Type 55 sheet film

[Steve Feldman]

Hi group,

I have few out (make that way out) dated boxes of Type 55. The developer pods are dry as desert sand. But my skinflint logic says that the film itself should still be useable. After all, it's Pan-X. Anyone tried this? Place a sheet of Type 55 in it's holder, pull the paper sliders, expose, replace paper sliders, go home, develop the film as any other sheet film in, say, HC-100. OR - In a darkroom, peel open the film from the paper sliders, remove edges of perforated film, load into a standard 4x5 holder and process normally after exposure. Just trying to buypass the dried chemical pods.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

~S.

[Bob Gentile]

Never done it myself, but I've heard of others doing it.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I don't think the film will fit precisely in a regular filmholder, but I have heard about people shooting it as a packet film and processing it later in the darkroom as Panatomic-X. It seems like an excellent use for outdated Type 55.

[Capocheny]

Steve,

Although I've not gone the route you're proposing I think it's a great idea! IIRC, if you're processing it as Pan-X you'll need to increase the development time slightly. I'm sorry but I can't recall the exact time increase required.

You'll just have to do your own tests... and, please, let us know how it turns out! :)

Cheers

[Jan Pedersen]

No experience developing the 55 in other than the Pola envelope but i use a Yankee tank to clear the 55 and have adjusted the spacing with a couple of zip ties so it fits the 55 negative. (This is all the tank is used fore) Should work for development in other Dev's.

jan

[Donald Qualls]

As suggested, you'll find the T55 negative doesn't fit any of the standard methods (Jobo, Nikor, etc.) of processing 4x5 sheet film, but it should work okay in tubes if they can accomodate the size (sacrifice one sheet to test or adjust), and shooting the film in the Polaroid 500 or 545 backs, removing without processing, and peeling the packet in the darkroom to tray process the film will always work (amazing how tolerant trays are as to film dimensions).

It's my understanding that it's *not* Panatomic-X, but it's something made by Polaroid or custom made for them with very similar specs -- one story I've read is that T55 was originally Pan-X, but Polaroid started making their own when Kodak dropped Panatomic-X. Another, less optimistic version is that Polaroid has a huge stock of Pan-X frozen on master rolls and when it's gone, T55 will be history -- but I've never seen any supporting evidence for either version. Either way, my reading (I haven't tried it with my one box of 1987-expired T55) suggests Panatomic-X times will work nicely...

[David A. Goldfarb]

As suggested, you'll find the T55 negative doesn't fit any of the standard methods (Jobo, Nikor, etc.) of processing 4x5 sheet film

The Nikor tank is adjustable, so it would work, if you happen to have a Nikor tank and don't mind sacrificing a sheet (or using a scrap neg) to figure out how to adjust it.

[Donald Qualls]

The Nikor tank is adjustable, so it would work, if you happen to have a Nikor tank and don't mind sacrificing a sheet (or using a scrap neg) to figure out how to adjust it.

That depends on your handling of the T55. The full negative, beyond the perforations, is larger than standard 4x5 by a fraction, and I don't recall (having never handled one -- well out of my price range, or I'd have one) whether the Nikor can be adjusted that little fraction larger than 4x5. If you take off the outer edge (the part that, when processed as a Polaroid, has those "cute" little marks from the inner plys of the Polaroid packet), then it's a little smaller than 4x5 and will fit a Nikor cage -- but then you have to compose for the reduced image area, a slightly off-center 1/8 inch smaller than the full 4x5 frame.

[Steve Feldman]

Many thanks to all. ~:o)