Thoughts on Ilford Pan F?

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Jim,

I also remember when I was learning to be a photographer in the early 1980's
( and one of my jobs was hand printing the mono orders ) a lady had lost her wedding album in a move to Australia...it was gone for ever, she was really distraught, she contacted us in case we still had the negs...oh yes we did, from my recollection it was certainly shot in the early 1960's I can remember the negs being a bit curly but I can remember the satisfaction printing it and shipping it to Australia and how happy she was.

Do that with d******l after 20 odd years...don't think so.

Obviously a bit 'off topic' sorry, re PAN F+ I do not use much, but when I do I soup it in ID11 and I bracket, but then I always bracket no matter what film I use, but then again I probably pay a lot less for film than you do...one of the perks of the job.

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited

[pentaxuser]

Dear Jim,

I also remember when I was learning to be a photographer in the early 1980's
( and one of my jobs was hand printing the mono orders ) a lady had lost her wedding album in a move to Australia...it was gone for ever, she was really distraught, she contacted us in case we still had the negs...oh yes we did, from my recollection it was certainly shot in the early 1960's I can remember the negs being a bit curly but I can remember the satisfaction printing it and shipping it to Australia and how happy she was.

Do that with d******l after 20 odd years...don't think so.

Obviously a bit 'off topic' sorry, re PAN F+ I do not use much, but when I do I soup it in ID11 and I bracket, but then I always bracket no matter what film I use, but then again I probably pay a lot less for film than you do...one of the perks of the job.

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Simon. It may not matter if such things aren't possible with d****** in 20 years time. We've produced a generation for whom most things are not for keeps and permanence or history matters little. Not their fault. They are prodcuts of the times in which they live.

When things break down I reach for a screwdriver to see what may have occurred. My son, of the instant replacement generation, reaches for the waste bin.

To the OP. Before I knew anything about film and had just started on a night school course I went through a period of trying any new Ilford film I could and simply developing it in ID11 according to Ilford data at the night school. I didn't know about some films' difficulties.

Some Pan F shots were of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire in contrasty sunshine both above ground and in the shady basement with shafts of sunshine streaking through. All negs came out acceptable with some outstanding.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss. It's a bit like the guy who flies a jet OK until he reads the manual and "realises" the difficulties of such flying and then decides that knowing the difficulties he had no business even trying.

pentaxuser

[Neal]

Hi Jim,

Thanks, I have plenty of hindsight to learn from.

Too bad about the wedding photos. At least she has one. ;>)

Neal Wydra

[Thomas Bertilsson]

My apologies to the original poster. I'm way off topic now. But I can't help myself. I just read this and had to smile, a big one too from ear to ear.

What a good story. It's also interesting to see someone as humble as Neal admit that when it doesn't look right it's usually not because of the film. I will be the first to admit a mistake, and that I make them all the time. But when I get it right, it seems it doesn't matter much what the materials are.

I recently came back from a trip to the Lake Superior North shore. I shot three types of sheet film, Tmax 400, Tri-X, and APX 100. I can't really tell THAT much difference between them. Not enough to be sold on either.

Get some Pan-F, shoot a lot of it and develop it an any B&W developer. I'm sure you will be able to produce outstanding negatives once you're used to that combination, same as any other combination.

- Thomas

HOORAY! Good for you, Neal, someone who knows whats going on.

This reminds me of the sister of a bride I met this w/e at a bridal fair. She asked if I did weddings in digital and I asked if it mattered. She told me she had a friend "photograph" her wedding and the film got exposed leaving her with only one photo. I replied that it wasn't the film's fault!

[jim appleyard]

Dear Simon,

Thank you for the reply. I'm sure you do get Pan-F at just a bit of a discount. Love the film. We'll nail it down sooner or later. The fun part is taking the photos.

Jim