[APML]: Fuji Neopan 100 (no skunks in this message)

[joneil@obs.empath.on.ca (Joseph O'Neil)]

  Tried Fuji Neopan 100 couple of weeks ago for the first time - 
daylight.  Very interesting stuff.  Cannot give anyone any figures on red 
senitivty or reciprocity failure, however, I have seen some wonderful 
lunar shots using T-Max, and in a similar venue, I think this film would 
be wonderfull for lunar work.  I would try it myself - but the rains....

  Anyhow, this film is unlike any other film B&W or colour I have tried.  
First, it is a very thin base and emulsion.  Thinner even than tech pan.  
I suppose this is to cut down on halliation (I know - didn't spell that 
right probally).  That is, light has a tendency to scatter inside a film 
emulsion when it strikes the film.  Thinner the base, less hallation.

  Neopan 100 has a real crispness, "snap" to the negatives.  I have a 
couple of daylight shots on my web page - only 80k jpeg, so the 
resolution sn't the best, but it will give you a rough idea.

  The other thing about this film is the negatives are - hard to describe 
- soft - or flexible.  Working with this stuff int eh darkroom is like 
handling heavy duty saran wrap.

 It is still firm enough to hold striaght in a negative carrier (120 size 
I am talking about), but the flexability means you do not crimp the film 
by accident as easily.

  The one problem with tech pan, is if you are not careful, you can 
squeeze or crimp the film and leave these little "half moon" marks ont he 
negative.  Neopan 100 does nto seem to do this at all.

  Neopan 100 is NOT a delta or t-grain film, but a mroe conventional B&W 
emulsion - form what I can see.  I have a very hard time finding 
informaiton about it anywhere.  Even the massive B&W developing chart on 
the Photo Source web site only lists Neopan 400 and 1600, not 100.  THe 
Fuji web site does not contain any tech data on Neopan 100 either, from 
what I could find.  others may have better luck.

   I found out aobut it because a local pro studio use to use it,a nd 
order it in by the caseload.  They went out of business, and the local 
photo store was selling off 120 rolls for $2.oo CDN a roll ( cheap 
compared to the usuall 4-5$ a roll for otrher brands of B&W film).  Tried 
a roll, loved it, and bought another 20 rolls, now happily sitting in my 
fridge.  My wife is insisting on a second refridgerator now because all 
my film is taking up too much room.  Sheesh - you would think food was 
more important than film!  :)

  I'll close of by saying, if you are doing lunar photography, it is 
worth trying a roll of this stuff - if you can find it.  I would be 
itnerested in hearing what the 35mm stuff is like as I have only used it 
in 120 format.
joe
http://www.multiboard.com/~joneil