If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Technical Pan
Dear friends:
Recently I have shot many portraits and human photos using Kodak Technical Pan film.I've heard it is a "no grain" film,and so the ISO is not given on its box. I have used it with my Nikon F-100 camera programmed at ISO 50. I noticed that some photos were slightly dark and that the contrast was not that big even when amplified. Would someone tell me how to get the best results with this film when shooting portraits indoors or outdoors? Any ISO number recommended? Does it need a lot of light? Does the result have to do with the processing procedures? Thanks in advance. Joao Sousa (Portugal) |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Technical Pan
Tech Pan film originated as a film for making high contrast copies of
documents. If it is exposed at a rather high ISO (~200) and developed in a high contrast developer, you get only pure blacks and pure whites with nothing in between. However, photogs found that when exposed liberally (ISO 25) and processed with a very low-contrast developer (POTA) it could produce very fine-grained negs that produced an image of near-normal gray scale. IMO, Tech Pan is probably one of the best ever portrait films. Its extended red sensitivity gives a brightness and smoothness to skin tones that no other film can match. I have found that POTA developers that use highly diluted Metol leave a lot to be desired. PPD based developers are notoriously low contrast and add a degree of softness that I think works superbly with Tech Pan. The only readily available PPD based devs available today are the C41 devs used in every film lab in the world. Yes, C41 is a color process and Tech Pan is a B&W film, but that doesn't matter. I shoot TP at EI64 and develop in C41 dev for 8 mins at 68F with normal agitation (none of those minimal agitation techniques are necessary with C41 dev). After development, the rest of the process is the same as conventional B&W (stop, fix, wash). Do not use the bleach portion of the C41 process, use just the developer. KB "Joao Pedro Sousa" wrote in message ... Dear friends: Recently I have shot many portraits and human photos using Kodak Technical Pan film.I've heard it is a "no grain" film,and so the ISO is not given on its box. I have used it with my Nikon F-100 camera programmed at ISO 50. I noticed that some photos were slightly dark and that the contrast was not that big even when amplified. Would someone tell me how to get the best results with this film when shooting portraits indoors or outdoors? Any ISO number recommended? Does it need a lot of light? Does the result have to do with the processing procedures? Thanks in advance. Joao Sousa (Portugal) |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Technical Pan
Most people use Technical Pan at an EI of about 25 - 32. (Yes, it needs
light.)Some experimentation is needed to find out what is right for your camera, processing, and style. Several developers can be used to get continuous tone negatives. Kodak recommends Technidol, which is similar to (but not the same as) POTA. C-41 developer (followed by black and white stop bath and fixer) is said to be excellent as well. Rodinal at a dilution of 1:300 for 12 - 15 minutes has recently been recommended. Even highly diluted HC-110 works decently. "Joao Pedro Sousa" wrote in message ... Dear friends: Recently I have shot many portraits and human photos using Kodak Technical Pan film.I've heard it is a "no grain" film,and so the ISO is not given on its box. I have used it with my Nikon F-100 camera programmed at ISO 50. I noticed that some photos were slightly dark and that the contrast was not that big even when amplified. Would someone tell me how to get the best results with this film when shooting portraits indoors or outdoors? Any ISO number recommended? Does it need a lot of light? Does the result have to do with the processing procedures? Thanks in advance. Joao Sousa (Portugal) |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Looking for T-Max or Technical pan glass plates | C. L?pez | In The Darkroom | 11 | June 10th 04 03:42 AM |
MF & Technical Pan, looking for optimum sharpness | Philippe Lauwers | In The Darkroom | 38 | April 25th 04 12:23 AM |