closest tech pan substitute?

unclescarMT

Established
Local time
4:42 PM
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Messages
99
I just shot my last hoarded roll of kodak technical pan. as usual, the results are very, very satisfactory. I exposed it at ASA 32, developed it in rodinal 1:50, and got super sharp, super fine grained negatives that have a nice long greyscale: in essence, perfect.

now I know that there are a few "tech pan substitutes" out there (rollei and efke spring to mind). has anyone used them? can someone recommend one to me? below are a couple of shots from my last roll to give you an idea of what I got, and what I want to try and get again.

4992714133_d89335a009_z.jpg


61534_1431836034884_1202371300_31024077_5849936_n.jpg
 
What is the "best" replacement really depends upon you application. TechPan was a technical film and many applications used its extended red sensitivity. Here the best replacements would be traffic or surveillance films such as Kodak Hawk-Eye 2485. They are fast and reasonably sharp. If its about high sharpness than the best replacement--- actually superior in many ways to TechPan--- would be Agfa Copex Rapid AHU. If its about smallest grain then Kodak Imagelink (another Microfilm).... TechPan got dropped years ago since it was obsolete.. Other films could do what it did.. much better..
 
I've never used Rollei film, but apparently they have quite a range of b&w films, including a Tech Pan replacement called, Rollei ATP1.1 Advanced Technical Pan. Search Rollei films at Freestyle for a listing. The listing makes me want to try some of these films.




/



/
 
I've been hearing good things about the Rollei films. I've got a roll of Rollei Retro 100 that Roland (ferider) gave me, and I still haven't shot it. I'm impressed by the Rollei film offerings. I think my next film order will include a sampling. :D



/
 
I love Rollei Retro 100; which is a re-badged APX 100, BTW. For finer grain I put it in Rodinal 1:100. Still there is some, desired by me, maybe too much for you:

930902547_rZfyx-XL.jpg


997076386_4m7tp-XL.jpg
 
I love Rollei Retro 100; which is a re-badged APX 100, BTW.

Is it really?? Well, I'm in less of a rush to use it then. I have a couple hundred feet of APX 100 in the fridge. :) I did notice the Agfa references in the descriptions of some of the Rollei films.



/
 
The Rollei ATP film is very close to Technical Pan. In fact, close enough that you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference.

It's a very easy film to handle with good tonality. I shot a couple of rolls and was pleased with the results.

Rollei Retro 80S is also supposed to very fine-grained. I've shot a roll but haven't processed it.
 
As someone else already said: it really depends on what you are looking after in your TechPan replacement:

Is it (a) the fine grain and high resolution, or (b) the red sensitivity?
Rollei ATP supposedly offers both.
Agfa Copex Rapid offers (a) but not (b), being "ortho-panchromatic".
Rollei Retro 80S offers less of (a), but the full (b)...

If you are thinking of Rollei Pan 25 and Efke 25, they are really very different films and offer neither (a) nor (b) but (c) very rich tonality.
 
ATP is good, but quite finicky with the highlights just like TP.

However, you are able to do enlargements of 120x80 cm and see no grain yet
 
Rollei ATP1.1 is not so difficult in handling. Just use a low contrast developer with it. It can be ATP-DC (made by SPUR) or the Rollei Low Contrast developer (Udo Raffay), even Diafine or Rodinal 1+150 can work.

Here some examples in 35mm, Leica M7 and Elmarit 2,8/28mm.

1472391183_3623c62fbc.jpg



In detail:

1473242476_ece695040d.jpg
 
SPUR is working on a new range type modular developer for ATP1.1, Tech Pan and micro films (Imagelink,Copex, CMS20/Orthopan UR), SPUR modular UR. In this way you have modular developer parts you can add or ommit, depending on the type of film and format (35mm or roll film). A-B-C-D.
It's just new.
 
Back
Top