[LargeFormat] film replacement

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Arie" <ariek@pacbell.net>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2003 11:12 PM
Subject: [LargeFormat] film replacement


> Years ago I started to use super xx, then it was promptly
discontinued.  Now
> I've started to use ektapan and it too has been
discontinued.  What would
> you suggest for a medium-slow speed very fine grain 8x10
film to use as a
> replacement?  Also while I'm at it what are people's
opinion of efke or
> forte or any other film that is not kodak or ilford.
Thanks
> Arie
>
>
  Ektapan and Super-XX were two very different films.
Super-XX had a short toe and long straight line
characteristic. The closest to it now is T-Max 100 or 400
developed in Xtol or T-Max RS developer. Ektapan was a very
long toe film, very much like the also discontinued Plus-X
Pan sheet film but with ISO-100 speed to match many color
films. Tri-X Pan sheet film has a similar curve shape.
  The curve shape affects the tonal rendition of the film.
An upward curving shape, like Tri-X or Ektapan, will render
mid-grays darker in comparison to a straight-line film for
the same shadow and highlight points. The choice is a matter
of taste. Straight line films are, IMHO, a better choice for
general use but the upward curving ones can deliver dramatic
highlights for some subjects. T-Max is, again IMHO, a much
better film than Super-XX. It has finer grain, better
resolution, and greater latitude. The main thing to
understand about T-Max films is that they respond more
quickly to changes in development so time, temperature, and
agitation, must be more closely controlled to get
predictible and consistent results.
  Note that the names Plus-X and Tri-X were applied to two
quite different emulsions. The roll film versions of both
were medium toe general purpose films, the sheet films
were/are very long toe emulsions intended for studio use. I
think its unfortunate that Kodak chose to use very similar
names for the two different emulsions.
  Currently, Plus-X is available only in roll and 35mm film.
Its the medium toe stuff. Tri-X is available in roll and
35mm as an ISO-400 medium toe film and in sheet stock as an
ISO-320 very long toe film. See the data sheets on the Kodak
web site for the curves. Data sheets for both the old and
new varieties of both are still on the web site. Kodak
recently moved all B&W film coating to a new facility and
made some changes in the emulsions. The old and new films
are very similar but not identical.
  You should also investigate Ilford FP-4 as a slow speed
sheet film. Its a medium toe film of very good quality. It
is somewhat different in tonal rendition from T-Max but you
will have to try it to see if its what you want.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com