out in 1931 IIRC but the panchromatic version wasn't out until 1956 I believe. There was an earlier version before Kodak bought them, again IIRC. I need some historical film books it seem!

I will need to retape the old ones I have learned from this exposed one. The tape had deteriorated completely. In fact the paper wasn't in the greatest condition either, makes me wonder if I don't want to respool them onto 120 spools and 120 paper. I have kept a ton of it so I can simply take the film out and tape it to old 120 paper. Since I don't actually have a 620 camera I think I'll need to anyways unless my Yashicaflex will accept 620 spools. My Mamiya RB67 120 backs will not accept them.

 

[mgb74]

Yes, Kodak Verichrome (ortho I think) came out in 1931 IIRC but the panchromatic version wasn't out until 1956 I believe. There was an earlier version before Kodak bought them, again IIRC. I need some historical film books it seem!

I will need to retape the old ones I have learned from this exposed one. The tape had deteriorated completely. In fact the paper wasn't in the greatest condition either, makes me wonder if I don't want to respool them onto 120 spools and 120 paper. I have kept a ton of it so I can simply take the film out and tape it to old 120 paper. Since I don't actually have a 620 camera I think I'll need to anyways unless my Yashicaflex will accept 620 spools. My Mamiya RB67 120 backs will not accept them.

Go and find a Kodak Tourist with the Anaston lens. Then you won't have to respool.

 

[hpulley]

Go and find a Kodak Tourist with the Anaston lens. Then you won't have to respool.

Thanks, I'll check 'bay.

Should I worry about the tape? My 1966 VP126 was fine perhaps since it was still in its sealed package. Maybe the packaged VP620 would be OK too.

 

[fschifano]

I too, cut my teeth in the darkroom using 620 Verichrome Pan and Microdol-X using my Dad's old Kodak folding camera and I loved it. It gave me pictures under circumstances that simply would not have worked as well with some other films.

Why was it discontinued? The obvious and rather flippant answer is that it wasn't selling well, and probably for good reason. The film was designed to deliver acceptable negatives with the primitive and often nonexistent exposure control parameters of even the most simple of box cameras and the sloppiest of processing controls. It did this well at the expense of sharpness. The mid tone contrast improved greatly with more exposure; but the film's spectral response always appeared to be a bit strange to me after I'd become accustomed to usinf something like Plus-X. It was an excellent film for its intended application, but by the time the film was discontinued there weren't any new simple box cameras made in medium format, and the users of these old cameras had largely moved on.

I still have about a dozen rolls of 120 VP in cold storage from what must have been the last run of the product. Once in a while, I'll re-roll one onto a 620 spool and load up Dad's old 620 folder for nostalgia's sake. It's fun, and it brings me back to a more innocent time; but that's the only real reason to use it. The last time I shot some in my Hasselblad side by side against TMY, 400TX, and Plus-X I was sorely disappointed with the image quality of the VP as opposed to the two stop faster TMY. Even next to Plus-X, VP's image quality left a lot to be desired.

So that's my .$02, agree with it or not. Do I miss it as a viable tool for photography as I currently practice the art and craft? Not really. I can do more and better with the available materials from Kodak and other manufacturers.

 

[mopar_guy]

So, my 1959 dated and your 2004 dated probably bookends it, eh? Anyone know of any 1958 or 2005 dated VP?

I dug through my "old film" stash and found a Verichrome Pan 520 Film Pack with an expiration date of May 1958. Hmm, maybe I should put it in a film pack adapter and give it a try in a 2x3 Pacemaker Speed Graphic with some Press 40 flashbulbs. I also found a Verichrome Film Pack dated August of 1948.

 

[mopar_guy]

The 1948 Verichrome has the film pack and the instruction sheet in the box. It is not marked as safety film anywhere. Maybe I should throw it away.

 

[hpulley]

I'll be using my next VP126 cartidge with flip flash bulbs in my plastic lensed Instamatic; it is fixed focus, aperture and shutter speed so it definitely benefits from VP's extra wide latitude and with a plastic lens the sharpness doesn't matter. I use the film and flashbulbs in it for the same reason you do, nostalgia. I know I can get sharper, more dynamic images with modern films, even 'traditional' emulsions like FP4+ but the feeling is different with an old camera and the old film and flashbulbs. Some days I'll shoot with VP in one old camera, FP4+ in another camera and TMX or Delta 100 in another camera. They give very different looks and feelings and while you can make changes while printing there are characteristics of the negative which always come through. The feeling is why I still shoot the old stuff, as silly as it is when I can get fresh new FP4+ 120 for $3.69/roll...