Topic: Kodak Contrast Process Pan Film Test

[Bryan]

I recently purchased this box of 4X5 film knowing that it had been cold stored for at least part of it's life.  It's Kodak Contrast Process Panchromatic Film for making copies of printed matter and other line originals.  The expiration date is January 1961.  I thought it may have an interesting high contrast look to it.  The data sheet rates it at ASA 100 so I loaded a sheet and did a test to see what I should rate it at, assuming it has lost some speed and contrast like the data sheet says it will do over time.  Doesn't look like it has lost much speed over time but the contrast seems to be quite normal. 

The shot is out my back door focusing and metering on the fence at ISO 100.  I shot it at f/8 1/100, it was an overcast day.  For the first shot, right hand side, I opened the dark slide 1 inch, then 1 more inch for each shot after that at the same f-stop and shutter speed, effectively halving the ISO each time.  For the test I developed it in beer since that is likely what I will use going forward.  Maybe another developer would give more contrast but I don't think it would be significant.  I can't find much information on this film other than my data sheet, does anyone else have any experience with it?  I'm thinking I'll probably shoot it at around ISO 50 or 25.  I may cut some down to 9X12 to use in my ICA Trona. 

[Francois]

I have the Photographic Lab Handbook (1977) but it's more than likely that I would get the same information.
Just checked and somebody removed a few pages in that section... bummer.

It seems that film has been out of production for a long time. I just checked another book on the OpenLibrary that was published in the late 70's and the film was already gone from the edition.

But from what I can gather by looking at the ortho version, using Dektol should yield very high contrast... just like it does for just about any film.

[Bryan]

I have some old Kodak handbooks, I’ll have to take a look through them.  I’m interested if anyone else has shot this stuff like I intend, not making copies of written text. 

[Francois]

I've found some information on the internet archive and it recommends id-11 and another one I can't remember.

[Francois]

If you want to consult the Photographic Lab Handbook, it's available here https://archive.org/details/photographiclabh0000carr
Contrast process pan is at page 46 (visible in the preview)

[Bryan]

If you want to consult the Photographic Lab Handbook, it's available here https://archive.org/details/photographiclabh0000carr
Contrast process pan is at page 46 (visible in the preview)

Thanks.  My Kodak reference books must be older than this film.  They list Contrast Process film but the speeds are slower and the notch codes are different.  Otherwise it's pretty much the same information I have from the data sheet. 

[Francois]

And the modern kodak docs I have don't list the panchro version.
I guess the only way would be to consider it a bit like litho film.
I process ortho-litho film in HC-110 Dil.F for continuous tone and in PQ Universal for very high contrast. Room temp for about 3 minutes.
I suspect this stuff would react in a similar way.