For Sale YouTube Interview: "Making KODAK Film" by Shanebrook

[waffles]

The formation of grain in making AgX is a very "delicate" mechanism. Several very smart people have spent their entire professional careers studying the crystal growth mechanism. They have attempted to explain all the factors to me but I don't pretend to have a full understanding. I understand the results but not how to get there. Tech Pan x415 is a very fine grain emulsion that has grains that are all about the same size. Several steps are taken to deliver the desired grain. This provided a versatile film that could be developed to a wide range of contrasts. We enjoyed formulating Technidol developers and working out the difficulties in providing 35mm, 120, and sheet film. Lots of challenges but enjoyable. Those were the good old days.

What’s really the difference between Technical Pan and Plus-X emulsions? When I read the technical documents the only difference I see is that Plus-X had a “retouching surface” and Technical Pan did not.

 

[Helge]

What’s really the difference between Technical Pan and Plus-X emulsions? When I read the technical documents the only difference I see is that Plus-X had a “retouching surface” and Technical Pan did not.

As far as I know Technical Pan is a microfilm/lith film that can also with a special developer be stretched to be a pictorial film.

 

[Lachlan Young]

What’s really the difference between Technical Pan and Plus-X emulsions?

Fairly massive.

One is a medium speed, normally sensitised, normal contrast, 3D grain, very conventional film (Plus-X), the other is a specialist highly monodisperse, very high resolving material which can (in a specialist low contrast developer & at a low EI) deliver 'normal' contrast, but in normal & then higher contrast developers deliver an array of increasingly steep contrast ranges (for various technical purposes etc).

 

[Helge]

One cool thing about Tech Pan was that it reached to almost 700nm. Which made use of red filter possible without going into very long shutter speeds.
I find however that ADOX combo of HR-50 and CMS20 II covers the ground that Tech Pan did better.

Pan X would make more sense to bring back IMO. It would be practical and have a market niche.
But even that has modern equivalents and part supplements that make it doubtful how well it would sell.
I'd buy though.

 

[MattKing]

Psst - consider starting a new thread - Bob is using this thread to sell his very excellent book!

 

[Helge]

Buy Bobs book!!!
http://www.makingkodakfilm.com/

 

[markjwyatt]

Buy Bobs book!!!
http://www.makingkodakfilm.com/

Bought 2nd edition. Great book. I liked the interview also.