Technical Pan
Encyclopedia
Technical Pan was an almost panchromatic
black-and-white
film produced by Kodak. While it could reproduce the visible light spectrum, it leaned to the red, and so unfiltered outdoor shots would render blues, most notably the sky, with additional darkening and reds with some lightening. These unique characteristics have not been replicated. It was generally used as a very slow film, rated at ASA
25 or even 16, although it could be rated at up to ASA 320 with a distinct loss of tonal range and a bunching of shadow and highlight detail. This film had unmatched fine grain, especially when rated at a low speed, and made excellent enlargements while preserving fine details. Kodak stopped selling it in 2004. It has not been replaced by a film (from any manufacturer) with its exceptional characteristics.
The film could be developed at home, mainly by using the chemical mixture Technidol, which Kodak sold for that purpose alone. Other two bath "split" developers have been used on Tech pan as well as highly dilute developers such as Agfa's Rodinal
. To achieve exact results, home development was often the preferred process. Like other panchromatic films, it cannot be developed under any light.
When the film was discontinued, Kodak revealed that none had been made for many years, and that it was still on the market only due to a large roll being found in frozen storage. The film was created for the military and was no longer required for that purpose. Consequently, Kodak cut the roll into commercially viable formats and continued to sell it. Unexposed Technical Pan is now quite valuable and very difficult to find.
Tech Pan, as it is often known, was very popular among some professional photographers and astronomer
s, as it was capable of recording extremely fine detail, and its sensitivity curve extended much further into the red
than most films. In particular, it was very sensitive to light emitted by hydrogen
at 656.28 nm (H-alpha
), which made it very useful for a wide range of astronomical imaging. Tech Pan was also useful for electron and laser photography. The film was popular with photographers in the art and fashion industries for its extremely high-contrast results when up-rated and processed in an abrasive, high-strength developer.
This description comes from Kodak publication No. P-255, copyright 1985:
Panchromatic
Panchromatic film is a type of black-and-white photographic film that is sensitive to all wavelengths of visible light. A panchromatic film therefore produces a realistic reproduction of a scene as it appears to the human eye. Almost all modern photographic film is panchromatic, but some types are...
black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film produced by Kodak. While it could reproduce the visible light spectrum, it leaned to the red, and so unfiltered outdoor shots would render blues, most notably the sky, with additional darkening and reds with some lightening. These unique characteristics have not been replicated. It was generally used as a very slow film, rated at ASA
Film speed
Film speed is the measure of a photographic film's sensitivity to light, determined by sensitometry and measured on various numerical scales, the most recent being the ISO system....
25 or even 16, although it could be rated at up to ASA 320 with a distinct loss of tonal range and a bunching of shadow and highlight detail. This film had unmatched fine grain, especially when rated at a low speed, and made excellent enlargements while preserving fine details. Kodak stopped selling it in 2004. It has not been replaced by a film (from any manufacturer) with its exceptional characteristics.
The film could be developed at home, mainly by using the chemical mixture Technidol, which Kodak sold for that purpose alone. Other two bath "split" developers have been used on Tech pan as well as highly dilute developers such as Agfa's Rodinal
Rodinal
Rodinal is the trade name of a black and white developing agent produced originally by the German company Agfa based on the chemical 4-aminophenol.-History:Rodinal was patented January 27, 1891 by Dr. Momme Andresen...
. To achieve exact results, home development was often the preferred process. Like other panchromatic films, it cannot be developed under any light.
When the film was discontinued, Kodak revealed that none had been made for many years, and that it was still on the market only due to a large roll being found in frozen storage. The film was created for the military and was no longer required for that purpose. Consequently, Kodak cut the roll into commercially viable formats and continued to sell it. Unexposed Technical Pan is now quite valuable and very difficult to find.
Tech Pan, as it is often known, was very popular among some professional photographers and astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s, as it was capable of recording extremely fine detail, and its sensitivity curve extended much further into the red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
than most films. In particular, it was very sensitive to light emitted by hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
at 656.28 nm (H-alpha
H-alpha
H-alpha is a specific red visible spectral line created by hydrogen with a wavelength of 656.28 nm, which occurs when a hydrogen electron falls from its third to second lowest energy level...
), which made it very useful for a wide range of astronomical imaging. Tech Pan was also useful for electron and laser photography. The film was popular with photographers in the art and fashion industries for its extremely high-contrast results when up-rated and processed in an abrasive, high-strength developer.
This description comes from Kodak publication No. P-255, copyright 1985: