Glass Plates: Kodak Orthoplate PFO—Developing info?

[Drew Bedo]

These are pre-coated glass plates from Kodak: "Orthoplate PFO". I have an oppertunity to get a few dozen 8x10 plates in factory sealed boxes from what might have been the last production in 2009.

Does anyone have any tech info on developing these plates?

[Robert Hughes]

http://mtham.ucolick.org/techdocs/techref/photography/baking.html

[Drew Bedo]

Thanks Robert. Very interesting stuff on how to increase the sensativity of films for Astro Photography. They "bake" the films for 12-24 hours in a sealed container filled with a mixture of Hydrogen and Nitrogen gas. Does anyone do this for general photography?

[Mark Sampson]

There's a discussion of hypersensitizing in Anchell & Troop's "Film Developing Cookbook" that discusses several methods. The link posted above is much more specific. As far as Orthoplate PFO goes, you might search the Kodak site for their graphic arts info- although it might be hard to find. They did (and perhaps still do) make specialized emulsions for very specific markets. A not-quite-WAG says that those plates will be slow, contrasty, and very high resolution.

[Drew Bedo]

-High Contrast-HiRes matches uo with the products in current production for laser holography.

The sources tgat I have foubd give very precise descriptions (with a lot of decimal places) for every parameter. Spectral response in nanometers and plat thickness in thousandths of an inch for example. Oh . . .and the cost is in the range of $80 to $120 PER PLATE!