Pyrocat-HD & Fomapan anyone ?

[SteveH]

All,
I did get out today, and took shots @ 64, 80, and 100 asa. All of the shots I metered as before - assuring that they had a normal contrast range. Im going to develop the 100asa first (13min @ 20c), as my 'baseline' test, just to make sure this neg looks like the others from a couple of days ago. From there I'll develop the other two ASAs at 13mins as well, and dependant upon how the highlights/contrast look, I'll work my way down from there.
I am bound to be successful today !

Tsuyoshi -
Most (and I agree) seem to believe that this film is a close replacement for APX100. When developed in Rodinal, the two look very close. I will bring some negs with me on Sunday, and you can view for yourself.

[Jeremy]

This film is quite nice, but between the blue film base and the stain from the pyrocat I have found that it gives me VERY long printing times (this is enlarged 120) so I am going to try my next couple of rolls out in HC110.

[SteveH]

Jeremy,
I have not tried it in HC110 yet. I did like it in Rodinal quite abit. It also looks pretty good in ID-11/D-76.

[Shinnya]

Steve,

Then, what is the characteristic curve of APX100 look like? Does anyone have data? Thanks.

Warmly,
Tsuyoshi

Tsuyoshi -
Most (and I agree) seem to believe that this film is a close replacement for APX100. When developed in Rodinal, the two look very close. I will bring some negs with me on Sunday, and you can view for yourself.

[SteveH]

I do.....I'll dig it up later tonight.

[sanking]

The blue film base must be anti-halation backing that was not removed in normal processing. Soak the film in a dilute solution of sodium sulfite (1 teaspoonfull per liter of water) for about ten minutes and the blue base should go away.

Stain should not add extra printing time with silver papers unless the film was over-exposed, or developed much to much, or the film is outdated and has a lot of B+F.

Sandy

This film is quite nice, but between the blue film base and the stain from the pyrocat I have found that it gives me VERY long printing times (this is enlarged 120) so I am going to try my next couple of rolls out in HC110.

[Jeremy]

The blue film base must be anti-halation backing that was not removed in normal processing. Soak the film in a dilute solution of sodium sulfite (1 teaspoonfull per liter of water) for about ten minutes and the blue base should go away.

Stain should not add extra printing time with silver papers unless the film was over-exposed, or developed much to much, or the film is outdated and has a lot of B+F.

Sandy

According to Foma this film is actually made with a blue polyester base... I used a waterbath beforehand, but will try the sodium sulfite soak and see if there is any anti-halation backing still left in.

[SteveH]

Hrmm. The more I think about it, something must be up with your procedure. When you are done developing, can you see a 'cloudy' layer in your developer ? I do, and I am assuming that this is the anti-halation. Also, I don't have a blue tint to my film.

[sanking]

I sure did not know that. Assuming the information is correct, what would be the reason for using a blue base?

Let us know if the sodium sulfite soak removes the blue cast.

Sandy

According to Foma this film is actually made with a blue polyester base... I used a waterbath beforehand, but will try the sodium sulfite soak and see if there is any anti-halation backing still left in.

[Jeremy]

I sure did not know that. Assuming the information is correct, what would be the reason for using a blue base?

Let us know if the sodium sulfite soak removes the blue cast.

Sandy

No. The three companies have very different approaches towards base, AHU and sensitising of their emulsions.

Efke uses a clear polyester base for the rollfilm and they use the same dies Kodak, Ilford and others use plus a blue AHU laquer (which comes off in presoak or developing). Sometimes a pink cast is left after fixing and washing and this will clear with a soda bath or some hours in the sun (I hang the cut film in the sheet on the inside of a window).

IIRC Forte uses a plain triacetate base with greyish tone. Havenīt used it in a while.

Foma uses a polyester base, too. But this one has a tint that will not fade or wash out.

Let me cite the spec sheet for Fomapan 100 (from www.foma.cz):

"Base

The following bases are used for manufacturing the particular sorts of the film:
120 rollfilm - a bluish polyester base 0,1 mm thick, furnished with a matted
backing which will decolourize during processing. The backing has anti-halation and anti-curling properties and prevents the incidence of Newton rings during
enlarging.

35 mm film - a gray or gray-blue cellulose triacetate base 0,135 mm thick,"

I donīt know which brand of polyester base they are using - many western companies use DuPontīs Melinex which is totally clear by itself.

I picked this up from another thread here on Apug.