I've noticed Ektapan, a 100 ISO 4x5 sheet film, listed on Kodak's website and on Calumet's web page. Both sites have descriptions mentioning the film's excellence in portrait applications, but don't say why. Anyone out there know why? If so, have you any experience/opinions about this film? Finally, which developers have you used with it?

Thanking you in advance,

Frank.

-- Frank Burtnett (confra@earthlink.net), February 09, 2001

Answers

I have not used it, but:

Film Developing Cookbook recommends it as long scale with much of the flexibility of thick film emulsions.

Similar to Verichrome Pan in that it has 2 emulsions.

Recommended for studio portraits: long toe. Kodak seems to be the only company who promotes long toe emulsions, specifically for studio shots. The long toe helps capture shadow detail in low-flare situations, like studios. Perhaps people who use other films just give more exposure with appropriate development?

It's more expensive than other Kodak 4x5 films. I would try it, but I am afraid I might like it and Kodak would then discontinue it. They've ceased manufacturing many specialty films in the past decade or so.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), February 09, 2001.

And they will continue to cease manufacturing specialty films if people don't use them. kevin

-- Kevin Kolosky (kjkolosky@kjkolosky.com), February 10, 2001.

Ektapan is probably one of the nicest emulsions that Kodak has made. The tonal scale is great, extremely fine grain and is more matched to the color tones of color film than any other emulsion. I have used it for years (even on my pleasure shooting) and recommend it highly!! You will be very pleased with just about any developer that you're using. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

Kevin:

They seem to discontinue them even when people are using them. I don't recall Panatomic-X even having a chance when TMax100 was introduced. TMax came and Panatomic-X was gone in the same fell swoop.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), February 12, 2001.

Yes, Kodak seem to think that Tmax 100 is a panacea. They're discontinuing their Commercial B&W film and suggesting Tmax as an alternative!
Other films disappearing in Kodak's latest spring clean are: Pan masking film, their Spectral Analysis film with extended blue/UV sensitivity, and sheet film sizes of High speed Infra red.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), February 13, 2001.

Pete:

Thank God for Ilford.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), February 13, 2001.

Pan Masking Film hasnt disappeared, its only available in certain size(s).

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), February 14, 2001.

which is not to say I dont abhor the way Koday is lining up its analog products for the firing squad, because i do....

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), February 14, 2001.