John, I'm interested in trying Kodalith film-- that's what I used to use years ago to make contrast masks for Ciba printing. Do you know if it is available in 8x10, and how I might get it processed? I don't have a B&W darkroom anymore...
~cj
John, I'm interested in trying Kodalith film-- that's what I used to use years ago to make contrast masks for Ciba printing. Do you know if it is available in 8x10, and how I might get it processed? I don't have a B&W darkroom anymore...
~cj
Buy this book. "Image Clarity" It has a chapter which answers your question and it takes a full chapter to do it.
There are films out there that will resolve 5000 lp/mm but they have no tonal range at all and asa is measured in two decimal points.
Short answer if you don't want to buy the book, is Gigabit,Tech pan, Tmax in order of how much greef you want.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0240800338/qid=1066936797/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-7430871-7626262?v=glance&s=books
Beyond Tmax at 8x10 I suspect your lens is going to be your weak link, not your film.
Sadly, all the lithographers who kept those products flowing have switched to digital.
I did find it in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 at B&H:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=27950&is=USA
They also carry Kodak's lith developer, but not the old "Fineline" stuff we used to use for still development.
Years ago, Kodak split these products off from pictorial products and gave them to dealerships which serviced printers. If you are in a large city, look in the yellow pages under Printers' or Lithographers' Supplies. Here in Springfield, MA, those guys have all gone out of business. BTW, Fuji also used to make a full line of stuff. Silk screeners must still use lith film.
Not sure to what to say about processing. Don't think labs would bother with this stuff. There must be an old "hole in the wall" lithographer in your area who still has a darkroom. Do you know a nurse with a key to the xray department?
I suspect that three trays, a ruby bulb and a closet may be the best solution. Damn, I used to soup tons of this stuff as well!
Freestyle has a bunch of different lith films. Including some in the right size for film holders.
The high contrast films used for library archival would probably be the sharpest of all. I have the 250 pages of my PhD thesis reproduced on a transparency of about 4x5, and with the proper magnifier, any of the pictures or graphs is perfectly legible. I suppose this would be some kind of lith film (it's white on dark blue) but I am not sure. What I am sure is that if you investigate some non-photographic films, you could achieve sharpness that is unheard of in the photographic world.
I feel silly offering advice to Chris Jordan, but you asked...
...an 8x10 image that resolves the finest possible details...
Resolution is a product of the whole system. That is, the film, the developer, the lens, and the skill of the photographer to focus exactly. As far as I know, there aren't any lenses commercially available that can out resolve even 100Tmax in 8x10. Tech Pan will certainly out resolve any lens you can come up with for 8x10.
What I'm saying is, because you are "lens limited" you have options. For example, if your secondary consideration after resolving detail is tonality, you can move from Tech Pan to 100Tmax. If your secondary consideration is color, you can move to color negative film like Fuji NPS/NPL. I would make a small wager that any of these films will resolve exactly the same amount -- all being lens limited.
My advice is to shoot the scene with several films and compare the results. Please, post your results -- tell us what you find out. It may help others who are looking for the same thing you are.
Bruce Watson
The film with the highest resolution (not counting lith film) is Gigabit film, a super fine grain / high accutance film made by Gigabitfilm Gmbh in Germany. The resolving power far exceeds Tech Pan. However, it requires the absolute best lenses, absolute flat film plane, and a serious camera mount to get max resolution out of this film. AND you need to use Gigabitfilm Developer, which is a one-shot developer also manufactured by Gigabitfilm GMBH, Germany. The film is available through J&C in the USA.
I have tried it using a 35mm Leica rangefinder (M6), but not in sheet film size. If you want to use sheet film 4X5 f. inst. you need a film cassette with a vaccuum plate or a special Sinar flat film holder...Otherwise nothing is gained!
In 35mm I've shot TechPan and compared it to Provia using the same top quality lens and subject. TechPan resolved finer detail and is less grainy. I would assume that would carry over to 8X10. TechPan is kind of a pain to get great consistent results in my experience. When you hit it right it is amazing. I think you can get TP processed commercially which may be important to you.
Do keep in mind what Hogarth wrote about the system limits and John Cooks comments about sharpness. I found that 35mm TMax gave better looking prints than TechPan. Less sharp can look more sharp because of micro contrast differences in the films. I think that by the time you get the document films like TP to give overall pictorial contrast the resolution advantage is lessened. (This last you asked to be spared from but you got it anyway) ; >)
My impression is that Gigabit film is repackaged Agfa Copex, a high contrast film used for microfilm/microfiche, and the developer is an extreme compensating formula like POTA which makes it usable for pictorial use. This was the same principle behind the old H-W Control film.
David might be correct! I do remember the old H&W Control film which was the craze in the mid 1970's. It was quite amazing but very difficult to control. Maybe thats how it got its name = H&W Control Film / Hard & Wicked Control film?
Wonder if it is possible to process Gigabitfilm in Pyro? Pyro Rollo works fantastic with J&C ASA 25 film (The old Adox KB14) - it looks etched! Actually that might be your ticket: J&C ASA 25 film (but only if you have a low contrast scene...) - I believe it is available in 4X5 and 8X10?
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