TechPan - how to develop without microdol?

[Andrey]

Dear Andrey,

C-41 developer - 10 minutes. It was from an old issue of Photo Techniques. I found it to work very nicely at 8 minutes in a Jobo rotary system.

Neal Wydra

Would I be able to walk into costco and just tell them to use it like that?

[Nicholas Lindan]

[duplicate - remove]

[Nicholas Lindan]

The goal when using TechPan is to get a 35mm negative that will produce a print that can’t be told from a print made from a 4x5 negative. To do this you need to use a developer made for this type of film. Technidol, no longer made, is the best and is followed by Photographers’ Formulary TD-3 and POTA. POTA is a very simple and cheap DIY developer made from Phenidone and Sodium Sulfite; these two chemicals are good things to have in the darkroom in any case.

You can develop TechPan in anything and get an image, that’s not the problem. However, using a standard developer will result in something contrasty and grainy - using special dilutions, agitation or additives will not correct matters. Some will tame the contrast but at the price of an HD curve that is all toe and shoulder, resulting in prints with little to no shadow and highlight detail. Kodak provides times for all sorts of developers with Tech Pan, but these developer combinations are for special purpose technical work - electron microscopy, etc. - and are not recommended for pictorial work.

If you are not going to develop TechPan in the correct developer you will be better off shooting TMax-100 or Delta 100: either of these will produce less grain and have better contrast and, of course, provide 2-3 stops more speed.

If fiddling with TechPan doesn’t appeal to you then you may want to sell it on, it commands a very good price on ebay. The film is also in demand with the Astronomy crowd.

[Nicholas Lindan]

Would I be able to walk into costco and just tell them to use it like that?

C-41 developer does work, however, the following blix (bleach & fix) chemistry will give you clear film.

In the old days, when there were camera stores, you could get the mini-lab operator to run it through the C-41 developer. I don't think the guy behind the counter at Costco would be up for it, but you never know.

[Andrey]

I understand.

I knew it would not take long for me to start mixing my own chemistry.

[Vinylman]

Hi Andrey I read an article here about a chap who developed Tech Pan in HC110, but he recommends the RLC developer. Search for technical pan and you should find the article and it has pics.
Phil

[bowzart]

Would I have to mix it myself?

I have D76 and HC110. What would happen if I use those two developers? Bad grain? Too high a contrast?

I'd prefer to avoid mixing my own chemicals if possible.

Either mix it yourself or buy a kit from Photographer's Formulary. They sell something similar. They also sell a POTA developer designed specifically for that film. Myself, I would not use D76 or HC110 simply because it would be very hard to reign in that aggressive contrast - if even possible. I use HC110 when I want to emphasize the contrast. I'd never choose it to contain contrast.

[dancqu]

APUG to the rescue!

How about a very simple glycin based TP film developer?
See www.wynnwhitephoto.com/film.html TP-78. Dan

[Lee L]

How about a very simple glycin based TP film developer?
See www.wynnwhitephoto.com/film.html TP-78. Dan

Dan,

Have you ever tried this one? If so, what were your results?

Lee

[dancqu]

Dan, Have you ever tried this one?
If so, what were your results? Lee

I dropped TP years ago when the price hit $7 + per roll.
Agfa's APX 25 was $2.25 +/- some little. No glycin at the
time but was just re-introducing myself to the photographic
process. If Wynn says it's good it likely is and with other
current high contrast slow films. Dan