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Thread: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

  1. #1

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    Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    I came across 6 boxs of this film and have been try to get some info on it so I can list it on eBay. I have used tons of tri-x sheet film and roll film over the years. All the information I can find on line is 1954 tri x film started production. but can't find a date on this plate film or the meaning of type B. Most of the photography stuff in the 2 boxes were early 1900. Anyone familiar with it? I would appreciate any information. Thanks

  2. #2

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    Can't help much, but here goes anyway. I'm reasonably certain that these plates will not be the Tri-X Pan we all know. Of course Kodak was never consistent with names, and often re-used trademarks (see 'Polymax'). 'Type B' was a certain kind of panchromatic sensitization. Not sure exactly; the last film Kodak made with that label was "Super-Panchro-Press, Type B", a sheet film discontinued in the mid-1970s (before my LF time, although it appeared in the data books).
    The trade dress on the box suggests the 1930s, but again my knowledge of Kodak's logo history is... anecdotal at best. I've just been around this stuff all my life.
    If you have a 5x7 camera, perhaps you can find a plate holder and give it a try. Recently, several people here have gotten surprising results from old 'found' plates.
    Sorry, but I have no idea what it might be worth. All the random old Kodak stuff I have, I got for free.

  3. #3

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    'Tri-X' existed in sheet/ plate form long before the 135/120 rollfilm product was introduced - possibly even pre-WWII. Regarding type-B panchromatic sensitivity - here's a page from T. Thorne Baker (reproduced on Denise Ross's 'The Light Farm' website) which shows the differences between types A, B, C sensitivity: http://www.thelightfarm.com/Map/TLFT...PanTypes-Baker

  4. #4

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    I've shot 20 year old Tri-X, but I have doubts about 80 year old. I would say in your ad it is "probably from the 1920s to 1930s" and start an auction for $1. I should sell, I'd guess for about $25. Whoever buys it may have fun and get results, or may end up with useless pieces of glass and a neat box.

  5. #5

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    Tri-X was commercially announced by 1940 in sheets... for example in the back cover back of the 1940 American Annual of Photography

    This is the back of the 1941 Annual sold in Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/American-Annu...p/B000PYBADC):

    Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #6

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    They won't be useless pieces of glass - you could send them to Jason Lane AKA Nodda Duma and he could proobably recoat them for you.

  7. #7

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Andrada View Post
    They won't be useless pieces of glass - you could send them to Jason Lane AKA Nodda Duma and he could proobably recoat them for you.
    The glass is not worth the shipping, I guess. But the dry plates can be shot !!!

  8. #8

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    IMHO it is worth to try these plates, older than these one had been used. Of course it is not fresh stuff, but it is a fresh way to take photographs, the defects the old plates may have can also be nice.

    Here there are examples shot with way older plates: https://darkside.photography/using-old-plates/

  9. #9

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    Thanks for posting information. I put one box up on eBay. I bought 2 boxes of really old camera gear 20+ years ago at a sale. I bought it because it had a plate glass printer that looked really cool it's call a Pako junior, it has a red light and 12 individual tiny bulbs that each have their own switch for dodging and burning. I set it up used a 4x5 neg and played around with it. The rest of the stuff stayed in the box in the basement. As I get older I realized I have a lot of photo and darkroom gear I just can't use or don't need anymore.

  10. #10

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    Re: Eastman Kodak 5x7 plate film tri-x panchromatic type B

    Thanks for directing me to dark side. I hadn't come across that site. Those shots on the old plate glass are pretty darn good. I'm guessing this film and other stuff was from the 20s or 30s, the Kodak plate glass development hangers had dates as late as 1921 for patent.

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